Competitiveness pushes Knights’ leader

Alex Busch developed a dislike for losing early.

The Lake Norman Charter forward’s competitive drive didn’t come from organized sports. Instead, it came from her siblings.

“I learned to compete at everything with my brothers, and sister and it continues to this day,” Busch said. “Whether we are throwing football in the backyard, shooting basketball on our home court or wrestling, the goal was and is always to come out on top. We all hate losing, especially to each other.”

The 17-year-old has two brothers, Christian, 21and Will, 14, as well as two sister, Samantha, 19, and Sydney, 18.

That sibling rivalry helped Busch, a junior, develop into a consistent winner on a talented Knight basketball team.

She averaged a team-best 14.7 points a game through Lake Norman Charter’s 7-4 start. Busch also contributed 5.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.5 steals per contest the team, which looks to make a run at a Southern Piedmont Conference title and more.

Lake Norman Charter coach Bobby Williams said that Busch’s drive to win is key for the team.

“She literally wants to win everything, even every drill we do in practice, from shooting to running, and she is usually first,” Williams said. “Her work ethic is second to none, she never takes a play off. She always wants to be in the gym. I think that kind of attitude and effort rubs off on everyone.”

Busch, who also plays volleyball and softball for the Knights, developed toughness from playing a wide range of sports growing up. Williams said that she even started at quarterback for the Lake Norman Charter middle school football team her seventh- and eighth-grade years.

Busch didn’t waste any time getting on the Knights’ varsity basketball squad as she made the team as a freshman, when she averaged eight points per game. She blossomed into a go-to player for the team last season. She averaged 12 points, six rebounds, two assists for a team that went 20-8 and finished second in the SPC during its first year in the league.

The 5-foot-10 wing looks to lead her Lake Norman Charter team up the SPC ladder, and back to 1A state playoffs, while hopefully impressing college recruiters in the always-critical junior year of high school.

Busch had a consistent start with eight games of 15 points or more and has a chance to reach the 1,000-point career mark this season.

“I think Alex has a great chance of playing at the next level and is getting to the point where all of that (recruiting) starts happening,” Williams said. “She definitely has a fire burning inside of her. Like the rest of our team, she has tasted success and wants more.”

Busch has help from juniors Ezinne Mbamalu (12 points and 12 rebounds per game) and Sierra Wiley (eight points per game). Seniors Carolyn Huddy and Brittany Buckstad also contribute.

Busch isn’t afraid to work to reach her goals.

“I love basketball because it is something you have to work at every day if you want to be one of the best players,” Busch said. “I know there is always going to be someone out there that is better than me. But my goal is that no one is going to work harder than me. I know this is the year that I have to start shining.”

Busch does that by playing basketball nearly year-round, also playing on the AAU circuit. She most recently played for coach Jennifer Baker’s Phoenix team.

When she isn’t playing for her team, Busch can be found in the gym, or on her family’s court, getting hundreds of shots up.

“I try to get in at least two hours of basketball, in addition to practice every day,” said Busch, who says she regularly gets up 800 or more shots in that time. “Right now, a lot of times that means work by myself or with my brother, Will. I’m always trying to compete, and I like to beat him.”

Correction: Sydney Busch is Alex’s sister.