The Centerville High School junior, the nation’s 42nd ranked prospect in the class of 2022, continues to be a force for the Elks with team highs in points (25.0 per game), rebounds (7.0), steals (3.7) and blocks (1.3).
The 5-foot-11 wing/shooting guard, who recently gave a verbal commitment to play basketball for Ohio State University, leads Centerville (3-0 overall, 1-0 GWOC) into a Greater Western Conference clash at Springboro (7-0, 4-0 GWOC) on Saturday. Not bad for someone who was shoved into the sport in the third grade.
“To be honest, I was the one that wasn’t really into sports (in my family),” said McMahon, who has two brothers named Bryce and Liam and two sisters named Joss and Harley. “My mom threw me into basketball … I was really, really bad in third and fourth grade. Like really bad.”
Four years later McMahon picked up her first Division I scholarship offer when Xavier University offered her in the seventh grade. More than 40 offers followed, including from top-25 programs Arizona, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan, Northwestern and Syracuse.
“I have a big support system in Centerville. That was really a plus for me,” McMahon said of preferring to stay close to her family and friends. “Everybody can make it to the games and it’ll be easy for me to get back to my community and where I come from.”
McMahon’s HoopGurlz recruiting profile on ESPN.com describes McMahon’s game this way: “strong, athletic perimeter performer drives and attacks the defense; finishes plays in traffic, delivers at the charity stripe; plays with high motor effort, rebounds and handles coast-to-coast … "
“Her ability to go to the basket coast-to-coast is one of the best in the country,” Centerville coach Adam Priefer agreed. “She’s electric in the open court.”
McMahon, the No. 9-ranked wing in the country, has 990 career points heading into Saturday’s game. She’s led Centerville in both scoring and rebounding her first two full seasons with 15.8 points and 9.2 rebounds as a freshman and 18.9 points and 8.0 rebounds as a sophomore.
Cyndi Stull, a 1999 Centerville grad, holds the program’s career scoring record with 1,665 points and career rebounding record with 1,351. Among her many records Stull also holds the single-game scoring record with 41 points. McMahon’s career best is 39 last season in a 72-61 loss to Mount Notre Dame, where McMahon shot 17-of-23 from the field and 5-of-7 from the free-throw line.
McMahon has scored 23, 25 and 27 points her first three games this season.
“I have like a kill mentality. As soon as I get off the rebound I’m driving to the basket, head down,” McMahon said, describing her style of play. “Get out of the way because I’m driving to the basket no matter what.”
In addition to McMahon, Centerville also features senior point guard and Bowling Green State University signee Amy Velasco (9.7 points, 7.0 assists, 3.3 steals).
“You can’t ask for a better point guard as a coach or even as a player. She’s an unbelievable passer and distributor,” Priefer said. “She’s like an old-school, gritty point guard who can score with the best of them. I think her favorite thing is to make the pass so someone can make a shot. She’s a big cheerleader for the players. … Bowling Green, in my opinion, got a steal.”
Having the GWOC’s leader in assists distributing the ball has helped boost McMahon’s game, too.
“Amy is one of the best point guards I’ve ever played with,” McMahon said. “Not only can she score and make the plays a point guard has to make, but she takes that extra step. Her passes will always be good. She knows how to take the leadership role on and off the floor.”
McMahon knows something about that, too. When she was 13 she performed Springfield native John Legend’s song “All of Me” when her mother Tracey remarried. So, what’s more pressure – performing on the court as one of the nation’s elite basketball players or performing in front of a room full of people at a wedding?
“Definitely singing that song,” McMahon said, with a laugh.
Not afraid to take chances, McMahon – with her mother’s approval -- approached Centerville’s football coaches and inquired about playing. She wanted to try corner or safety. Centerville’s coaches, while not opposed to the idea, told McMahon she had too bright of a future in basketball to jeopardize it playing football. Her father Antoine played football at Wayne and brother Bryce plans to play at the University of Toledo.
McMahon also competes in track in the 400-meter relay, high jump and shot put. She hopes to try the 400 next spring, too.
For now, she’ll continue to make a name for herself on the basketball court.
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