BASCOM, Ohio — As you drive into the tiny town of Bascom, a sign and single stoplight greets you. Then Hopewell-Loudon sprouts out of the endless farm fields. This small town is home to a huge high school basketball star, MaKayla Elmore.
She proved that you don't need to be from a big city to make it big. She had college coaches from all over the country after her.
“AAU definitely put me on the map. I played for one of the biggest teams in the nation, Sports City U,” said Hopewell-Loudon senior MaKayla Elmore. “They found me. Once I got my name out there it just kept going.”
She's heading to play for Clemson but her road to get there wasn't always glamorous. She tore her ACL last year and put in months of rehab. While some colleges backed off, the Tigers never wavered. Now she can 100% focus on her senior season.
“I want a state ring. That’s the biggest thing for me,” said Elmore. “I’m going for the all-time scoring record. I’m 166 away.”
Whether she's at the grocery store or grabbing ice cream with friends, MaKayla gets plenty of recognition. It's something she is very grateful for.
“I’ve seen the love. It feels so good coming from a small community. Seeing everyone know that I’ve strived to do my best and make everyone proud means a lot to me,” said Elmore.
This small-town girl is excited to play basketball on the big stage next year.