Displaying talent, poise, and maturity much beyond her years, freshman Sydney Ashby was selected to play point guard on varsity girls basketball this year.
The ‘Dawgs have gotten off to a hot start, beginning the season 12-5 with big wins over Vandegrift, Johnson, Reagan and Kileen high schools. Ashby has been a steady face in the lineup, appearing and playing valuable minutes in nearly every game this season.
“My main goals going into this year was just to make varsity and get good playing time,” Ashby said. “I feel like I have achieved both of these goals so far this year, obviously there are a lot of games to play, but I’m happy with how the season started. As long as I keep myself accountable and do all the little things right, I think I can keep up my good playing time.”
Although Ashby is a freshman, she has lots of experience within the basketball circuit. She began picking up the game when she was five years old, competing against players several years older than her.
“I started off playing in recreational leagues,” Ashby said. “I then began training with my dad in 2nd grade. Basketball really became my main focus in 3rd grade when I joined the Amateur Athletic Union circuit. The game became so much more competitive, and that’s when I realized my passion for the sport.”
Playing in her first year on varsity, Ashby becomes eligible for many end of season awards, including District Newcomer of the Year, a distinguished award given to the best first year varsity player in the district.
“Winning awards at the end of the year is something I definitely strive for,” Ashby said. “If I continue to play with confidence I know I can make an impact. Overall, my team goal is to win the district championship and make a deep playoff run.”
The switch from middle school to high school comes with new expectations in areas not just in sports. Ashby has challenged herself in the classroom taking several advanced classes
“I think having a schedule and getting my prioritization right is something that needs to be done in order for me to be successful this year,” Ashby said. “Balancing school work and basketball can definitely be a challenge because I am in all hard classes which leads to a lot of homework.”
There are currently 351 Division 1 women’s basketball programs. Although Ashby cannot come in contact with college coaches until June 15, 2026 according to NCAA rules, she can still display her talent to coaches across the United States by playing in tournaments outside of the school.
“My teammates have been pushing me to be a better player by also holding me accountable and giving me guidance with the experience that they have,” Ashby said. “Playing in college is definitely a goal for me, ideally at a Division 1 school.”
Senior point guard Nyla Anderson enters her fourth year on varsity. Anderson began her Bowie career in a very similar spot as Ashby, with both players making an immediate impact as only a freshman.
“I really like the way Sydney plays,” Anderson said. “She plays with a lot of confidence, she plays selflessly, and she doesn’t let any moment get too big. She can take control over any game without needing to be just a scorer.”
Anderson was selected as one of the two team captains for the Lady ‘Dawgs. Anderson helped lead the team to a 4-1 record in their most recent tournament in Corpus Christi. She led the team in points and assists throughout the tournament.
“I enjoy going to practice and just being able to listen to music,” Anderson said. “The tournament in Corpus was also really fun. I got a lot closer to my teammates and it definitely had a lot of good moments.”
The ‘Dawgs have a stacked schedule for the next several months with district play starting December 10, when they will host the historically talented Lake Travis Cavaliers. This year poses much different than previous years. With Anderson and Johnson leaving the district, playoff hopeful teams now have an opportunity to fill their spots.
“Our goal is to win the district,” Anderson said. “The district is more winnable now than years past and I know we have the talent to do so. Besides that, I think we want to make a deep playoff run.”
The Lady ‘Dawgs are led by Coach Iesha Collins. Collins enters her third year at Bowie, with an impressive resume, leading the team to winning records her first two seasons respectively.
“The best part of my job is being able to teach athletes new skills and seeing the girls compete at the highest level,” Collins said. “I think this was summed up well during the Corpus trip. I was able to bond with the girls and watch them get better while also growing closer as a team.”
Collins selected Ashby to be on varsity due to her mentality and hard work. Being a point guard means that there must be elite level connection between the player and the coach. The point guard is known to be the leader of the offense and needs to have a commanding impact on the team.
“She entered high school with that ‘Dawg-like mentality,” Collins said. “She is super competitive and has no problem going up against the best. Being a point guard is super important on our team. I love being able to communicate with Nyla when she plays, and I think Sydney has been able to watch what we do and learn and get even better.”
With seven seniors leaving at the conclusion of this season, it will be up to three lower classmen to step up and help continue the success of a historically impressive program. The ‘Dawgs are currently ranked 92nd in the state according to MaxPreps, a season high ranking, since the first ranking which came out in early October of this year.
“I think it is a rare occurrence in all programs to have this much young talent,” Collins said. “I am going to enjoy watching all these young ladies develop into phenomenal athletes. We are blessed to have so many good freshman classes and Sydney is just a product of hard work from a young age.”
The ‘Dawgs currently have their sights on the playoffs. Only the top four teams in each district enter the playoffs, where it becomes a bracket format, similar to March Madness, or other collegiate tournaments.
“Sydney has a great career at Bowie ahead of her,” Collins said. “She will be a key part of our goal of capturing a district championship. We have already played a really good number of top teams to ensure that we are ready to climb that mountain. The best way we can achieve this, is just by playing with full effort every game for 32 minutes.”
