ALLENDALE – Grand Valley senior forward Taylor Parmley asked for some books, a winter coat and a step-counting smartwatch for Christmas.

"Jen (DeBoer) and Maddie (Dailey) have Fitbits and I want in," she said and laughed.

As far as basketball steps are concerned, the Lakers' leading scorer said she would love to stay healthy for the rest of the season, and have everybody else on the team stay healthy as well.

That would certainly be great for the young Lakers, who with just two seniors in Parmley and her roommate Korynn Hincka leading the way, stand at 10-2 overall and 4-1 in the GLIAC following Tuesday's 68-55 non-conference win over Aquinas College.

"Taylor and Korynn are kind of our two-headed centerpiece right now because of their experience, and if we can keep them playing that way and have everybody else grow up a bit more we have a chance to be one of the best teams in the region," head coach Mike Williams said.

Parmley leads the Lakers in scoring at just over 14 per game and is second to Hincka (8.5 per game) in rebounding with almost seven per game despite often giving away a few inches at power forward against most opponents. The senior from Mishawaka, Ind., stands 5-foot-10, but is most comfortable inside where the 6-foot-plus players reside.

"I would say I'm an undersized post player that plays like she is 6-4," she said and smiled. "I'm strong. I've expanded by game since I came to college, but I love like bumping people, just out-toughing them in there."

She is at home in the paint, and the master of the old-fashioned 3-point play earned with a hard foul and a made free-throw. She frustrates defenders with her footwork and strength repeatedly. In a recent game she scored a career-best 31 points and grabbed 11 rebounds against Wayne State.

"She plays a lot bigger than she is and she has an uncanny knack, an uncanny balance and timing around the rim," Williams said. "She can hang and score. She can get contact and score against bigger players. She is also very smart and makes really good decisions, too."

Williams said beyond the statistics Parmley offers great leadership and even confidence.

"She gives us a presence out there," he said. "She has a toughness to her that makes you feel Parm is in the game and we are okay."

Parmley played center in high school and once scored 51 points in a single game. She visited Grand Valley's campus as a sophomore in high school and knew then it was the place for her.

"I felt God was leading me to this place and I've never questioned my decision," she said. "I wasn't thinking about Division I or Division II. I was thinking about the right place for me and this has been it."

She wasn't sure what to expect when the successful team she was on a year ago graduated a host of seniors and starters.

"Coming in we were not really sure what this team was going to look like," she said. "I've just been doing what the team has needed me to do, and I feel like I'm a force that has to be reckoned with. But we've had multiple games where a lot of people have stepped up. Korynn, Natalie (Koenig), Jen and others have had good games as well. I'm happy. We have a good team and we have a chance to win when we play well."

It's possible that Parmley could still be around next year. She redshirted in 2014-15 as a true freshman, and this is just her third year of play so another year of eligibility remains.

In her personal life, however, she is engaged to be married to Caleb Gabler, who she met at age 12 and started dating in her senior year in high school. He is at the University of Indianapolis and seeking to get into graduate school at Grand Valley as well as some others. Parmley meanwhile, will hold degrees in exercise science and psychology from GVSU after this year. She is thinking graduate school in sports psychology and wants to end up at the same place as her husband-to-be.

"It's kinda crazy right now," she said.

And right now she is concentrating on this basketball team.

"I love this team," she said. "We have a mutual respect for everyone, so it's been fun."

Parmley described herself as a lover of people, and said the best part of being a college basketball player is the community of the team.

"It's like an automatic 12 to 18 best friends or sisters that you will have the rest of your life," she said. "It is nice being submerged in that community."