Spiro senior center Brynleigh Graham is focused on rounding out her game as she closes her high school career and prepares for the next level. Her goals this season go beyond just putting up numbers in the paint. “My personal goals this season are to continue developing my inside game while also improving my outside shooting and overall versatility,” she said.
That growth mindset fits a Lady Bulldogs team that has become tighter and more resilient over time. “Team morale has been strong all season,” Graham said. “We support each other and stay connected, no matter what challenges we face.” That connection has shown up in the way Spiro handles more physical opponents. “Handling physicality,” she said. “We’ve grown tougher and more confident playing through contact and adversity.”
For Graham and her teammates, everything points toward one clear target in March. “Our main goal is to make it further in the playoffs,” she said. “We’re working toward that by showing up every day, working hard, and learning from the bad days just as much as the good ones.” Their biggest advantage, she believes, is how much they care about one another. “Our biggest strength is our relationships with each other,” she said. “We trust one another and play for each other.”
At 6-foot-2, Graham anchors Spiro in the middle. “Center,” she said of her position. She reads defenses carefully on each touch. “I pay attention to which side they’re guarding me on and how aggressive they’re playing me so I can react and make the best decision.” Her preparation is as much mental as physical. “I prepare by staying mentally and physically locked in, talking my teammates up, and making sure I leave everything I have on the court.”
Graham averages 12.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, but she measures her impact in something bigger than stats. “I want to be remembered as part of the class that turned the Lady Bulldogs from nothing into something — the group that helped put fear behind the name Spiro,” she said. Committed to Friends University to play basketball and pursue a career as an occupational therapist, she carries that same mindset into her future: one possession, and one opportunity, at a time.
