When you're a 6-1 high school hoopster, you don't necessarily have to develop a strong outside shot. But if you're able to hit from the perimeter, you're more than twice as dangerous to the opposing team.

That's why Emily Niemann of Westbury Christian in Houston was one of the top seniors in the country last season. "Most say she is the best shooter in the nation at the high school level, and that comes from hours and hours of hard work she puts in the gym," says her friend and AAU teammate Lauren Mitchell, who nominated her for Gballmag.com's High School Hero page.

Last November, after Niemann signed a Letter of Intent to attend Baylor University, Head Coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson seconded Mitchell's praise. "Three things best describe Emily Niemann. She is a winner; she has great range on her shot, especially for a post player; and she is a workaholic," Mulkey-Robertson said in a Baylor press release. "Her ability to shoot the '3' and face the basket is an asset to her and to our program. We are excited to have her become a Lady Bear."

Mulkey-Robertson also told the Waco Herald-Tribune. "Emily's a big post player with some size inside, but she also has the ability to face up and shoot the (three-pointer), She's just a gym rat. She's one of those kids that you may have to run her out of the gym to keep her from getting burned out."

Mulkey-Robertson has no doubt that Niemann, who chose Baylor over Colorado and Oklahoma, will be able to make the transition to Big 12 basketball. "As long as you're playing against the best in the country, and she has every summer, it doesn't matter where she plays high school ball," Mulkey-Robertson said. "It wouldn't matter if you're at a 1A school or 3A or whatever if you're playing on AAU teams and playing in the summer against some of the country's best. And she's done that."

Beginning with her freshman season, Niemann led Westbury Christian to three consecutive Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) Class 3A state titles. The Lady Wildcats' bid for a fourth straight state title came up short this year, as the team moved up to Class 4A but fell to Fort Worth Christian in the semifinals despite Niemann's 30 points.

Last summer, Niemann was one of 48 players invited to the USA Youth Development Festival in Colorado Springs. During the five-game festival, she averaged 7.6 points and 3.6 rebounds while helping her South team earn a silver medal.

Niemann has piled up an impressive list of honors. She was named a Street & Smith honorable mention all-American in 2001 and 2002 and earned TAPPS 3A All-State first team honors in 2001 and 2002 and also received all-District and all-Metro honors. As a senior she was named All-Houston area First Team and Large Division Private School Player Of The Year by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches, among other honors.

"But more importantly than all of her achievements, Emily is the hardest-working high school athlete I have ever known," Mitchell says. "She has the best attitude ever and is a wonderful teammate and person. Emily deserves the best, and that is why I am mentioning her to you guys, I feel she earns a spot as a high school hero, because she has been a hero to so many people already."

Article written by Gball Associate Editor Jim Catalano.

Nominate someone you know as a High School Hero. Email us at info@gballmag.com.