MARYSVILLE — Marysville Getchell girls basketball coach Shannon Grandbois has waited a long time for a player like Mikail Montez.

“I watched her since she was young because she went through the feeder program here in Marysville,” Grandbois said. “And she’s always been an outstanding, dominant player.”

In MG’s first three games, Montez played as post and has led in scoring. She scored 23 points in the Chargers’ season-opening win over Cascade Dec. 2, then 10 points in a loss to Mariner Dec. 3, and 22 points in a win over Granite Falls Dec. 5.

She did all this as a freshman.

“It’s been going pretty well,” Montez said. “I think a lot of my success was because of my teammates — they’re always looking for me.”

With that, she is the Marysville Globe-Arlington Times Athlete of the Week.

Only a freshman, Montez is 5-foot-11 and is quite strong and developed for her age. Additionally, she has good instincts having played the game so long.

“She’s so far beyond any freshman — especially any post I have had,” Grandbois said.

She has the skills crucial to her position, such as knowing how to read the ball as it comes off the rim, and she can best her opponents under the hoop with her post moves and strength.

“She’s the real deal,” Grandbois said.

Montez picked up basketball in the second grade. In her career, she has played for Marysville Select Basketball from fifth grade to eighth grade and played for Marysville Parks and Recreation before that. She also plays during the spring.

“I put in a lot of work into basketball, so it’s kind of nice to see my success pay off to be playing with the varsity girls,” Montez said.

Athletics runs through the family for Montez. She is the younger sister of MG’s star running back, Collin Montez, and her parents have also played basketball. Her older brother’s accomplishments in football give her that extra drive also.

“[Collin]’s success makes me very proud,” Montez said. “I want him to be able to be proud of me as well.”

Only being with MG since last spring, Montez has meshed seamlessly with the team.

“She’s molded with this team like she’s already been here,” Grandbois said. “It’s like they’ve played together for years.”

With her varsity career just starting, she will only improve, but she will also find ways to flourish outside her physical gifts, Grandbois said.

“She will get stronger, understand the game and speed,” Grandbois said. “With the added years [she] will find the tricks of the trade of being a varsity player.”

Montez also played varsity volleyball for MG. She enjoys that sport as well but is more passionate and focused for basketball.

Right now, she just wants to try and help her team to its first-ever playoffs.

“That’s kind of the big goal we had as a program,” Montez said. “We’re just starting out. It would be nice to at least make it to the playoffs.”