Due to other commitments, Parkers Chapel’s girls’ basketball team had to compete in a camp last week without two of its starting guards. Taylor Fortune, the Lady Trojans’ 5-foot-11 junior forward, was more than happy to raise her hand when Coach Justin Welch was looking for someone to help on the perimeter.
Fortune, who averaged 8.4 points and 6.3 rebounds as a sophomore last season, has spent the summer working to expand her game.
“It’s something we’ve been working on. It’s kind of been a work in progress. She’s not a true inside player even though she’s on the taller side. But we always knew that. We’ve been working on it,” Welch said. “She’s gaining a lot of confidence. She’s catching the ball prepared to shoot instead of being a little bit hesitant. She knocked down several 3-pointers in this camp.”
The 16-year-old Fortune has played with Arkansas Blaze, an 18-and-under team out of Lafayette County. She plans on attending camps at Louisiana Tech and Henderson State next month.
“I’ve played in seven tournaments, about four-to-five games each weekend. Playing this summer has helped with keeping me in basketball shape and in AAU basketball, you have to be physical and that will help take my game to the next level for next season,” said Fortune.
“I’ve gotten more confident shooting, especially 3-pointers. Also, more confident in ball handling and guarding any position.”
Fortune hit 12-of-35 from 3-point range last year for the Lady Trojans and shot 69 percent at the free throw line.
“My goal for next season is to make the state tournament,” she said. “Personal goals are to continue to improve my skills to, hopefully, play any type of college basketball. I have to continue to work on my ball handling, work on getting my shot as consistent as possible and work on my one-on-one game.”
In August, Arkansas Blaze will compete in an 18-and-under national tournament in Oklahoma.