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Watch Vintage Footage of Doris Burke Slaying it in HS Basketball

She went by Doris Sable at the time. And good goddamn did she wreck fools on the court.
Screen capture via Youtube/NJ.com

It's impossible to not love Doris Burke. She's got just about the sharpest commentary in the game, an encyclopedic knowledge of both women's and men's basketball, and she even once obtained the NBA sideline reporter holy grail: making Gregg Popovich smile during an interview.

But prior to her time as a broadcaster—and even prior to her Hall of Fame-winning career at Providence College—she used to hoop extra hard in high school. She was known as Doris Sable at the time and attended Manasquan High School in New Jersey, and absolutely worked the opposing teams.

As part of their series on Burke, NJ.com released some footage from her high school days and just take a look at her gametape from 1983 in the Shore Conference tournament. (There are two games here: first game is against St. John Vianney in the semifinal, and then the win against Lakewood in the final.)

Just look at the finesse—the steals, the casual assists, taking on five players at a time. She's confident at the top of the key, taking it down low, and shooting from the hip. The commentator nails it when he says, "she don't miss." Sure, 16 points by the third quarter (in the first game) seems kind of whatever in most lengths of game. But when the score is 40-38 by that point? She's carrying this team. Her finals appearance was just as strong, when Manasquan handily snatched the title from Lakewood.

Sure, you sit slack-jawed in wonder when she exhibits her handles in heels nowadays, but you don't know the half of it.