Lyla Jablon
School: Fox Chapel
Class: Senior
Sport: Basketball
Claim to fame: Jablon scored 23 points in a nonsection win against Avonworth on Monday in the Pittsburgh Holiday Classic. She then had 10 points in a section loss to Franklin Regional on Tuesday.
Jablon leads Fox Chapel (4-5, 2-1) with six double-digit scoring games and is averaging 13 points per game.
Being one of two seniors on the team, what have been the challenges with a young team on and off the court?
One of the challenges of being one of the two seniors has been trying to show the younger girls that it is OK to have bad games and poor possessions, and that the next play or game is what’s important now.
What was working well during your season-high 23-point game against Avonworth on Tuesday?
Against Avonworth, our team did a great job of working together to move the ball and find the open person or gaps. We also worked really hard on defense, that turned into offensive success.
After losing some key offensive players such as Natalie Schaffer and Bella Urso, how would you grade your team’s offensive production this season?
After losing our two lead scorers, it has been a challenge to find ways to fill their shoes, but, as a team, we are all starting to do our jobs, which is making our offense more productive moving forward.
What are some of your team’s strengths? Weaknesses?
Our team’s strengths this season are our energy on and off the court and our trust in our teammates. We have made a great environment to play in, which contributes a lot to how we perform on the court. One of our weaknesses is staying consistent as a whole. After going on a run, we have to work on keeping the lead or going on another run shortly after.
What are your plans for after high school?
After high school, I am attending Case Western Reserve University to major in pre-med, and I am continuing my basketball career.
What are you most looking forward to in your senior year?
I look forward to building memories with my team and my dad during my senior year.
Do you have any New Year’s resolutions? If so, what are they?
No, I don’t have any New Year’s resolutions.
What was the best part of your Christmas celebration?
My favorite part of my Christmas celebration is spending time with my family.
Collin Rodgers
School: Deer Lakes
Class: Senior
Sport: Basketball
Claim to fame: Rodgers eclipsed the 1,000-point mark after dropping 34 points against section rival Highlands on Tuesday. He has five double-digit scoring games this season, with four 20-point outings.
Rodgers leads Deer Lakes (5-4, 2-2) with 25.2 points per game, doubling his scoring average from a year ago.
After dropping three consecutive games, what has led to winning three of the last four?
I believe we have been more detail-oriented. Focusing on the little things that we have been struggling with and getting back to playing the brand of basketball that we want to play has led to some more successful results recently.
What has been the biggest reason you have doubled your scoring average from last year?
We do not have a top-scoring option this year compared to years past. So there have been more opportunities to score, not only for myself but my teammates as well, leading to me having a stronger year on the offensive end so far when it comes to scoring.
What were the emotions like after you scored your 1,000th point Tuesday night? Was it a goal to reach that milestone?
I was certainly excited to reach the 1,000-point mark Tuesday night. Yes, it was a goal to reach that mark, but it was never my focus over the four years. Team success always came first for me, and I knew that if the team was successful, I would have the opportunity to be successful myself and obtain that goal.
You have been a part of two WPIAL championship teams. What will it take for Deer Lakes to reclaim its spot at the top of Class 4A?
As a team, we have to continue to push each other in practice every day. It’s not going to get any easier, so we have to take advantage of every day we get and make sure we continue to work and perfect all the details.
What are your plans for after high school?
After high school, I’m most likely going to attend Penn State and major in actuarial science.
What are you most looking forward to in your senior year?
I’m most looking forward to making the most of my time left on the basketball court and spending time with friends and family.
Do you have any New Year’s resolutions? If so, what are they?
I don’t have any New Year’s resolutions at this moment in time.
What was the best part of your Christmas celebration?
The best part of my Christmas was being able to spend time with family and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.