As Desiree Merritt enters the final weeks of her high school career, she can reflect on a unique legacy at Oswego East.

The senior guard is already fourth on the program’s career scoring list. Merritt, a four-year varsity starter, could wind up top two in scoring.

And yet Merritt has mostly ceded the spotlight to two teammates.

Fellow senior Aubrey Lamberti recently became Oswego East’s all-time leading scorer. Maggie Lewandowski, a teammate for three years, is third on the scoring list.

Merritt, for her part, doesn’t mind her place.

“I never think about it too much,” she said. “I’m just going to go out there and hoop, regardless. I’m glad I had teammates like that. We’re going to push to get better.”

Merritt put her dynamic ability on display Tuesday in her final crosstown game.

She scored 17 of her 24 points in a dazzling second quarter, ironically after a scoreless first. Oswego East rolled past visiting Oswego 54-25 to the Wolves’ 10th straight crosstown win.

Merritt also had 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals and Lamberti 10 points, six rebounds and five steals for Oswego East (16-10, 9-4 Southwest Prairie Conference). Destiny Hicks scored six points and Peyton Johnson had 11 rebounds and five steals for Oswego (13-17, 4-10).

Merritt missed her first four shots in the first quarter while Lamberti scored all eight Oswego East points.

Merritt drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key to start the second quarter. Less than a minute later, she swished another one from the left wing.

She was just getting started. Oswego East coach Abe Carretto has seen this show before.

“As soon as she hit two of them in a row, I’m like she’s feeling it,” Carretto said. “She is capable of that against anybody. She had a fantastic game Saturday [in a win] against Naperville Central.”

Merritt is indeed capable of going off at any time, and in a multitude of ways. She gave a sample of that full package in that second quarter.

She followed those two 3s with a pull-up jumper in transition, then floated a gorgeous teardrop of a jumper in the lane.

Later, she hopped to her left and knocked down a 3-pointer with a defender right on her.

Merritt hit six of her eight shot attempts in the 17-point explosion.

“Crazy,” Merritt said. “I don’t think I’ve ever done something like that before.”

Merritt’s first 3-pointer gave Oswego East the lead for good after a slow first quarter. The lead was 28-13 by halftime.

“I definitely knew that I was hot after the second shot I made, but I was just trying to continue to make the right play,” Merritt said. “I told myself I had to keep it going. This is a big game. I told myself I had to keep it going.”

Oswego first-year coach Venita Parsons can relate to Merritt’s mark at Oswego East, and her talent. Parsons starred at Oswego East in high school under Carretto. She also coached Merritt in seventh grade.

“I knew she was going to be a stud since then,” Parsons said. “Her work ethic is great, she gets her teammates involved, she gets her opportunities when she has them. Kudos to her, kudos to Carretto for coaching her up. I think she’s going to go far with what she’s got. She has so much potential.”

Maybe Merritt’s brilliance is overlooked by sharing the spotlight with others, but Carretto said she’s noticed by people, including coaches. Merritt committed to the University of St. Francis in Joliet in the last few months.

“I personally think when you talk about the star of the team, we just had a lot of them,” Carretto said. “For two years we had those three and Aubrey and Des have been together for four. Athletic-wise her and Aubrey are so close in everything we’ve done that it’s hard to pinpoint who is the star.”

Merritt, for her part, has enjoyed being part of it with Lamberti for four years.

“It’s honestly been amazing to have someone like that,” Merritt said. “She works so hard. We push each other.”

She isn’t ready for it to be over, either.

Oswego East has a potential tall task, a regional at Benet. But the Wolves opened eyes last Saturday with their win over Naperville Central, like Benet a state-ranked team.

“If that doesn’t show we’re a high-caliber team I don’t know what does,” Merritt said. “We’re trying to do what we can to win. Anything can happen.”