The Hive Sports

by James Tate

Warriors junior guard Abby Sayer has been a constant in the Warriors lineup since her freshman year. Sayer’s fight and grit show what it means to be a Warrior. Having played in over 60 career games, Sayer has earned the trust of her coaches and teammates as a leader. A relentless player on the court, Sayer has excellent court awareness and makes opponents work for every point on defense.

An improved offensive player this season, Sayer is leading the Warriors in scoring, averaging 9 points per game. On the verge of eclipsing 400 career points with another season to play, Sayer gets better and better. Sayer scored a career-high 22 points earlier this season against Region 1 opponent Farmington Phoenix.

“Honestly, my biggest improvement from freshman year has been finishing at the rim and continuing to advance my basketball IQ,” Sayer said. “I can read my teammates, opponents, and the court much better. With finishing, I am so much more confident, and if I see a lane, I’m not afraid to drive it.”

Sayer’s competitiveness and fight

As change occurs each season, Sayer knows her teammates and coaches look to her to be the one to show everyone how to prepare. Preparation and will drive Sayer each day to keep pushing forward. New Warriors Head Coach Trevor Howell has seen Sayer develop, improve, and keep her focus on winning.

“Abby is an extremely hard worker who loves basketball, always gives her best effort, and leads by example with her work ethic,” Coach Howell said. “It has been a pleasure to get to know Abby and coach her this year for me and my staff in our first year. We expect big things from her as a teammate and a player.”

Playing in the loaded Region 1, Sayer knows she and the Warriors will face one of the state’s best teams each game.

“Region one is for sure a tough region, but it is so much fun to play in, and I love the competition I get from this region,” Sayer said. “As a leader, I tell the girls to focus on one play at a time. Basketball is a sport where you have to have a short-term memory. You can’t focus on the past play or past game. You need to focus on the next play and the next game.”

Sayer prepares herself with a rigorous off-season schedule that includes club basketball and trainers.

“In the offseason, I make sure that I work harder than I did the previous season to continue to get better,” Sayer said. “My dad and brother are amazing for being willing to help me. We go to a gym or out in the backyard and run through drills that my comp coach gives me, or my cousin Skyler has. Just some background: Skyler played basketball at Brigham Young University and now trains many basketball players, and he has helped me and my brother a lot. My dad and brother rebound for me and play against me so I can keep getting better. I currently play on a traveling club team called Utah Next Level Basketball. Jalen and Jimmy Moore coach me, and they do a phenomenal job. I have learned so much from them, and they mainly contribute to my offseason practice.”

Warriors season

The Warriors are an extremely young team with only two seniors, Allie Clark and Sunee Shaw. Sayer is a veteran who has stepped into guiding and teaching the team. Already having exceeded last year’s win total, the Warriors are looking to make noise in the region. Sayer shares the team goals and her individual goals from the beginning of the season.

“Our team goals this year are to be the Academic All-State champions and do team bonding activities to ensure team unity,” Sayer said. “My personal goals are to continue to improve my stats by rebounding more and finding ways for me to score and opportunities to get my teammates to score. Last year, I got an All-Region Honorable Mention, so this year, I want to get All-Region first or second place. Another goal of mine is to be a good teammate and to text three teammates after each game to let them know that they did well and point out some great things they accomplished.”

With a new coaching staff and a young team, Sayer and the Warriors have leaned on each other to find chemistry and learn how to play with each other.

“Under coach Howell, I have learned tons about our team,” Sayer said. “He’s taught us so much about team unity and how we can control our actions. He’s also taught us to trust each other and our coaches. Our coaches have helped us believe in ourselves this year by highlighting our strengths and providing a supportive environment.”

Warrior family

Sayer is what being a Warrior is all about because of her never-quit attitude and support for her school and teammates. Celebrating team success and achievements brings joy to Sayer each time on the court.

“My most memorable moment on the basketball court for our team was when our player, Katelyn Arbon, hit a half-court buzzer beater, and we all ran out on the court screaming and hugging,” Sayer said. “It was a great experience and demonstrated how amazing and supportive our team is.”

Sayer enjoys moments with her team and also displays a fun, loving time as she can be seen wearing a headband during each game. Quickly finding her on the court with the headband, Sayer shares how that became part of her uniform.

“I have been wearing a headband since six grade,” Sayer said. “I saw it at Nike one day with my dad and told him I wanted to try it out. I have worn it ever since. Most kids wear bright shoes or have a knee sleeve or cool socks, so I chose a headband as my cool accessory.”

As Sayer continues to shine and with another year to play, she recognizes the efforts of others who help her.

“I am just grateful for the people in my life, and I have been so fortunate to have had great coaches,” Sayer said. “My first coach, Erik Post, is a coach who has helped me be where I am today. He got me into it, taught me everything I know, and is a great coach and mentor today. Also, my freshman-year coaches, Whit and Jackson, taught me great things about basketball and, even more importantly, how to be a great person. They always believed in me and taught me that I could do anything I put my mind to. They told me I could do great things on and off the court. I love my teammates this year and in past years, too. I couldn’t accomplish any of this without them. They are the first ones to pick me up when I fall, laugh with me, cry with me, whatever it is. I know my teammates have my back, and I love every single one.”

photos courtesy James Tate