Ashley Schloer is key part of balanced attack for undefeated Panthers

The O’Fallon Township girls basketball team is off to a great start.

The Panthers are 8-0 overall and 4-0 in the Southwestern Conference.

The team’s success is centered in its depth. The Panthers have three players average 10 points or better, with a fourth scoring at a 9.6 ppg clip.

Among the girls averaging double digits is junior Ashley Schloer.

Schloer, who has played in all eights game, is averaging 12.3 points per game — second on the team to only Sydney Thurwalker, who is averaging 13.

“I play basketball because I grew up around it, and I fell in love with the game at a young age,” said Schloer, the 16-year-old daughter of Dean and Anglea Schloer. “I began playing at 4 in my basement on a mini hoop with my dad.”

“Ashley has really come on to the scene nicely in her junior year. Shes our shooting guard and a duel athlete,” said OTHS coach Nick Knolhoff.

Schloer, who is also the catcher on the softball team, is shooting 55.3 percent from the field, including 67.3 (33-49) from inside the arch and 33.3 (9-27) from 3-point range. She also leads the team with 26 steals on the season.

The 5-7 Schloer counts her coaches, as well as her father, with helping her achieve her goals on the court, including when she had a career-high in points on Dec. 7. She dumped in 27 on SWC rival Collinsville that night. Schloer shot 75 percent from the field against the Kahoks, hitting nine of 10 2-point shots and three of six 3-pointers.

Schloer also reached double-digits in scoring on Nov. 22 against McCluer North (14 points), on Nov. 30 against Belleville East (19), Dec. 5 verses Alton (11), and on Monday in the Panthers’ win over Granite City (10).

“(She’s a) great kid, hard work ethic, and a even better student/teammate,” her coach said.

This story was originally published December 20, 2017 at 9:58 AM with the headline "Ashley Schloer is key part of balanced attack for undefeated Panthers."