With a will larger than her height, sophomore girl’s basketball player, Paige Maltos, continues to rise above and beyond her fiercest competitors. With the moves to stand out on the court and a goal to fulfill an Ivy-league dream, Maltos is all about making it happen.

?My family played a big part in my interest in basketball,? Maltos said. ?When I first started I wasn?t very good. I was very uncoordinated and it took a while to get used to.?

When it came time for Maltos to prove what her family had seen in her all along, she dominated the opposition and enjoyed every minute of it.

?It?s a major love-hate relationship,? Maltos said. ?I adore my teammates and the atmosphere. The only thing I don?t like about basketball are some of the grueling practices, but it pays of, especially this year.?

Varsity head coach Josh Tosland relishes the sizable qualities Maltos bring to the court as the team goes 8-0 for a perfect NWSL season and enters the Division V playoffs with a 51-31 win against Caruthers, Feb. 15.

?Paige has the ability to change a game by just being in the game,? Tosland said. ?She also has developed some basketball moves rather than just being taller than the other team and has proven to be a competitor able to run the floor, as evident by her transition points.?

When asked what makes Maltos stand out amongst her teammates, Tosland chuckles and points to her mere six-foot three-inch frame that keeps her opponents from dominating the court.

?With her size, she does intimidate opponents to come inside,? Tosland said. ?She is hard to guard on the low block and has proven to be a focus of a lot of teams defensive plans.?

Now in her second year as defensive center, basketball affords Maltos the ability to win and laugh at the same time, thanks to the help of her teammates and a coach with a sense of humor.

?I?d say either Candace?s half court shot during the Liberty game was the funniest this year or the Tosland dance, which we made out of all of Tosland?s gestures,? Maltos said. ?There are so many memories and this year was great, especially with our Hannah Montana pregame dance.?

When not playing on the court, Maltos enjoys spending therapeutic time amongst her friends as well as becoming an avid window-shopper.

?I shop a lot,? Maltos said. ?I also love to be around my family on the weekends which includes all of my cousins, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters and my parents.?

As she approaches the end of her sophomore season, Maltos has received her share of inspiration from her teammates.

?Everyone around me, though mainly my team and coaches inspire me,? Maltos said. ?They?re always there to push me and keep me going.?

Senior teammate Micaleah Aleman finds Maltos? charisma an inspiration, especially in the face of certain adversity.

?She?s always stands up for us on the court,? Aleman said. ?One time we were at a tournament against CVC and a girl was picking on Katie (White, ’09). Paige ended up walking over to the girl and told her to stop or she?d hurt her just as the girl hurt Katie.?

With the fate of the playoffs still in limbo, Maltos’ attention remains on the season?s final outcome, but she also ponders her aspirations for next year.

?I need to concentrate more on my school work since I have a tendency to be easily distracted,? Maltos said. ?As far as basketball, I don?t really know yet so I?ll just have to concentrate on now and worry about next year later.?

Although most students wait until senior year to finalize college decisions, Maltos plans to attend the more competitive schools California has to offer.

?I would like to stay in California and maybe go to UC Berkley or Stanford or somewhere close to home,? Maltos said. ?I?m not too sure what I want to do for a career yet, but maybe something with kids or possibly a physical therapist.?

With her sights set on an Ivy-league future, Maltos does her best to balance basketball with grades, but admits the difficulty is not to be taken lightly.

?As far as my grades go, they could be better,? Maltos said. ?It?s pretty hard to keep up sometimes, especially on game days and away games, but I?m keeping up pretty well.?

The Eagles will next play Strathmore at home in the first round of the CIF Central Section Division V playoffs, Feb. 22 at 7 P.M. FC is ranked 7th in the State’s Division V.

For more information, read the Girls’ basketball sports shorts or contact coach Josh Tosland.