Jan. 10, 2003
So much about sports these days is about showmanship and bravado, but it’s often the quiet, consistent performers that are the backbone of a successful team. For Lady Jackets basketball program, junior Megan Isom may operate in the shadows, but she has played a starring role in the team’s hot start.
“She does so many things for us,” praised Coach Agnus Berenato. “She’s our best defensive player. She’s our best three-point shooter. She’s always out there doing the little things, especially when it matters the most.”
The team has streaked to an 11-3 record, one of the best starts in school history, as Isom has been a fixture in the backcourt. The 5-10 guard has made a smooth transition into the starting lineup after spending last season as the squad’s top reserve. She leads the teams with 38 steals, which ranks third in the ACC.
Isom is also averaging 12 points per game, third-best on the team, and she has emerged as one of the top long-range shooters in the conference. Open looks behind the arc have been plentiful thanks to center Sonia Mallory’s presence in the middle.
“Whenever Sonia gets the ball, people are going to double- and triple-team her,” explained Isom. “A lot of times, that can be my man, so that just opens up the outside shots. That’s made things a lot easier for me.”
Her path to Tech wasn’t as easy, even though she starred nearby at The Paideia School. She set the school records for points, rebounds, assists and steals, while garnering plenty of local, state and national honors. Her AAU team won the national championship, and Isom was named the tournament’s MVP. That’s where she first caught Berenato’s eye.
“I was there for that whole tournament,” the coach recalled. “I said, ‘Dang, this girl is good.’ I knew right away that she was very talented, but she had already committed.”
The commitment was to Tennessee Tech, an Ohio Valley Conference powerhouse with a strong national reputation. Even though she had thrived just a few miles from Tech’s campus, Isom was intent on leaving the state and never seriously considered the school’s basketball program.
Her freshman campaign was solid, as she played in every game on a team that captured the conference championship. However, Tennessee Tech wasn’t the right fit for Isom.
“I wasn’t happy there, and I knew that Georgia Tech was a great school,” she said. “I talked to coaches at different schools, but I just really liked what Coach Berenato had to say.”
Berenato admits that she’s not keen on transfers, but she was intrigued when Isom contacted her. The coach agreed to let her join the team as a walk-on if she was admitted to the school on her own. Isom enrolled as a management major and sat out a year in accordance to NCAA transfer rules.
A fierce competitor, Isom found the experience challenging. “It was really hard, but I knew it would be worth it in the end. It was difficult to practice and know you weren’t going to get into a game,” she said.
Back in action and on scholarship last season, Isom established herself as a hard-nosed, dependable role player. Berenato penciled her in as a starter this season, and Isom has shined on both ends of the floor.
“Megan is blue-collar hard worker,” said Berenato. “Believe me, she’s like foreman out there. When she says something, everybody listens. She doesn’t say much, but what she says is definitely powerful. She doesn’t mince her words.”
Among the things she has shared with teammates includes a glimpse inside their ultimate goal-reaching the NCAA Tournament. Isom played in the 2000 tournament with Tennessee Tech, which lost in the first round to Texas Tech.
“It seems like a long time ago, since I sat out a year, but it was a good experience,” she remembered. “We went to Texas Tech, and it was a unique experience. There’s not much you can compare to it.”
“She can tell them about the thrill and excitement of it, as well as the anticipation,” added Berenato, whose program’s lone NCAA appearance came 10 years ago. “You can try to tell, but you really don’t know what it’s like until your name is called [on selection day].”
Halfway through the season the Lady Jackets seem well on their way to securing an NCAA bid. They reeled off 10 straight wins, including the program’s first-ever victory against Georgia, before dropping games to North Carolina and Maryland last week. Isom and her teammates are striving to become the first Tech squad to finish above .500 in ACC play, a mark that would bolster their hopes of postseason play.
“I think we can go really far if we continue working hard every game and don’t take anything for granted,” she stated. “There’s a lot of talent on this team, and we need focus and execute. We can do really well if we do those things.”
