SPRING CREEK — Something clicked for Stacey Kerr during the month of January.

From Day 1 of her freshman year, Kerr was a solid contributor on the Spring Creek girls varsity team. She performed her role well and was an integral part of the Spartans’ 2009 state championship team.

Kerr was a role player for the Spartans as a freshman, again as a sophomore and began her junior season much the same. But the holidays were good for Kerr as she transformed from role player to go-to player in the course of a month.

In nine games during the months of November and December Kerr averaged 9.7 points a game, with a high of 22 and a low of three. But in seven games during the month of January she averaged 16.3 points and upped her season average to a team-high 12.6 points.

So what happened to the junior who stands just a hair under 6-feet?

“The skill has been there for three years,” said Spring Creek coach Sarah Arendt. “I’m not sure about the confidence. Maybe she’s finally starting to come into her own. She’s confident enough to know she can lead this team. Our game against Hug (Dec. 29) was a big learning experience for her. She knew she had to take responsibility. She really learned from that experience to step up and be a threat like she knows she can.”

Spring Creek (15-3, 8-0) wasn’t in dire straits before Kerr had her breakout, but the Spartans are better and undefeated since the calendar flipped over to the new year.

A confident Kerr is a scary thing for opposing teams to think about. At 5-foot-11, Kerr is a much better ballhandler and outside shooter than most high school players that tall. She shoots 33 percent from three-point range and has dished out 33 assists as a part-time point guard for the Spartans.

But Kerr isn’t just a tall guard. She’s equally effective in the post as she averages 6.9 rebounds a game and has a nice touch near the basket.

Kerr hasn’t met a position she doesn’t like.

“She played the one for me last weekend,” Arendt said. “She was my point guard. She played post last Wednesday. Her versatility is unmatched by anybody in the league. She creates a hard matchup. If she’s a post, she can come outside and posts have a hard time guarding her. If she’s a point guard, she can go post up and they have a hard time guarding her there.”

When pressed, Kerr said she feels confident in most aspects of her play but most enjoys mixing it up in the paint and grabbing rebounds.

“I think my shooting is improved a lot this year,” Kerr said. “I think that’s the thing I improved the most. Otherwise, my favorite thing to do is rebound. I love to jump. I need to get better in everything.”

Kerr’s breakout certainly made the Spartans a stronger favorite to repeat as 3A state champions, but she also helped herself and her post-high school career.

She remembers watching Spring Creek basketball as far back as fourth grade and dreamed of playing for the Spartans and beyond. The first part of the dream is a reality and the second part may be so soon.

During the offseason, Kerr gets good exposure playing for the Salt Lake Metro girls elite travel team and a strong junior season will only keep her on college coaches’ radar.

“I think she deserves to have her school paid for,” Arendt said. “I think at the junior college (route) she could get some significant playing time, which is important. ... Luckily she plays for that (traveling team) and that’s where she is going to get recruited.”

Kerr, however, isn’t ready to look beyond high school yet. The Spartans are in the midst of yet another championship run and with Kerr leading the way could be in the same place again next year.

“I’m looking forward to next season and I’m really looking forward to the rest of this season,” Kerr said.

Spring Creek’s Stacey Kerr lays up the ball during a game earlier this year against Lowry. Kerr blossomed into a go-to player for the Spartans during the month of January.  (Ryan Hope/Elko Daily Free Press)