Funicello Shows That Basketball Is Contact Sport : High school basketball: Alemany center blossoms after discarding her horn-rimmed glasses.

MISSION HILLS —  When Melissa Hearlihy was asked to pinpoint the key moment in the development of sophomore center Carly Funicello, the Alemany High girls’ basketball coach plucked a photograph from the bulletin board in her office, slapped the picture on her desk and drew attention to Funicello’s image.

“Just look at the glasses,” Hearlihy said. “That symbolizes how she started.”

In the photo taken during her freshman season, Funicello stands out--not because she is the tallest player on the team at 6-foot-3, but because of the outlandish horn-rimmed glasses she wore.

Funicello’s debut at Alemany was inauspicious. She was too aggressive on defense, picking up unnecessary fouls, and not aggressive enough on offense. She fumbled away passes and appeared lost at times in the Indians’ offensive scheme.

The glasses didn’t help. Funicello constantly worried they would break.

In a game against St. Bernard last season, they did break, right down the middle, and had to be fixed with white tape.

“After that game I had to switch to contacts,” Funicello said. “It was just too much to worry about.”

For Hearlihy, the glasses became a symbol. When Funicello shed the glasses, a lot of her tentativeness went with them, Hearlihy said.

“Once those glasses came off, she blossomed,” Hearlihy said. “It’s tough being six-foot-three without having also to wear glasses. Her self-esteem and confidence went way up once those glasses came off.”

After a slow start as a freshman, Funicello finished the season strong, averaging 12.5 points and nine rebounds. In her second season, she is averaging 14 points, 10 rebounds and one blocked shot. The Indians are 22-0, including a season sweep of St. Bernard, Alemany’s top rival in the Mission League. The Indians are ranked fifth in the state by Cal-Hi Sports.

Eye problems haven’t been the only obstacle Funicello has overcome to play basketball for the Indians.

When she tried out as a freshman, it was her first experience with organized basketball. Until then, Funicello played only soccer.

She was always tall for her age, but a growth spurt in eighth grade helped her consider a basketball future. After meeting with Hearlihy before her freshman season, the ninth-grader chose basketball.

“I wanted to play both soccer and basketball at the same time, but Melissa said just basketball,” Funicello said. “Sometimes I think about what it would be like to play soccer, but I’m much happier playing basketball. I’ve got things to my advantage.”

Funicello’s success in basketball has erased any thoughts of returning to the soccer field. But six years of playing center halfback had its benefits. Her leg strength gives Funicello an athleticism many tall players envy.

But she wasn’t adept at the game from a technical standpoint. Funicello followed instructions but didn’t always comprehend the reasons behind the orders. “Why play with my back to the basket or front a defender,” she wondered.

“I didn’t really understand what I was doing my freshman year,” she said. “I just kind of went with the flow.”

Funicello is still working on her game, especially on her passing and upper-body strength.

“I hope she’ll be able to do 10 pushups by her senior year,” Hearlihy said.

This season, Funicello has increased her awareness of the game. While her scoring, rebounding and blocked shots statistics are up only slightly, she has added to her skills. She has increased range as a shooter and added a left-handed shot.

“She’s got the shot in the paint, now we’ve moved to the free-throw line,” Hearlihy said. “If she wants to, she could be a three-point shooter.”

Her more experienced teammates also take extra time with Funicello, especially guard Samantha Rigley. After a season-and-a-half, Funicello is proud to point out she can finally catch Rigley’s bullet passes.

“I’d never thought I’d be able to catch them,” she said.

But Funicello still struggles with on-the-job training. In the first meeting with St. Bernard this season, Funicello was matched against two post players who have signed with Pacific 10 Conference schools. She had difficulty on the offensive end and got into foul trouble in the second half.

Although she fouled out midway through the final quarter, and had several shots blocked, Funicello persevered and finished with 12 points, eight rebounds and two blocked shots.

She also played well on defense. With help from teammate Zevette Mitchell, Funicello held the 6-4 tandem of Marte Alexander and Olympia Scott scoreless in the opening quarter and to 14 points between them in the game.

Last week, they met again. Funicello scored 13 points in a 52-45 victory. Alexander and Scott combined for 21 points.

Funicello credits part of her improvement to watching college basketball on television, both men’s and women’s. She looks at current collegiate stars Lisa Leslie of USC and Natalie Williams of UCLA as role models.

Both players possess the size to play center, but they have the athletic ability to play the forward position in college. Hearlihy envisions the same future for Funicello, who is still growing.

This past year, Funicello passed her mother in height. Katy Funicello is 6-2 1/2 and played basketball at St. Genevieve from 1966 to 1970.

Basketball for Katy Funicello differed greatly from the game her daughter plays. The elder Funicello played “stationary guard” on a six-player team.

“She’s 20 million times better than I ever was,” Katy Funicello said. “Our goal is to get her a scholarship.”

But for this season, Funicello is worrying only about winning a Southern Section championship. Alemany was runner-up in the Division III-AA last season.

She has kept the horn-rimmed glasses as a reminder of her experience from last season.

“I still have them,” she said. “But I’ll only wear them at home. . . . by myself. . . . at night.”