Three’s company: Lewis now holds AHS three-point record

Published 8:29 pm Wednesday, January 9, 2019

Austin senior Abby Lewis may not have text book shooting form, but she isn’t bothered by that.

After all, she’s now made more three-point shots than any other Austin girls basketball player in program history.

Lewis netted her 139th career three-pointer against Red Wing on Tuesday and she now stands two shots ahead of Anna (Hebrink) Meyer, Austin’s other top-three point shooter and current Lyle-Pacelli girls head coach who finished with 137 made three-pointers.

Email newsletter signup

Lewis found her shooting form, which features a low release point, when she was an Austin Youth Basketball player.

“There was one point in AYB where my dad (Scott Lewis) and Colie’s dad (Steve Justice) told me that I don’t have any spin on my shot and I needed to add spin to it,” Abby said. “I tried it in practice and it still didn’t have any spin on it, but it still went in so I guess it was alright.”

Austin head coach Eric Zoske jokingly compared Abby’s shooting form to former NBA player Shawn Marion, but he said he has absolutely no problem with the way she shoots as she has given the Packers a steady presence behind the arc.

Abby Lewis attempts a three-pointer in practice. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

“I don’t care what it looks like, as long as it goes in,” Zoske said. “You look at a lot of the good teams around and they might have a good guard, they might have a strong post player and they have some girls that can stretch out the floor. We have good ball handlers, we’ve got pretty decent post players as well and what Abby does really better than anybody else is she stretches the floor out.”

Abby has hit some big shots over the years, including a half-court shot ahead of the buzzer, beating Northfield in her sophomore season. She’s also had some big runs as Abby is a five-time qualifier in the Minnesota Class AA State Cross Country meet and she plans on running in college.

But Abby is mostly appreciative on her time with her teammates.

“It’s an honor to have the record, but I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my teammates passing me the ball,” Abby said. “Over the past three years a lot has happened and it’s been a lot of fun. The team just keeps getting better and better. I’ve had a lot of fun with this group and no one would be where they are without each other.”

Austin (9-3 overall) will play at Norhfield at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Austin’s Abby Lewis cuts along the baseline against Winona in Ove Berven Gym. Herald File Photo