MUSKOGEE’S ELEXIS HOLMES
Being the middle child of five siblings, Muskogee sophomore Elexis Holmes welcomes the challenge to prove her talents on and off the basketball court.
“Being the middle child, I’m always the one to blame,” said Elexis with a smile while cutting her eyes toward her older sisters and teammates on the Lady Roughers basketball team, E’Niyah and and Eryanna. “When the three of us train together, we just roll the ball on the court and then go all out to compete and survive.”
Last season, Elexis averaged 21.9 points per game as part of the Madill Wildcats run to the Class 4A state tournament coached by her father, Eric Holmes, who now guides the future of Muskogee girls basketball.
The ever-present basketball skills have earned the six-foot-one combo guard multiple Division-I scholarship offers including SMU, Tulsa, Wichita State and Arkansas.
“I thrive on the challenge to win whether that’s by attacking the opponent, creating a scoring opportunity for a teammate or making the next shot,” Elexis said with a voice of conviction. “When the game is on the line, I want the basketball in my hands and just go get a bucket.”
Her approach explains why Elexis described herself as smart, strong and above all, focused.
“In the classroom, you have to lock in to get your grades. Same thing goes for playing basketball as well as taking on the everyday challenges of life.”
It’s all part of winning the day for Elexis Holmes, including how she likes to “chill” while enjoying time away from the basketball gym.
“I really like the battles with my sisters while playing Fortnite on my PS-4, or making tik-toks and watching movies together,” Elexis said noting she usually wins the sibling conflicts before cracking a wide smile. “We invite dad (Eric) sometimes to challenge us by playing his favorite game, NBA 2-K. We usually have to let him win.”
Basketball is a big part of the family experiences for Elexis Holmes. And there’s one more thing she wants to experience together while playing with her two sisters during their senior seasons at Muskogee.
“We’re going for the ‘chip and put a ring on our fingers.”
