Picking the 2003 CHSAA girls’ player of the year was a no-brainer. As the only McDonald’s High School All-American on either the boys’ or girls’ side to play in the borough, Shay Doron locked up the honor before the season ended.
But even if Doron had been passed over, it would have been hard to go against the grain and pick someone else. As the senior star of the Christ the King Royals, Doron helped the Middle Village school pick up the Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan and CHSAA state championships, as well as leading the team to a first-place showing at the prestigious Tournament of Champions in December.
“Shay brings an incredible offensive talent to any team,” coach Bob Mackey said. “I think she’s just going to do really, really well at the collegiate level. She’s a great, great worker and a tremendous offensive talent.”
Doron, 18, made headlines by joining the Christ the King team at the start of her junior year. Raised in Great Neck, Doron moved with her family to Israel when her father’s job demanded it. But her budding basketball ability was spotted early, and her parents were looking to have Doron come back to the United States as early as her freshman year.
“Her father had contacted me at the end of her freshman year in high school and talked about coming over then, but it just didn’t work out,” Mackey said. “She came over at the end of her sophomore year. I knew she was a very good player, but we’ve always had very good players.
“She doesn’t look like a tremendous player,” he added. “She looks a little thin; some people say she’s too small. When she steps up on the floor it’s another story. She’s got great court balance. She really does see the floor well; she handles herself on the floor well. That’s always been a good thing.”
Doron picked up the All-American handle passed down to her by players such as Clare Droesch, Sue Bird and Chamique Holdsclaw, all former Royals.
“You can’t replace any of the kids that are graduating this year,” Mackey said. “With the seven Division I seniors and one Division II player, all you can do is move on. You can’t replace a Sue Bird, nor Chamique Holdsclaw, nor Clare Droesch. All great players.”
In her senior season — in which Christ the King finished with a 24-2 record and ranked No. 7 in the nation — Doron averaged 16.4 points, 4.7 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 5.7 steals per game, all while usually sitting most of the second half after the Royals opened up huge leads.
Doron earned a full scholarship to the University of Maryland, a school that Mackey said he believes is a perfect fit for her.
“They are rebuilding a program that bottomed out, so to speak,” the coach said. “She’s in a great situation. She’s going to start from the bottom up.”
