Despite having a passion for basketball, Lobo freshman Sara Halasz has worked to get where she is.
It's not enough that her favorite basketball player is WBNA star and former Connecticut Huskie great Diana Taurasi, or that her favorite movie is "Love and Basketball."
The guard from Fort Lewis, Wash., made her debut for UNM in the Lobos' exhibition game against the Melbourne Roos.
Halasz scored 18 points to lead the team against the Roos in Tuesday's game at The Pit.
"It was all hard work, and I couldn't have done it without my team," Halasz said. "It took focus and communication with my teammates."
Halasz played for four years at Lakes High School in Lakewood, Wash., where she was a standout player.
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She earned first-team All-State honors in her senior year, first-team All-Area in Seattle and Tacoma, 2008 Washington All-Tournament first team and two-time Western Cascade Conference Player of the Year.
In her junior year at LHS, Halasz averaged 16.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.6 steals per game.
The McDonald's All-American nominee stepped up her game during the 2007-08 season.
Halasz averaged 20.2 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists in her senior year.
Halasz wasn't just a gifted basketball player; she also lettered in softball at LHS.
Halasz started at guard in the Lobos' second exhibition, against University of Alaska-Anchorage. She played 28 minutes, scored 4 points and had one assist and two steals.
One of the steals came late against the Seawolves and helped notch a Lobo victory.
"I got a little too excited," Halasz said. "My offense was off, so I was thinking do anything I can on defense to help my team get a win."
Head coach Don Flanagan is happy with all of his freshmen's performances, including Halasz's.
"Sara has played very well from the start," Flanagan said. "She has adapted to the college game very well and has become measurably stronger over the summer since she has arrived. She is great driving (but) needs a better shot, but her 3-point shooting is quite good. She could be very difficult to defend when her game is on."
