San Diego Player of the Week : Collum Is Not Bothered by Teammate’s Shadow

SAN DIEGO — Michelle Collum, Point Loma senior forward, doesn’t anger easily. But when people say she plays in teammate Terri Mann’s shadow, watch out.

It’s true that Mann, San Diego County’s top girls’ basketball player, gets the most attention, but Collum quitely has spent the last three years making a name for herself.

At the State championship Saturday in Oakland, Collum, The Times Player of the Week, scored a game-high 21 points, including all 13 of Point Loma’s first-quarter points, to lead the Pointers to a 56-50 victory over Sacramento Grant.

“Nobody lives in Terri’s shadow,” said Pointer Coach Lee Trepanier. “Each kid has her own style. . . . Michelle is just coming out.”

Said Collum: “Everybody says that I’m living in Terri Mann’s shadow, but I don’t feel I’m in her shadow. I’ve made a name of my own.”

Collum, who averaged 17 points and 8 rebounds a game this year, was named to the Times All-County team and was first-team All-City Eastern League.

Her play has been solid all season, but in postseason play, Collum was named the Most Valuable Player in the Southern Regional of the playoffs.

And against Grant in the State title game, Collum scored 19 of the Pointers’ 24 first-half points.

“I just kept looking at the clock and said ‘We need a basket’ and I would just put it in,” Collum said. “It was OK that I scored all the points, but at halftime I said that somebody else has to score, too.”

Collum also can play defense. She was matched against Grant’s second-leading scorer, Tasha Irby, and held her to only four points.

Mann’s presence in the lineup--with two or three defenders often guarding her-- also has helped Collum’s talent emerge.

“When (Mann) is double-teamed, I’m usually open,” said Collum. “In that situation, I have to hope that my team can see me open.

“Terri is so strong. Just playing with her has made me that much better.”