Devils’ Delight McDonald’s Emily Dolsak joins 7 others to eclipse 1,000

By JOHN KOVACH

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

WATCH EMILY DOLSAK PLAY BASKETBALL
for the McDonald High girls team and you get the sense she is like a patient genie capped in a bottle, ready to escape so she can weave her magic, scoring points.

That’s especially true when her teammates feed her the ball near the hoop, or when opposing defenses try to keep the ball out of her hands.

Monday night, Dolsak was bottled up by Jackson-Milton and rendered scoreless through the first 11 minutes before escaping to pour in 27 points, leading the unbeaten Blue Devils (5-0) to a 53-42 win.

In doing so, she became the eighth girl at McDonald to score 1,000 career points (ending the game with 1,002). Dolsak joined her sister, Amy, who is two years older, in the 1,000-point club. Amy Doslak is a sophomore on the Westminster College team.

But when seeing what Emily is capable of doing with the ball once she gets untracked, you realize that her gift isn’t really magic at all but simply a quest for excellence that will not be denied no matter how long it may take.

The simple truth is, once she gets the ball by pass or rebound, she usually will find a way to drive to the basket and score or get fouled in the attempt. And if she is bottled up, she has the patience and confidence to know that her denial is only temporary.

But basketball is only one dimension of Dolsak’s quest for excellence. She also has a perfect 4.0 grade-point average, is a candidate to be valedictorian of her 2008 graduation class, and is a very sincere, congenial and friendly person who values her family and teammates —and is a team and family player.

And it has been with her family that her basketball seed was planted and flourished to make her a strong candidate for any college basketball program.

Because her father, Ed, is a former McDonald High boys basketball coach who made sure that all six of his siblings played the game.

“All my brothers played basketball — John, Tom and Mark. And my other sister, Melanie, also played basketball. They are all older than me,” said Emily. “I used to play 1-on-1 basketball with Amy. We used to play together so much.”

And Emily truly loves the game.

“It is a fun game. I have a good time. I get along well with my teammates.”

Coach Rob Hilbun said the Dolsak family is basketball.

“They grew up playing basketball. Their dad got them into basketball,” said Hilbun, emphasizing that, “[Emily] makes our team go. That’s what makes her special. When we get the ball into her hands, we expect good decisions.”

Hilbun said skills, persistence, patience and being a team player are what make Emily a special player.

“She gets good [shots at the basket]. They don’t always fall, but she never gives up, even if she would miss 10 in a row,” Hilbun said. “I want her to shoot. She is a total player. She’s a team player and our best passer.”

Hilbun said that Emily and Amy are different types of players. Whereas Emily likes to get the ball around the key and then make her moves to the hoop, “Amy is more guard-oriented and a dribbler and good passer,” the coach said.

Amy, who watched Emily reach 1,000, said she and her sister “played basketball together since we were real little. We had older brothers and a sister who played with us. That helps.”

Amy said her father didn’t specifically push basketball on his children.

“My dad wanted us to do whatever made us happy,” said Amy. “But since my dad was around basketball, we also got involved in basketball.”

Regarding Emily possibly joining her at Westminster, Amy said, “If that’s what she wants to do.”

However, Emily said she hasn’t had much contact from college scouts, and hasn’t decided where she wants to go to college, or even what she wants to study.

Emily has been complemented this season by Joh’Vonnie Mosley, a 5-6 sophomore, who gets rebounds and scores well inside.

In fact, Mosley scored McDonald’s first 11 points against Jackson-Milton until Dolsak got untracked. Mosley finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds.

“Joh’Vonnie and I got really close during basketball and track season,” Dolsak said. “We play well together. We have good chemistry and familiarity on the court. We know what the other person is going to do.”

Hilbun said Mosley has been a big help to Dolsak and the team.

“Dolsak and Mosley both are good post players. They are consistently moving in the post. They play off each other,” Hilbun said.

One of the highlights of Emily’s 1,000th-point game was climbing into the bleachers to hug her mother, Donna, and grandmother, Bron Milik, who will be 91 next Wednesday, and make her achievement a complete family celebration.

After the game, she lingered for a long time at the court to savor the festive atmosphere and to talk to teammates, friends, family and reporters — almost as if she did not want to leave the hardwood and nets and scene where she has been so happy.

If college coaches and recruiters are looking for a pure talent, Emily Dolsak also can make them happy.

kovach@vindy.com