“I just remember walking into those gyms at Oliver Ames, and really just wanting that,” Downs said. “I wanted to have the banners on the wall. I wanted to have a program developed with kids who would show up for Foxborough the way I always saw it at Oliver Ames.”

One young player that caught her eye? Kailey Sullivan.

“I remembered her coming to clinics, probably as only a fourth- or fifth-grader, and I know she had goggles back then,” Downs said. “I remember like, the girl with the goggles is going to be really good.”

Sullivan continued to develop her shot. Her work ethic was impressive. From the MetroWest youth program, to Foxborough’s middle school team to Honey Badgers AAU, Sullivan’s stock grew.

“I don’t know a player who can score at the rim, mid-range, and unlimited range behind 3-point land as much as Kailey,” said Matt Forbes, who coaches Sullivan with the Honey Badgers.

As a freshman, Sullivan was an immediate contributor alongside Hannah Blake, Andrea Slattery, and Camryn Collins.

“I watched players like Ashley Sampson, Katelyn Mollica, and I always idolized them,” Sullivan said. “So when I got to high school, I was so excited to finally be like them.”

It took Sullivan less than three seasons to join the 1,000-point club. She passed the threshold last January, as a junior, in a 74-30 win over Canton.

Beyond vying to become a 1,500-point — or even 2,000-point — scorer in her final hurrah under Downs, Sullivan’s dream is to lead eighth-ranked Foxborough (4-1) to a third straight state title.

Sullivan is proof of the model Downs, who won four games in her first season, aspired to create.

“The kid is a winner,” Forbes said. “She’s won two state championships that she’s a vital part of. When we win a big game and she has zero points, she doesn’t care. It’s, ‘Did we win or did we lose?’”

As the centerpiece of the Warriors’ offense, the 5-foot-8-inch guard is averaging 24.2 points per game, while leading the team in assists (4.1 per game). With 6-foot center Addie Ruter returning to the lineup this week after undergoing patellar surgery in the fall, the options for Sullivan become limitless. Ruter’s kick-out game from the post bolsters Sullivan’s shooting.

Sullivan’s leadership style starts with her ability to adapt on the fly. She is soft-spoken; her talking happens between the whistles.

“Whether it’s a different team, different coach, or different teammates, I’m good at being put in a new situation and kind of making the best out of it, figuring things out, and enjoying it too,” Sullivan said.

Downs recalled two moments when Sullivan’s tranquil demeanor paid off.

In Foxborough’s 54-51 win over Franklin in December, the Warriors were down by 12 going into the fourth quarter.

“Kailey just stepped up, grabbed the starting five, and took them aside to calm them down,” Downs said. “I just kind of stood back and watched. . . . You knew that, ‘All right, we got this.’ ”

Despite surrendering a 52-48 loss to Oliver Ames on Friday, Sullivan showed her composure again.

The matchup went back and forth, but Sullivan never got rattled despite constant double teams. She convinced her teammates to play with confidence, embraced the pressure, and finished with 25 points in the loss, which snapped a 38-game Hockomock win streak.

“She hadn’t really done that until this year,” Downs said. “That’s a new version of Kailey.”

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Courtside chatter

▪ Every year, Framingham girls’ basketball carves out time to honor Devin Suau, who died of cancer at age 6 in 2017.

Suau was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma and nine months later, a week before what would have been his seventh birthday, he lost the battle.

The Flyers (2-3) will don Suau’s Army shirts in his honor this Tuesday, at 6:30 p.m., when they host Brookline. The fundraiser typically yields between $500 to $1,000 per year for the #whynotdevinfoundation, and with help from Cumberland Farms, they’re hoping to bring that number even higher this season.

Framingham coach Kristen Audet-Fucarile said she’s grown close to the family over the years.

“Framingham is a close community,” Audet-Fucarile said. “Even though at first I didn’t know them, we felt like we were fighting along with them.”

Flyers senior Allie Regan eclipsed 1,000 career points in Friday’s 52-31 win over Wellesley.

“Allie’s contributions bring energy and excitement to the court,” Audet-Fucarile said. “She’s a joy to coach.”

▪ No. 20 Natick (6-2), a fellow Bay State-Carey contender, is averaging 62.1 points per game.

The Redhawks have eight returners and five seniors, and second-year coach Oryx Cohen highlighted how well the pieces fit together. Natick has turned to an up-tempo and pressure-defense system that’s paid dividends, yielding lopsided wins over Newton North, Andover, and more.

“That’s the style we want to play, pressure and transition,” Cohen said. “The girls are having a lot of fun doing it.”

Senior point guard Olivia Penn is a “stat-sheet stuffer,” providing 7 points, 6 rebounds, 6 steals, and 5 assists per game. Freshman forward Kayla Dunlap is averaging 13 points, sophomore forward Bridget Pole puts up 12, and junior forward Katie McMahon averages 9 points and 7 rebounds. Senior steals machine Kira Henderson typically guards the opposing team’s best player.

▪ Lincoln-Sudbury is off to a 5-1 start and has emerged as a contender in the Dual County League Thorpe Division.

Junior Sarah Poland (15.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game) has shown her versatility. Senior Evie Schwartz, averaging 13.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2.5 steals, has shined defensively and has a contagious passion, according to coach Howie Landau.

Senior Alani Hoilett (11.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and junior Alice Wallerstein (8.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg) have dominated inside. Seniors Claire Gaeta and Melody Sieger, juniors Sydni Savenor, Hayden Plihcik, and Victoria Manocchia, sophomore Georgia Raines, and freshman Maia Nottidge provide depth.

Landau credited the Warriors for using their length, size, and strength to their advantage to control the boards and score in the paint.

“Our leadership has been great, and we’ve been able to pull out some close games with big stops at the end,” Landau said.

Games to watch

Tuesday, No. 3 St. Mary’s at No. 12 Bridgewater-Raynham, 6:30 p.m. — The Trojans’ elite defense will try to slow down Bella Owumi and the Spartans’ high-octane offense in an intriguing nonleague clash.

Tuesday, Newton North at No. 13 Braintree, 6:30 p.m. — The Bay State Conference continues to show off its depth, and this should be another entertaining battle.

Friday, No. 17 Bishop Fenwick at No. 1 Bishop Feehan, 6:30 p.m. — Bishop Fenwick will try to make a major statement against the defending champs.

Friday, Burlington at Wakefield, 5:30 p.m. — Two teams vying for a Middlesex-Freedom title will meet in a key matchup.

Monday, No. 7 Central Catholic at No. 11 Notre Dame (Hingham), 6:30 p.m. — The Raiders and Cougars are both contenders in their respective leagues, and this game should help prepare each for the postseason.

Correspondent Trevor Hass contributed to this story.