Dr. Phillips' Zoe Alexander dominates on the court | Observer Preps

At the top of the key, Zoe Alexander shouts and points her teammates to where they are needed.

Dribbling the ball slowly in a calm fashion, she eyes the Wekiva defender in front of her. She glances right, then left as she plots out her course of action.

In a split-second, Alexander pumps right before jolting left — flying by the defender as she attacks the basket with the ferociousness of a pro-caliber player. The layup that follows is executed perfectly.

It’s that attention to every little detail of the game — and the drive to make her and her teammates better — that has led Alexander to take command of the Dr. Phillips girls basketball team.

“(I’m) guiding my team and helping them understand different plays and running them through the plays, so that when we come into a game, they know what they’re supposed to do,” Alexander said.

“(I’m) guiding my team and helping them understand different plays and running them through the plays, so that when we come into a game, they know what they’re supposed to do."

— Zoe Alexander

That leadership role is one Alexander stepped into this year — her second season on the team since transferring from Lake Nona.

Although she led the team last year, where she averaged 15 points per game, the official role has added another dimension to the talented guard who shifts between playing at the point and shooting guard positions.

Like anything new, leading the Panthers on and off the court has been difficult — yet incredibly rewarding — Alexander said.

“It’s pretty challenging, because everything is put on you,” she said. “It’s pretty tough, but when you’re standing behind a really good coach, and you’re learning new things every practice, it becomes easier.”

Under head coach Anthony Jones, Alexander has thrived as a player since arriving to DP as a junior. A big part of that is because she finally is playing the position she was meant to fill.

Although she had success at Lake Nona, Alexander spent her freshman and sophomore years playing down-low in the post — thanks in part to generally being one of the toughest and tallest (at 5-foot-9) girls on the team.

“I was kind of playing out of position and just playing, really, for the team,” Alexander said. “When I came to Dr. Phillips, he (Jones) opened up to what my concerns were. 

“I feel like it helped me contribute to the team a lot last year, and it helped me better my game — not just being able to play post, but also play guard and learn new things about the guard position,” she said.

Alexander naturally moved into her new role with little issue — leading the Panthers both as a captain, as well as in scoring.

So far through this season, the Lake Nona resident has averaged more the 20 points per game and hit a career high of 31 points in the season opener against Gainesville. At this pace, she will hit her goal of averaging 20-plus points in her final year of high-school ball.

In addition to her coach, Alexander cites her parents as influences. Alexander’s mom was a world-class track athlete who ran at Louisiana State University and participated in the track trials at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Her dad serves as the head coach of the track and wrestling teams, as well as the defensive line coach on the Panthers’ football team. Alexander also runs track for her father.

“My parents have very high expectations for me, so when I don’t play a really good game, it’s kind of hard for them to watch, because they know what to expect from me and how I play,” Alexander said. “But I know it’s all good intentions, and they want to see me do great things and want me to reach my goals.”

With the support of her parents and coaches, the talented senior — who has been playing basketball since she was 8 years old — has a lot going on for her in this final year of high school ball. And afterward? She’s looking to continue her playing career at the next level.

But wherever that may be, there are more important things to worry about right now — such as making the playoffs and ending her high-school career right.

“For the team, I’d like to make it to districts and win districts this year,” Alexander said. “Last year, we lost to Olympia — that was a pretty upsetting loss. But this year, I plan to go and beat them and the other schools in our district. And hopefully everything goes well.”