Malia Tate-DeFrietas misses on the first 3-pointer I witness during the first quarter of Steelton-Highspire’s District 3-A Championship game against Halifax. She misses another one, and, when I look up at the Giant Center’s scoreboard, 27-1 in favor of her Rollers, I understand her short lapse in concentration and form.
This sample of her game speaks nothing to her legendary, if not understated, success. Her 3,272 points to-date is good for third all-time in Pennsylvania women’s high school basketball. She averages 35.2 points per game (fifth nationally) and shoots a ridiculous 52 percent from the field. And now her Rollers aim for their third Class A State Championship in a row.
The rest of the District Championship game is nothing to write home about, Steel-High winning the game by 49 points. Malia’s mom, Jennifer, states that she “didn’t think it would be that close.”
This kind of sports stratosphere is hard to find. And more impressive is how grounded and focused Malia appears on-and-off-the-court.
On-the-court, she’s poised, reacts well to ball pressure, and her passing, overlooked because of her prolific scoring, is impressive, particularly a driving jump-pass she utilizes that would rile up most coaches. This is because that dash of flair often results in a charge/turnover, but Malia is somehow able to avoid this contact. She’s almost expressionless on the court, which may be conceived as aloofness, but you would be wrong, according to Coach “Chis,” Malia’s mentor since seventh grade.
Coach Jeffrey Chisolm shows up late to their Monday practice, and oddly inhabits a similar personality to that of Malia when I talk with him—reticent and quiet. Coaches can often have almost bipolar temperaments between their practice and game management, so I chalk this meeting up to a long season.
I attempt to create a courtesy call out of this one. But he slowly opens up, citing that he thinks Malia has exceeded in greatness to local legends like Ashley Langford and Jasmine Poole.
“Some people will say she scores a lot because it’s 1-A. We played Harrisburg High; she dropped 54. When she steps on that court, she doesn’t care who you are. Doesn’t matter if you’re 84.”
Off the hardwood, Malia is humble and reserved, something Coach “Chis” says is the best part of Malia. “She’s well-mannered and respects everyone.”
She concisely sums up her strengths and weakness, which adds “self-aware” to her repertoire of characteristics. “I think I’m a good passer, and my weaknesses…my left-hand and I need to get stronger.”
Trying to chink her armor a little, I ask about her tattoos, half-hoping they were impulsive ink purchases. She points to behind her ear, where a black, two-leaved design is located.
“I have one leaf on my side for 1,000 points, two leaves for 2,000, and the tattoo here (near her shoulder) are the names of my two deceased grandmothers.”
When asked about getting three leaves for exceeding 3,000, she says, “she’s done with tattoos for now.” The tattoos were touching and self-assured tributes to her success and who she owes her success to—her family.
No matter the outcome after this month’s tour de force of PIAA championship basketball, her future scholastic and athletic career awaits her at Hampton University.
“I want to major in business/marketing or kinesiology, then work for either Under Armor or Nike.”
When I ask her about the WNBA or playing in Europe, she kind of waves it off. Modest. No surprise there.
