Junior Samarian Franklin’s 31 points Leads the Wenonah Lady Dragons Past Fairfield

Birmingham, AL – Despite standing only 5-foot-2, Wenonah Dragons junior Samarian Franklin is standing tall on the hardwood. This was evident as she contributed 31 points, eight assists, seven steals, and six rebounds, leading the Lady Dragons (21-6) to a 58-37 victory over Fairfield in a Class 5A, Area 9 basketball matchup. This performance landed Franklin in this week’s AHSAA Girls’ Basketball Spotlight.

The win improved head coach Trellice Moore’s Lady Dragons to 3-1 in area play. Two more home games are lined up – against John Carroll Catholic tonight, and a possible area championship showdown against reigning Class 5A state champion Pleasant Grove Lady Spartans on Friday. Franklin’s prowess is not unnoticed – she’s among leaders in almost every roundball category.  

In 27 games this season, she’s averaged 21.7 points, 5.2 assists, and 4.2 steals. She’s also scored 65 beyond the arc with a 35 percent shooting accuracy from three-point range. From the charity stripe she has sank 96 out of 130 attempts (73.8%). According to this week’s MaxPreps stats, she ranks seventh in assists, 20th in steals, and fourth in 3-point goals in the AHSAA. 

In her career, Franklin has scored 1,815 points, and is on track to exceed 2,000 points by the end of her junior campaign. Franklin has also recorded 511 assists and 441 career steals. She scored more than 30 points in six games this season, her highest being a 35 point outing in the Dragons’ first meeting with Fairfield, where she nailed all 13 free throws. Out of 110 varsity games in her career, she’s hit double figures in 89. However, it seems Franklin is just warming up, with her senior year ahead.