The surprise breakout star of the early season on the local girls basketball court is Birmingham Seaholm's Elise Tolbert.

The Maples are 5-0 and Tolbert, a long, lean and mean presence in the post, is averaging over 20 points and close to eight rebounds per game.

She's hit for 25 points on three different occasions, including in Seaholm's 67-27 trouncing of Southfield Tuesday and in the first two outings of the year two weeks ago.

As a junior last winter, Tolbert was relatively quiet, making this recent burst onto the OC cage scene a true feel-good story.

Seaholm's inside-outside tandem of Tolbert and Fab Frosh floor general, Mackenzie Harbort, who tossed in 16 points to go along with nine steals and five assists Tuesday night, is quite imposing and will give the Maples a legit shot in the race for the league title.