“It’s all happened so quickly”: Eighth-grade phenom Evans leads way for Lady Rebels

Ashlyn Evans leads the 6-0 Rebels with 13 points per game. (PHOTO | KWAI COOK)

Ashlyn Evans, by most accounts, is a normal high-school athlete.

She spends seven hours a day in class. Evans hangs out with classmates and friends. She studies hard to keep her grades high. After school, Evans leaves campus to train and hit the basketball court with her teammates.

In most ways, Evans — who leads the Byrnes girls' basketball team in scoring with 13 points per game — is much like her high school teammates.

There’s just one tiny difference.

Evans doesn’t actually go to high school at all.

Byrnes’ breakout shining star this season is an eighth grader.

“I thought it was going to take some time to get to this point,” said Evans. “I thought it may even take until my freshman year. It’s all happened so quickly.”

Evans was all smiles walking off the court Tuesday after a 73-33 win over Eastside. She finished with 13 points, three rebounds, two steals and an assist in the win. Evans received love and cheers from her teammates throughout the game.

The 13-year-old rising star is fitting in just fine with her much older teammates.

“I was nervous coming into the season, but my teammates have welcomed me in a lot,” said Evans. “That’s made everything easier.”

While Evans’ teammates might just be getting their first impressions of the eighth-grader this season, it’s far from Evans’ first impression of them. 

Currently a student at Abner Creek Middle School, Evans spent many evenings over the last three years attending Byrnes High School games. She learned the names of her current teammates while yelling them out as a fan. 

Evans said she’s idolized Byrnes star senior guard Te’Ericka Dowling since she was a fourth-grader watching Dowling from the stands.

“I would go to like every game [Byrnes] played the last few years,” said Evans. “I’d be there watching them play. I took notes from players like Te’Ericka and tried to learn everything she would do on the court. That really helped me grow as a player.”

Byrnes head coach Missy Fowler said it was never a matter of if Evans would be on the team as an eighth grader. The real question was how much of a role she would have.

“Ashlyn’s been in our community and in our youth leagues since she was a kid, so I’ve had the opportunity to watch her for a while now,” said Fowler. “I watched her play all last year as a seventh-grader. I knew I wanted her to play for us.

Though just an eighth-grader, Evans has yet to shy away from a challenge at the high school level. (PHOTO | KWAI COOK)

“She proved this summer in our circuits that her maturity level was high and ready for a big role on this team. Ashlyn was competing against very good players much older than her, and she was holding her own.”

Evans is a major factor in the Lady Rebels' electric 6-0 start to the season — a span in which Byrnes has outscored opponents 380-205.

As the team grows throughout the season in pursuit of a state title, Evans will too. Though the opportunity has come quickly and been a blur for the eighth-grade phenom, Evans is embracing everything that has come her way.

“I know what we’re capable of if we play to our potential and keep working on passing and being selfless,” said Evans. “I know I’ve still got a long way to go, but as a team, we’re playing really good right now.”

Catch Ashlyn and the Lady Rebels (6-0, 1-0 region) in action next on Tuesday, Dec. 17 in a home game vs. Daniel. Tip-off at 6 p.m.