Maya Singleton concludes St. John's career with MVP-caliber senior season

By Andy Lipton
Special To Daly Dose Of Hoops

She was only at St. John’s for two years, but Maya Singleton; the Red Storm senior captain from Indian Head, Maryland, made her presence known on and off the court, making her a memorable St. John’s player.

Engaging and personable off the court, fans seemed to gravitate towards her, and after meeting her mother, Nebra, it comes as no surprise why.

Both the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association and the Big East Conference recognized Singleton's achievements on the court this season by placing her on the MBWA All-Met first team and All-Big East second team, respectively. Singleton gets my vote for the Red Storm’s most valuable player this past season. She was an all-around player and athlete as she rebounded, scored, played defense, set picks, blocked shots, and dove on the floor for loose balls.

Strong, with a svelte athletic physique, and well-conditioned, the six-foot Singleton moved well around the court. In the half-court offense, she moved. She could play with her face or back to the basket. She set picks and popped out or rolled to the hoop. In a guard-oriented Red Storm offense, Singleton was able to create offense from the center and forward positions, and led the team in scoring at 10.9 points per game. She has a soft touch on her shots. On defense, she can move quickly around the half-court, allowing her to guard her opponent and provide help to her teammates. Her long legs allow her to slide widely against a dribbling opponent, and her ability to quickly get to the boards to rebound or to get to a loose ball on the floor is quietly explosive.

Singleton recorded 18 double-doubles this past season, averaging a double-double for the season, ranking 14th in the nation. She led the Big East with 11.2 rebounds per game, which was 15th-best in the nation. She started 33 out of 34 games and averaged 30 minutes per game this past season. In her first season with the Johnnies, Singleton started only eight games, beginning near the end of that season when Imani Littleton went out for the season with an injury.

Singleton, who played her first two years in college at Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas, has the physical ability and basketball skills to continue to get better as she pursues a professional basketball career. Borrowing from the title song in the movie Flashdance, here’s hoping she takes her passion, and makes it happen.

Let’s take a look at Maya Singleton: