West Iron County sophomore guard Danica Shamion (24) rises up for a jumper against Iron Mountain early in the 2021-22 girls basketball season. Shamion, a three-sport standout athlete, put together an impressive all-around basketball season, averaging 15 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. (Dennis Mansfield/Daily News photo)

IRON RIVER — West Iron County sophomore Danica Shamion is a natural.

She’s the type of person that appears to be able to do anything athletically, with little difficulty. One who would pick up any new sport or athletic activity in a flash. This has been known around West Iron County for some time.

When she entered high school, it was simply assumed that Shamion would play varsity volleyball and basketball immediately and would become a track star in her first season, which she did, winning U.P. Division 2 championships in the 100 meters, the 200 meters and the 400 meters. Going by the times in the 2021 U.P. track finals, Shamion is the second fastest girl in the U.P., trailing only Baux Truckey of Marquette.

Shamion just completed her second year as the Wykon starting point guard, averaging a team-high 15 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. She was a West Pac Conference first-team selection and led her team in scoring 16 of its 20 games.

Just before Shamion got in the family vehicle and headed to Gladstone for her AAU U-16 team’s first practice on Sunday morning, Shamion took the time to answer a few basketball-related inquiries.

Q: What is the name of the AAU team you’re playing for?

A: Great Northern (Elite). I played for Level UP (Express, in Marquette) for two years, but they discontinued.

Q: Has AAU basketball helped you?

A: I think so. There’s better competition when you play in AAU and it gets you used to playing with other people and not the same people over and over again and it’s more physical.

Q: You’ve had about two weeks off since your season ended. Are you ready to go back to playing basketball so soon?

A: It was nice to have a break and now it’s good to start back up again.

Q: What are your thoughts on your Wykon team’s season this year (team finished 7-13)?

A: There were a lot of losses, but it makes sense because most of us were sophomores and juniors. It was hard losing. It was just rough. I didn’t get mad, it’s tough to lose but I understand why we did.

Q: Would you be OK with the same record next year?

A: Nooooo! Because then we’re going to be juniors and seniors. We can’t make the excuse that we’re young anymore.

Q: What are your early thoughts about next year’s team when you have everybody back except one graduating senior?

A: I think we’re going to win a lot more games because through this season we got a lot better. Like we lost to Hancock by 40 the first time we played them (a 68-28 loss on Nov. 31 at Hancock) and then we lost by nine the second time (a 39-30 setback on Feb. 7 in Iron River). So I just think there’s going to be a lot of improvement.

Q: What did you think of your season individually?

A: I think it was so-so, like some games were good and some games were bad.

Q: What improvements do you want to make?

A: I want to improve on my (outside) shooting because I want to make more 3-pointers. But I think I did well driving and making layups.

Q: Defensively, for a 5-7 player, you block a lot of shots …

A: Yeah, I can jump. (Shamion laughs)

Q: You seem to enjoy that you block an unusual amount of shots for someone your size?

A: (Continuing to laugh) Yeah, because it’s fun. I know how to time it.

Q: Do you ever talk smack after you block a shot?

A: No.

(At this point of the interview, her father and head coach Eric, who was known for his defense and a bit of trash-talking on WIC’s 1991 Class C state-runner up team, interjects.

“I’ve got to teach her that,” he said.

Q: You were always assigned to the opposition’s best perimeter player. Did you like that?

A: No, I wish I didn’t have to. But I guess you have to do things that you don’t want to all the time.

Q: Do you feel like the fastest player on the court every game?

A: Sometimes. But there was a girl on Hancock who was as quick as me.

Q: What type of defenders bother you the most?

A: Mostly small quick ones, because bigger players, like post players, are slower most of the time.

Q: What do you do in the summer to prepare for basketball season?

A: My dad has some team camps (lined up) and we do open gyms after weight room all the time in the morning in the summer. And then I also have AAU.

Q: Do you sometimes get tired of working on your game in the summer?

A: I feel like motivation comes and goes. Sometimes you want to be in the gym and sometimes you don’t really feel like going.

Q: Do you still go when you don’t feel like it?

A: Sometimes, because my dad makes me.

Q: Do you wish you had played JV basketball with your friends last year instead of being moved to varsity right away?

A: I think the big jump was good for me. To play with better players that quickly, it got me better more quickly.

Q: Did you miss playing with your friends and classmates, though?

A: I think it worked out for the best. I liked playing with my older sister Jordan (who graduated last year and competes in the pentathlon at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point track squad this year).

Q: Why did you like playing with her?

A: Jordan was strong in the post and she had something that I didn’t and I had something that she didn’t. So she could get rebounds, and she could pass it to me and I could push it up the floor.

Q: Did you feel protected by her, like a big sister protection?

A: (Joking) No, I think she was more mad at me than anyone else.

Jerry DeRoche can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 244, or at jderoche@ironmountaindailynews.com.