DeShields Jr. proud of sister's basketball skills

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- When he was finished working out with the Astros on Sunday, outfield prospect Delino DeShields Jr. was glued to the television watching his younger sister, Diamond, score 38 points for the University of North Carolina in a win over North Carolina State.

It was the most points a freshman has scored in team history. Diamond DeShields, a versatile 6-foot-1 player, scored 30 points in a win over Duke a week earlier, and on Thursday scored 19 points with 13 rebounds and eight assists against Pittsburgh.

"Any time she plays on TV or whatever, I'm always tuned in," Delino said. "In big games, she turns it up a little bit. Yesterday was a big game for her and her young team, giving them confidence going into the ACC Tournament. They have their group of freshmen going up against upperclassmen and are pretty much spanking them.

"She's putting the team on her back right now. As she goes, the team's going to go. If she keeps going, they have a good shot at winning the ACC and going pretty far in the [NCAA] Tournament."

DeShields' father, Delino, was set to play basketball at Villanova before he wound up getting drafted by the Montreal Expos in the first round of the 1987 Draft and played 13 years in the Major Leagues, so sports run deep in the family.

"She's had confidence since as far as I can remember, and that's why she's so good," Delino Jr. said. "She has confidence, but she's very modest at the same time. She's very humble and she plays the game the right way. She's real level-headed and has a high baseball IQ. She's been mature since she was 14 years old in high school and led her team to the state championship as a freshman. She's got her head on straight."