Saturday’s six-game card tipped off with a get-together between 1A St. John’s and 3A Battery Creek. The Islanders got the better of the Dolphins in large part to the 25 points placed on the scoreboard courtesy of the St. John’s senior shooting guard. Buford is more than willing to draw contact that can place her at the line. Her heads-up attitude enables her to respond quickly – particularly if an opposing player makes a miscue. Buford is a skilled ball-handler who also thrives as a playmaker in the transition game. One must also look out for her from long range and she fuses together efficiency with veteran instincts. 

Teams looking to score victories over 1A St. John’s likely have to find a way to keep Buford in check. That, of course, is not always the easiest of tasks. Buford was one of the state’s breakout freshmen three seasons ago and she has not looked back since. She averaged 11.9 points, 4.9 steals and 3.3 rebounds last season as she played in 15 of the Islanders’ 18 contests in 2024-25. Listed at 5-foot-3, Buford has thrived as a two guard at St. John’s. The Islanders reached double-digit win totals for two of Buford’s three seasons and her team’s goal is to make it three out of four – and then some – in 2025-26.