Former Nansemond River High School girls’ basketball standout Briana Autrey was named Cadet Athlete of the Week at Air Force.

Autrey has gotten off to a strong start for Air Force even though the season is still young. Last week, she helped Air Force to a 1-1 record for the week, which included a win over Army West Point a day before Thanksgiving.

Autrey scored a career-high 24 points in that win to go along with six rebounds. She shot .667 percent from the field while also sinking eight free throws. She helped the team to its first win against Army since 2007.

“I was excited when I found out,” she said of the honor. “I didn’t think people paid that much attention to girls’ basketball, so when I had heard about it, I was kind of shocked.”

Despite being excited about the news, Autrey said she also downplayed it. As a freshman, she still believes she has stuff to prove. A lot of attention is on her, and she doesn’t bring it up unless somebody else does.

“I’m still just a freshman here, so I didn’t want all the attention on me,” she said. “I definitely want to continue to keep making a name for myself.”

Air Force is 3-3 right now. Autrey believes she came into the season prepared to play at the college level. Her adjustment has paid off early, but she still believes she has a lot to learn about playing at the NCAA Division I level. She credits her time playing for Coach R. Calvin Mason Sr. at Nansemond River with helping her develop into a flexible player.

“All four years there, we had a different style of play because of the teams we had,” she said. “It has helped me transition to the next level. I’m still adjusting out there, and I still have more to learn, but where I have played in the past has helped me.”

Autrey is the second leading scorer through six games at 11.7 points per game.