Led by Caitlyn Holmes and Sanaiiya Gray, Ellet girls basketball is readying for postseason

Juniors Caitlyn Holmes and Sanaiiya Gray have been teammates on the Ellet girls basketball team for 15 games.

Ellet coach Nick Harris is happy with the product he has watched on the court.

Harris has a proven scorer in Holmes, a 5-foot-7 guard who has committed to play at Kent State University. Gray is a 5-foot-11 guard-forward who is making an impact in her first year playing varsity basketball. Gray played on the St. Vincent-St. Mary junior varsity team as a freshman and sophomore, and then transferred to Ellet last summer.

The tandem led City Series leader Ellet (11-4, 8-0) to a 55-42 win over host Buchtel on Thursday night.

"When you have somebody like Sanaiiya, it is easy to incorporate her into the team because she is incredibly coachable while being skilled and athletic," Harris said on Jan. 10 after host Ellet earned a 65-63 win over Walsh Jesuit.

"She has been chomping at the bit for an opportunity. We talk about it all the time. In basketball only five people get to play, and there is one basketball. Everybody can't go to the same couple of schools. They need to realize there are opportunities around here to excel and be noticed for the work that has been put in."

Caitlyn Holmes, Sanaiiya Gray are Ellet girls basketball's scoring duo

Holmes is averaging 18.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.5 steals this season.

Gray is averaging 14.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, 2.5 steals and 2.0 assists.

Holmes scored 35 points and had four rebounds, four assists and two blocks in the win over Walsh. Gray contributed 19 points, nine rebounds, five assists and four blocks.

"She helps a lot," Holmes said of Gray. "In the beginning of the game [against Walsh], I was feeling really lethargic and really tired, and her hitting two 3s really helped me and brought my energy up. Getting her into rhythm in games is very important, because she didn't play much [varsity] in the past few years. We are trying to get her up to speed. She has gotten really good at adjusting to the varsity games."

Holmes, who surpassed 1,000 career points earlier this season, made four 3-pointers against Walsh. Gray made three 3-pointers.

Holmes scored 23 points and Gray added 12 points Thursday to lead Ellet past Buchtel. Ellet has two wins apiece over East, Firestone and Buchtel, and can complete a season sweep against North and Garfield next week.

"For as good as Caitlyn is, she wants the help," Harris said. "She doesn't want to dominate the ball and shoot 30 or 40 times a game. She wants to win and she knows she can't do it alone because it is a team sport.

"She has told Sanaiiya multiple times: 'I am happy you are.' She has told me multiple times: 'I am so glad she came here. She takes the pressure off me so much.' Not only on offense as an outlet for dribbling, shooting and scoring, but also defensively at the rim, which allows so much more for our concepts and our schemes. We have an athlete with timing and length like that."

Holmes and Gray took turns scoring in bunches in each quarter against Walsh. Holmes scored 10 points in the second quarter and 13 points in the third quarter. Gray scored 10 points in the first quarter and nine points in the third quarter.

"This is really fun," Gray said. "I expected it to be like this, but it is fun to play with my teammates. ... I am glad that I have gotten the chance to play here and I enjoy everyone here."

Gray scored 20 points apiece in a win over Firestone and a loss to Streetsboro, 19 points in a win over Cuyahoga Falls and 18 points in a win over Garfield. She had 14 points and 15 rebounds in a loss to Hoban.

Gray said her primary strength is her defense.

Caitlyn Holmes continues to lead the Ellet girls basketball team

Holmes continues to be the focal point of Ellet's team, and is at her best against better competition. She scored 35 points apiece in a loss to Wadsworth and the win over Walsh Jesuit, 29 points in the loss to Streetsboro, 26 points in the loss to Hoban and 22 points in a win over Woodridge.

"Sometimes I surprise myself, honestly," Holmes said. "I gotta adjust to the face guarding. A lot of teams face guard me. Getting adjusted to that is important. Against Laurel, I got face guarded, I didn't do much and we lost by a lot."

Holmes and Gray are part of a starting lineup at Ellet that also includes juniors Jaeda Tavares and Dacai Singletary and sophomore Alivia "LuLu" Russell.

Ellet's top reserves are freshmen Royalty Crooks, Kenadie Keith and Saniya Williams and juniors Eren Harmon and Sierra Beban.

Harris said he continues to be impressed with Holmes' drive to improve in all aspects of her game.

"I think people really underestimate how hard it is to always have the pressure of the [opponent's] schemes about you," Harris said. "They are coming for you. You are going to see a double-team most of the game. You are going to be face-guarded, and the expectation is still to go get 25 [points].

"I told Caitlyn [before the game with Walsh Jesuit], you have to go get 30 [points], and she one-upped me and went and got 35 [points]. The way she does it is so smooth and within the flow of the game. It never seems incredibly forced. It never seems like she is jacking shots. She is willing to make the right play."

Michael Beaven can be reached by email at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com and is on Twitter at @MBeavenABJ.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Caitlyn Holmes, Sanaiiya Gray leading Ellet girls basketball team