Sidney senior guard Lexee Brewer looks to pass during a Miami Valley League game against Tippecanoe on Wednesday in Sidney. Brewer became the program’s career steals leaders during the victory; she surpassed 300 career steals. Brewer, who missed most of last season with an ACL injury, is the only player in program history to have more than 300 rebounds, 300 assists, 300 steals and 500 points.
Bryant Billing | Sidney Daily News
Sidney senior guard Allie Stockton comes down with a rebound during a Miami Valley League game on Wednesday in Sidney. Stockton scored 22 points.
Bryant Billing | Sidney Daily News
Sidney sophomore guard Jordan Scully drives down the lane with pressure from Tippecanoe’s Samantha Wall during a Miami Valley League game on Wednesday in Sidney. Scully scored 10 points.
Bryant Billing | Sidney Daily News
Bryant Billing | Sidney Daily News
SIDNEY — Even though she missed most of her junior season, Lexee Brewer has amassed statistics no other Sidney girls basketball player has.
Brewer became the program’s career steals leader in a 52-33 victory over Tippecanoe on Wednesday and helped the squad clinch an outright overall Miami Valley League title for the second consecutive season.
Brewer, a senior guard, has a little over 300 career steals after Wednesday’s victory. She is the only player in program history to have over 300 career steals, 300 career rebounds and 300 career assists along with over 500 career points.
“Lexee’s a special player,” Sidney coach Jamal Foster said. “We’ll never have another one. She competes day in and day out at practice. She’s tough, smart, competitive. She’s the ultimate teammate. We’ll definitely miss her.
“To accomplish the things she has done in three years and battle back after two major surgeries is a testament to who she is. She is going to make a college really good next year.”
Brewer tore several ligaments in her right knee during a game at Stebbins in December of 2021, five games into the season.
She missed the rest of the year and all of girls soccer in fall and was cleared to play shorty before basketball season tipped off in mid-November.
Brewer is averaging 4.5 points, 3.2 assists, 3.6 steals and 2.2 rebounds per game. She averaged 8.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 4.2 steals in her first two seasons and was averaging over 10 points and nearly seven steals per game last year before the injury.
“It’s taken a lot of hard work, especially getting back after the year off,” Brewer said. “I’ve kept going, and I haven’t given up. It’s a lot of hard work in practice and away from practice.”
Brewer has been getting back to full speed as this season has progressed. Aside from regaining strength in her leg, she’s also become accustomed to the brace she plays with.
“I have quite a bit of trust back. There’s still a little hesitation there, but most of it is all back,” Brewer said. “I’m getting used to the brace. It still bugs me, but it’s there, and it’s going to stay there, so I’ve got to get used to it.”
Brewer, who has been a starter along with teammate Allie Stockton all four years, reached the milestone late in the fourth quarter. Though Brewer knew she was close, Foster kept the exact amount she needed a secret.
“He told me I had 20 to get at the start of the game, and then he told me after I was about 20 over already, so that was a good lie,” Brewer said.
The Yellow Jackets improved to 17-4 overall with the win and 17-0 in MVL play. They’ve won every MVL game this season by at least 14 points.
Foster said he’s proud of the accomplishment, especially with Brewer battling back throughout the season and the team playing without junior guard Kiara Hudgins, who has recently returned after rehabbing from a knee injury.
Hudgins, who returned to the court for the first time last week in a victory at Troy, averaged seven points, three steals, three rebounds and three assists per game last year.
“We’ve talked all year it’s a marathon, not a sprint, and most of it has been health,” Foster said. “We’ve been trying to get minutes to certain players, get their feet back underneath them. Getting her back is pivotal. We feel like we’re trending in the right direction on the court and are starting to be the team we need to be to make a run in the tournament.”
The squad started slow in several games earlier this month but built a nine-point lead by the end of the first quarter during a 60-24 win at West Carrollton (13-7) on Saturday and followed by building a 16-4 lead by the end of the first quarter on Wednesday against the Red Devils (14-6).
Brewer said it’s a sign the team is starting to play more consistently.
“We’re almost there, and that’s exciting,” Brewer said. “We’ve just got to keep getting after it in practice. Our practices, they’re going to have to be better, and we’re just going to have to keep practicing on the offensive side and keep fighting.”
Sidney is scheduled to wrap up regular-season play on Saturday by hosting Greenville (6-14).
The Yellow Jackets earned the No. 4 seed in the Dayton Division I sectional and will open postseason play on Feb. 13 at Vandalia-Butler against the winner of Xenia (9-12) vs. Troy (7-14).
Sidney led 24-10 at halftime on Wednesday, then used a 17-12 advantage in the second to take a 19-point lead into the fourth quarter.
Stockton led Sidney with 22 points while Jordan Scully scored 10.
