After the basketball team had a scrimmage against McKeesport last season, Hannah Prilla and her teammates planned to stay in the building a little longer for practice.
They planned a massive sleepover in the high school. The team spent their night playing games, dancing, and growing much closer than they were before.
Prilla, who is now a sophomore, would not have experienced this event if she did not gain an interest in basketball during second grade.
“I signed up for a summer league,” Prilla said. From there, playing grew to become her main activity outside of school.
Prilla had always felt a connection to basketball, but she also played volleyball in seventh grade. She said that balancing high school and sports would be difficult, so she decided to stick with basketball, which she loved since she was 7 years old.
She wanted to focus on basketball and train to be the best she could in high school, she said.
In her freshman year, Prilla played for the varsity team. She said that despite it being a great opportunity for her, it made her feel nervous and aware of the mistakes she would make.
“I would pass the ball a lot instead of taking opportunities for myself,” Prilla said. She played as forward and averaged seven points and 10 rebounds per game.
Moving forward, Prilla has a set of goals she wants to achieve by the end of high school. She said she wants to score an average of 10 points in every game she plays. That would make her a 1,000-point scorer by the end of her senior year.
Prilla said the greatest moment for the girls basketball team last year was when they defeated Thomas Jefferson High School in a game that qualified them for state playoffs. They were down by two points, she said, until point guard Jules Ott hit a three-pointer.
Junior Lynsey Bernotas said Prilla contributed greatly to the game and helped lead to the Highlanders to victory.
“She got most of the rebounds, so it helps us guards to be able to create space on the floor,” Bernotas said. She said that Prilla is very strong, good at finishing plays, and can easily get to the hoop.
Another teammate, senior Isabella Niles said it is fulfilling to watch Prilla grow as a player. Prilla plays a key role on the team, Niles said.
“She’s the tallest girl on our team, so it’s important that we have her and work with her,” Niles said. “Every year, she comes back stronger.”
