Ann Mary signed up with Colorado State University, one of many high NCAA Division 1 programmes, and can start her 3 years of a digital try-out aiming for the final word, catching the attention of the WNBA scouts. “Starting from this year, every practice, every match, I hope to be better than everyone, that’s the sort of effort and hard work I’m willing to put in,” she says earnestly, talking from Texas, the place she attended Howard College.

“Colorado State is a high-level programme. There are very good players in the United States who don’t get this opportunity. So for an Indian girl to achieve this is something very special,” says Scott Fleming, Technical director and head coach at NBA India.

“We’ve had players recently winning scholarships, but Colorado is a high-level first division programme, so we are really proud of her for being from India. I know just how tough it is to get a scholarship like this. This is a big deal,” he provides.

Ann Mary is the youthful daughter of former India captain Jeena Zachariah and fellow worldwide Zachariah Thomas. “I’m calm and patient like my mom, and I have the post moves and height of my father,” says the 6-foot-2 who performs ahead who was twice the Player of the Week on the Western Junior College Athletic Conference, after she scored a career-high 37 factors with 9 rebounds for Howard.

She averaged 22 factors and 10.03 rebounds for the week, with a capturing proportion of 43 contained in the paint and 82 from the free throw line.

She was a member of the Indian U-18 group which gained the B Division Asian Championship in 2018.

Every large determination in Ann Mary’s life has been centred round reaching basketball’s zenith, together with when she moved to Mount Carmel college, Kottayam from Chennai the place her dad and mom work with Southern Railway. She was invited to NCAA’s Next Generation program on the Women’s Final Four in Tampa Florida in 2019, and bought a full scholarship from Kansas State Life Prep Academy in 2020. However it’s within the subsequent steps from prep college that many have fallen again. India has two gamers in NCAA Division 1 – Harsimran Kaur at San Diego and Sanjana Ramesh at North Arizona. Ann Mary insists it’s a tricky upclimb. “Just the sheer physicality of the game in the States,” she says.

She skilled within the health club for the primary time solely when she was scouted out for the Indian NBA academy – the event gig at Noida. Playing for India as a junior of 16, she had recalled how stronger gamers from even Hong Kong may push her round. She would obtain the ball however couldn’t maintain onto it and get thrown a foot backwards. “I couldn’t even stand steady. You need muscle and incredible lower body strength for post-play,” she had stated again then. “My physicality has improved with coaches helping out in each and every game. It’s about making it an everyday mentality to be strong, work out and mentally too get stronger against all the nudging and pushing and elbows,” she provides. “I’ve gotten better playing inside and outside, and i think my best shot are the fadeaways.”

Ann Mary began taking part in basketball at age 10, although her mum Jeena remembers her dribbling away as early as age 4. “There were no gyms, no nothing then. Also all her early training was on outdoor courts as is the case with every Indian. Since both of us are internationals, she followed that path,” Jeena remembers. “I moved from Chennai to Kerala where I could play with senior teams and from there to Kansas only with basketball on my mind. But America is a different ball game. The main difference is the individual workouts, and weight room work. I had a couple of offers, but I’m happy going to Colorado as it was a good fit for me,” she says of the group dubbed Rams.

Perhaps the most important sacrifice has been dwelling away from her household. “Oh and I miss the Kerala food, parrota and biryani. But it’s worth it. I was home last summer in May,” she says.