Lafayette Jeff guard Maya Layton surpasses Cameron Onken for most career points in Tippecanoe County history.
WEST LAFAYETTE — Lafayette Jeff senior Maya Layton has focused on getting her teammates the ball in advantageous positions since her freshman year at Faith Christian.
But more times than not, it was the downhill attacking, 3-point capabilities and fastbreak layups of Layton that were needed to help her teams win.
All those points across her career at two schools added up to a basket to solidify Layton as one of the greatest players in the history of Tippecanoe County girls' basketball on Tuesday night.
Layton became the all-time leading scorer in Tippecanoe County with attacking three defenders and scoring a layup through contact and being fouled with 11.1 seconds of the second half against West Lafayette at Berberian Gymnasium.
The Northern Kentucky signee passed former Central Catholic star and Villanova graduate Cameron Onken by scoring 1,923 career points and counting.
"It definitely feels like I've shown all the hard work I've put in and the work my teammates did to get me to this point," Layton said. "I'm just really blessed and grateful for the opportunities I've had."
Division I mom and cousins inspire ambition and work ethic
Layton credited her mom DJ Layton, who played college basketball at Bradley University during the early 1990s, for her success.
The elder Layton was head coach of Faith Christian for seven seasons before Maya later transferred to Lafayette Jeff where her mother attended school.
DJ recognized Maya had found a desire to play basketball at a high level starting in the fourth grade.
"She was always dribbling a basketball," DJ Layton said. "She always wanted to go to high school games. She had high school players she loved and wanted to watch. She watched college. From the time she was born, she was watching her cousins play."
Those cousins being Maicee Sterrett who played high school volleyball at Frankfort and Nathan Wissman who played basketball at Harrison.
"Maicee taught me the work ethic and Nathan has been my biggest supporter," Maya Layton said.
Sullivan and Layton lead Lafayette Jeff to returned success
Credit also being given by Layton to Lafayette Jeff coach Jenna Sullivan. Sullivan guided Lafayette Jeff to an 18-7 record last season after five consecutive losing seasons.
"She taught me to never stop and continue putting in the work," Layton said. "Never giving up on yourself and just keep going."
For Sullivan, it was Layton teaching her patience.
"She's allowed me to trust kids to go out and do the things we've worked on," Sullivan said. "Trust your program, trust your development and we have a product, that is a product of our practices. She makes sure that the message in our culture gets across clearly to anyone that wants to come watch us play."
Layton is now looking to push Lafayette Jeff to its first IHSAA sectional championship since 2009 when the program was coached by Indiana High School Basketball Hall of Famer Jan Conner.
Lafayette Jeff will find out its playoff trajectory when IHSAA girls basketball sectional draw is announced Sunday at 8 p.m. on the IHSAA Network.
For Sullivan, Tuesday night was about celebrating Layton's milestone.
"She's a kid that does it all both on the court and in the classroom," Sullivan said. "As a young adult, she is someone that leads the right way. She goes to class the right way. She's the kind of kid that any coach would be lucky to have on their team."
Ethan Hanson is the sports reporter for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. He can be reached at [email protected], on Twitter at EthanAHanson and Instagram at ethan_a_hanson.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Lafayette Jeff's Maya Layton sets new Tippecanoe County scoring record
Category: General Sports
