Winston guides Alief Hastings to first playoff berth in four years as its double-double machine

HOUSTON - Last year was tough for Alief Hastings.

The entire team was virtually-learning, they didn't get to work together as much in previous seasons and pair that with several injuries, the Bears finished the season 6-15 overall.

Fast forward to this year, back in person and led by sophomore Melinda Winston, Alief Hastings completely flipped its record, finishing 23-11 in the regular season and is playoff bound for the first time since 2018.

"Now that we’re in person, there’s been more chances for team bonding and individual work," Winston said. "We flipped our record, which I couldn’t be prouder of. At the end of the day, our team has more heart and resilience than I’ve ever seen before and that has made all the difference this season."

Winston is the key gear in the engine that makes this thing go.

It is not just her ability to score, averaging an impressive 19.1 points per game, but it is also her rebounds (9.0), assists (1.8) and steals (4.7) per game, that make her an all-around threat on the court.

According to MaxPreps stats, Winston enters the 2022 playoffs with an eye-popping 16 double doubles and one triple double in her sophomore campaign.

"I know that my role on the team is to be consistent in my role of rebounding and scoring in order to give my team the highest chances of winning every time," Winston said.

Comparing her numbers to last season, she has seen improvements in multiple areas.

Her points per game are up by 3.9, assists are up by 0.5, steals are up by 1.5 and turnovers per game are down by 3.7, which could be the biggest improvement in her game.

"Last year my focus was on being an aggressive finisher, to get and-1s and free throws," Winston said. "This year, I developed and extended my range to outside of the three-point line, attempting several more a game. I simply put in consistent work and effort both on and off the court. From giving my all, in strength and conditioning to studying film off court to training in the gym, my persistence is what keeps my consistency in statistics."

Winston currently holds offers from Houston Baptist University, University of Memphis and Tulane University. The Alief Hastings standout also has garnered interest from UCLA, Florida State, Oklahoma and Texas A&M.

The next step for Winston though is the playoffs and trying to get the Bears their first postseason victory in four years. If they can put together a run, this is a program that hasn't been past the second round since 2002.

"Being in the playoffs is a feeling I’ve always dreamed of," Winston said. "I’m ready to showcase exactly what I can do."