Campbell picks up key minutes in Lady Lions victory
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By Michael Boytim
mboytim@altoonamirror.com
UNIVERSITY PARK -- Alli Campbell finally lived out a childhood dream she's had since watching Maggie Lucas play for Penn State when she checked into the Lady Lions' opener against Norfolk State with 4:25 to play in the first quarter Wednesday night.
She was greeted by her own cheering section, a group of family, the Bellwood community and members of the Lady Blue Devils girls basketball team.
"There's quite a few of us," said her father, Travis Campbell before the game. "I know a lot of folks from Bellwood will be here. Our family is all coming. I don't know the exact total, but there's going to be a lot of us. The Bellwood basketball team is coming. There's going to be a lot of people here to support her."
Campbell, Blair County's all-time leading scorer, did not score in the game but played significant minutes in Penn State's 67-61 victory over Norfolk State, which won a share of the regular-season Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference last year and played in the WNIT.
Campbell was part of the first group off the bench and took her first shot with 3:13 left in the first quarter, a midrange jumper that rolled off the rim. She finished the quarter before the starters returned to begin the second.
Her dad was on the edge of his seat for every minute.
"I have been waiting a long two years for this," Travis Campbell said. "We're excited for this night to be here. I am feeling every emotion. I'm excited, nervous and looking forward to seeing her play again and looking forward to seeing this team play."
The redshirt sophomore, who still has four years of eligibility left, had a wrap on her right knee after missing last season with an injury following her transfer from Notre Dame after her freshman year.
Despite the wrap, she seemed to move well and was used in different ways. During her first-quarter stint, Campbell stayed mostly to the outside waiting for a catch-and-shoot opportunity, but in her two and a half minutes she played in the second quarter she posted up on a couple offensive possessions.
In the third quarter she checked in with 3:58 to play and played defense in the paint on Norfolk State forward Kierra Wheeler, the largest player on the court, and forced a missed shot. A couple possessions later, she flashed her speed by trapping on a press and helping to force a turnover.
It looked like she might score her first points as a Lady Lion with under a minute to play in the third quarter when she got the ball on a break, but her jump shot rimmed out after going halfway down.
Campbell didn't check in until 1:27 remained in the fourth quarter, but she was one of only a couple subs used in that period and was sent to sub in with Penn State leading by only one point.
She played throughout most of the final stretch until 19 seconds remained in the game, which would seem to indicate she's a trusted member of Penn State coach Carolyn Kieger's rotation.
"We have a lot of depth, and I think the first couple games we're going to work through lineups, rotations and see who is locked in and ready to go," Kieger said. "We have to see who plays well together. We have so many new players, and we have to find our rhythm with that."
As Campbell finds her role, she'll likely be among the players cheered the loudest at home games. Several of her supporters brought signs celebrating her return to the court.
"Bellwood is a close community," said Bellwood-Antis girls basketball coach Jim Swaney, who was in the stands at the Bryce Jordan Center on Wednesday. "Alli was a very special player for us. The thing about Alli is that she gives back a lot. She does a lot with elementary kids when she can. She's a very giving kid. It doesn't surprise me that these kids, who were in seventh or eighth grade when she played, are here to see her now."
If Wednesday is any indication, it seems like they will have plenty of big moments to watch over potentially the next four years.
Editor's note: Though Campbell was requested to be interviewed for this column through Penn State following the game, she was not made available by the school.
Michael Boytim can be reached at mboytim@altoonamirror.com or 814-946-7521. Follow him on Twitter @BoytimMichael.