Senior Maya Makalusky, a 6-foot-4 guard ranked among the top 40 high school players in the nation, is known for her versatility and scoring expertise. With the girls basketball team off to a 6-0 start, Makalusky has been instrumental, averaging an impressive 27.8 points per game with a 51% field goal percentage. These contributions earned her Athlete of the Week honors for November 11-16. Despite her individual achievements, Makalusky remains focused on goals that extend beyond personal accolades.
Sydney Parrish, the former school star now playing her senior year at Indiana University, has fueled Makalusky’s competitive spirit since she was a kid. Parrish holds the school’s scoring record with 1,925 career points. Makalusky is currently at around 1,315 and is within reach of the milestone after scoring 652 points last year. However, making it to the state championship as a team is her main priority.
“I think for sure, watching Sydney Parish growing up, [breaking the scoring record] has always been a huge goal of mine,” Makalusky said. “But that would just be the cherry on top. There are other things that we want to achieve. State… I mean, that’s something I’ve always wanted since I was a little girl.”
Basketball has been a central part of Makalusky’s life since fifth grade, when she began taking the sport seriously under the guidance of her trainer Nick Daniels and the development program M14Hoops. M14Hoops, who attended Makalusky’s last game against Brownsburg, has continued to train her as she’s evolved into a nationally ranked prospect. But talent was evident early as she received her first college offer from Ohio State in eighth grade before committing early to Indiana University, where she was drawn to the culture and camaraderie of the program.
Basketball has deep roots in Makalusky’s life, not only through her own journey but also as a family legacy. Her mother, Jenn Sliwa Makalusky, played at Villanova, while her sister, Riley Makalusky, is continuing the family legacy at Butler. Surrounded by such a rich basketball environment, Makalusky appreciates having close role models.
“It’s great to have two advocates for me that have been through it and are going through it currently,” Makalusky said. “But at the end of the day, they’re my family over athletes. Just having somebody that understands and that I can go to about anything is really helpful.”
Makalusky’s rise to prominence has been accompanied by growing confidence. Although now she visibly exudes confidence every time she plays, it hasn’t always been that way.
“[Recently, confidence] has not been an issue for me, but I think my freshman year, I really struggled with my confidence and knowing the type of player that I am. I usually would just want to hide from the student sections… but my confidence comes from the Lord and just knowing that I have a purpose and this team has a purpose.”
That confidence was on full display in a recent matchup against Franklin Central, who had a particularly rowdy and vocal student section determined to get in the team’s head. Makalusky proceeded to score 31 points.
Earlier this fall, Makalusky played her last AAU season with the West Virginia Thunder before heading to IU, providing a unique learning experience. Playing alongside five-star prospect Leah Macy and other highly recruited players, she learned the complexities of playing with a talented team and contributing without always having the ball in her hands.
“All the girls on the team had Power Five offers,” Makalusky said. “It was like a college team in itself, so what can I do when I don’t have the ball? Where can I move? I need to rebound, play defense, and just do the little things before I go to IU.”
Her experience with the Thunder not only sharpened her offensive game but also established her growth as a well-rounded player. Head coach Brian Satterfield praised her development defensively.
“She just continues to grow,” Satterfield said. “Everybody’s always known how good she is offensively… but what’s really been impressive is what she’s doing defensively. She’s improving with her footwork and rotations and helping us play great team basketball.”
As a senior coming off of an especially young roster last year, Makalusky has embraced her role as a leader, drawing inspiration from her sister and former teammate Olivia Brown.
“I think I learned from the best,” Makalusky said. “Watching my sister and Olivia Brown… how they carry themselves on and off the court, showing what their culture was when they were seniors. I think that’s something I want to carry on. I want to make basketball fun again. I want it to be a family, and I just want to have fun playing the sport we all love.”
Makalusky’s leadership was evident in a competitive game against Brownsburg yesterday, where she scored her season-high of 37 points, her fourth 30-plus-point performance of the season.
“The toughest thing was when they came out to start the fourth quarter, they got a turnover, and went on a 5-0 run,” Satterfield said. “But I think the one thing that’s been good to see is the veteran leadership that we’ve had. I think when things like that happen, we find a way to get grounded and get things turned around.”
Makalusky’s leadership also positively influences her teammates, including junior point guard Kennedy Holman. Holman also delivered an impressive performance against Brownsburg last night, with 12 points and nine rebounds. She shared her thoughts on what it means to play alongside Makalusky this season.
“It’s really special sharing the court with her senior year,” Holman said. “She’s running for Miss Basketball, and just being able to get the ball to her and seeing her score all these points means a lot to us.”
As the season progresses, Makalusky is determined to balance her personal goals with the team’s collective success. She is ready to leave her mark on the program before heading to Bloomington to begin the next chapter of her basketball journey.
