Forestview freshman playing beyond her years

GASTONIA — Bre Armstrong says she was 3 when she first put a basketball in her hand. Anybody who’s watched the Forestview freshman play would have a difficult time doubting that statement.

Armstrong has stepped onto a talented varsity team and become one of its best players in an instant, making it obvious she’s played basketball for a long time.

“She doesn’t seem like a freshman to me,” said senior teammate Shannon Smith, who herself made varsity impact as a ninth grader.

Perhaps Armstrong is following in the same path as Smith and senior Kelsey Harris, who never lost a home game at Forestview and earned Division I basketball scholarships along the way.

Armstrong, a 5-foot-8 forward, began drawing college attention even before this season, in which she’s averaged 15.3 points and 7.5 rebounds for a team still alive in the playoffs. The Jaguars (24-2) make their third consecutive regional appearance tonight at 8:30 when they take on Charlotte Catholic (25-3) at UNC Greensboro’s Fleming Gym.

The current Forestview team is best known for its pair of Division I signees. Smith is headed for North Carolina and Harris has inked with Elon. But we might look back on the 2009-10 roster one day and note that it featured three eventual Division I athletes.

Forestview coach Ken Beaty believes Armstrong has the physical ability to reach the Division I level.

“She’s still developing but she’s way ahead of most freshmen,” Beaty said.

Armstrong is already drawing attention from UNC Charlotte and has received a questionnaire from North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell.

She’s been a consistent third scorer behind Smith and Harris and has even outscored them. Her season-high of 24 points came on 10-of-14 shooting in an 81-49 win over Kings Mountain. She’s reached 20 points in six games, including two in the playoffs.

Armstrong has seven double-digit rebounds to her name with a high of 13 against Ashbrook. She also averages 2.8 steals and 1.9 assists.

“I feel proud to be playing with two Division I players,” Armstrong said. “It feels good to know that I’m an impact for the team as a freshman.”

Armstrong comes from an athletic family. Armstrong Athletic Club on Robinwood Road in Gastonia was named after her father, Todd S. Armstrong, a well-known local personal trainer who died in 2001 with lymphoma.

Bre was only 6 when her father died but remembers watching him work out. Still, she’s never been compelled to lift weights on a regular basis, although her physique would suggest otherwise.

“I do pushups and different things like that but I’ve never gotten into lifting weights much,” she said.

Armstrong, a tomboy who loves playing football with the boys, began playing organized basketball at age 5 or 6 for Upward Basketball at First Freewill Baptist Church in Gastonia, then joined the Mount Holly Stars AAU team at age 10.

She led Southwest Middle School to back-to-back county championships and a two-year record of 22-2.

Armstrong has produced at a high level this winter despite playing out of position. She plays the power forward position but would be more comfortable playing small forward or shooting guard.

“Sometimes I feel little compared to everybody else, but I use my athletic ability to get around all of them,” she said.

Beaty hopes to move her to a more natural position next season after the graduation of Smith and Harris.

“She’ll be the go-to person,” Beaty said. “She’ll move probably to a ball handler and she can do that.”

Also returning from the starting lineup will be center Khadijah Joyner and guard Brianna Taylor, both sophomores. Key reserves Phierica Gardin and Jazmin Ellis should also be back.

With Forestview three wins away from its first state championship, Armstrong said the players “have their eye on the prize.” But she hopes this isn’t her last shot at a ring.

“We’ve got a team that can do it now and I feel we have a team that can do it next year,” she said. “I feel we can keep it coming.”

You can reach Phillip Gardner at 704-869-1843.