Govero models game after legendary Maravich

	Mississippi State-bound Mary Kathryn Govero has a shot at setting the state girls scoring record. Courtesy Mary Kathryn Govero

Each week SI.com will select the athlete who displays excellence on and off the field as the Primetime Performer.

Mary Kathryn Govero, 5-11, Sr., Mt. Salus Christian (Clinton, Miss.)

Mary Kathryn Govero doesn't wear floppy, knee-high socks, but she grew up watching videos of "Pistol" Pete Maravich and has developed the Louisiana legend's flair for scoring at Mt. Salus Christian.

The 5-foot-11 senior guard broke a 17-year-old state private school record last Tuesday when she exploded for 65 points during a 75-65 upset victory against Benton (Miss.) Academy, then the state's top ranked Class A team. Govero, who also had 14 rebounds, seven blocks, six steals, and three assists, shot 23 of 39 from the field and 17 of 25 from the free-throw line to lead her team back from a 14-point third quarter deficit.

"She just wouldn't give up," Mt. Salus coach Bill Maner said. "She broke the deficit by just attacking the basket and going to the free throw line."

Scoring quickly and often is nothing new for Govero. When she was in third grade, her father, Chris, gave her the movie The Pistol: The Birth of a Legend, and as she grew older he bought her Maravich instructional videos.

"I basically thought he practiced a lot," said Govero, who also attended Mississippi College basketball camp each summer as a youth. "I shot a lot when I was younger."

"She's got one of the prettiest and best jump shots I've ever seen -- boy or girl," Maner gushed. "She wants to learn and get better. She also is one of the most humble persons I ever have coached. She is a class-act player out there. I'm honored to coach her."

Because she is such a prolific scorer, Govero is frequently double- and triple-teamed. She says she does "whatever it takes. I just stay calm and don't let people get in my head."

Though she has found comfort in her abilities to attack defensive schemes, Govero has called three gyms "home" during her four-year career. This year, Mt. Salus, a school of 150 students from grades 9-12, is playing at a church located six miles away.

"Sometimes it's kind of frustrating, but overall it doesn't matter," said Govero, referencing the fact that the Eagles won 34 games last year and 22 the previous year.

Realizing the plight of a great player at a small school, Maner upgraded his schedule each year. As a freshman, Govero averaged 33.2 points. Despite increased competition, her average rose to 34.4 points as a sophomore and  36.7 as a junior. This year she is averaging 36.7 points, 10 rebounds, 5.6 blocks, 4.4 assists and 4.1 steals.

Having scored 3,889 points since her freshman season, Govero is within striking for a few more state records. The private school scoring record is 4,790, while the overall record is 4,853. Depending on how far the Eagles go in the state tournament, she has a shooter's chance at becoming Mississippi's all-time leading girls' scorer.

Looking to further prove herself to NCAA Division I recruiters as well as develop her own skills, Govero joined the talented Jackson Lady Tigers AAU team and earned a starting spot. Maner believes that was the clincher for Division I college coaches who had questioned her high school competition. In the fall, she will attend Mississippi State on a full scholarship.

Govero, who is the third-oldest in a family of eight, is very active off the court, too. She has a 4.0 GPA, is president of the student government and president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She belongs to Providence Presbyterian Church in Clinton.

The past two years Govero and her teammates have taken a mission trip to Guatemala. "She always is special to watch," Maner noted. "When she reacts to kids, it's just phenomenal the way they flock to her. She is willing to share her faith and understands the importance of teaching the [basketball] skills to kids."

The experience has been life changing for the Mt. Salus star.

"I'm a Christian and the most important thing to me is to use the gift of basketball and share Christ with other people," Govero explained. "I want to be a coach one day. I want to be a missionary and coach in Guatemala."