Quaker Valley senior Mimi Thiero celebrated twice.
Thiero netted 28 points Dec. 15 against Sto-Rox to become the all-time leading scorer in Quaker Valley girls basketball history. QV defeated the Vikings, 65-18, in a Section 1-3A game.
“Mimi is undoubtedly a special player,” QV coach Ken Johns said.
“Her impact on the team and on the program has been very special. It is very easy to see what she’s meant to the program just based on the statistics and in watching the games she’s played in, but what a lot of people don’t see is how hard she works on her own and how her leadership has impacted the team every day.
“She has improved in every area of the game. Her understanding of the game has always been pretty high, but that has grown a lot as has her ability to see the floor. Her outside shooting has gotten more consistent, and I think that is the most improved area. It is also great to see the impact she’s having on the younger girls playing basketball. That is fun to see, as well.”
Thiero finished the Sto-Rox game with 1,399 career points, moving past Farrah Causby, who set the record at 1,396 in 1995.
Thiero had 30 points and 19 rebounds Dec. 22 in QV’s 46-18 section win at Riverside to reach the 1,000-rebound mark for her career.
She is the first female player at QV to eclipse 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in her career.
Thiero holds the girls scoring record for one game with her 44-point performance Nov. 29 against Montour.
The 6-foot-5 senior celebrated her 18th birthday Sept. 17 and offered a verbal commitment that day to Maryland, opting for a Big Ten program that made a trip to the NCAA’s Sweet 16 last season.
“Maryland felt like a great fit for me,” Thiero said. “The distance (from home) isn’t too far, and I feel like the Big Ten Conference is very competitive and will be very good for my development. Also, coach (Brenda) Frese repeatedly shows how well the Terrapins program develops players.”
Thiero was lauded as the 2024-25 TribLive HSSN Girls Athlete of the Year. Her list of college finalists included Louisville, Kentucky, Michigan, Vanderbilt and Clemson, along with Georgia Tech, Florida, Memphis, Mississippi State, North Carolina and Oregon.
“My recruiting process went really well,” she said. “I enjoyed getting to know so many coaches and all of their amazing programs and built so many great relationships.”
Keira Watson, a 5-6 sophomore guard who is QV’s second-leading scorer on the season, added 16 points in the win against Sto-Rox. Watson averaged 11 ppg through five games.
“I’ve been really happy with how the entire team has leaned into what they are good at and working on improving development areas. Everyone has embraced their role,” Johns said.
“Keira Watson has stepped into being a more consistent scorer this year. She’s also one of the primary ball-handlers for us and helps us initiate our offense.
“Lucy Roig is one of the driving forces for us, especially on defense. She plays with a high level of energy and toughness. She makes a lot of winning plays for us that do not necessarily show up on the stat sheet at the end of the game. Often times she is guarding the other team’s best ball-handler and really sets the tone for us.
“Anna Campbell is someone else who is impacting the game on both ends of the floor. She has gotten more and more comfortable and confident both guarding at a high level and taking and making shots when available.”
After an 0-3 start this season, QV won three straight games against Chartiers Valley, Sto-Rox and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart to go to 3-3 overall 2-1 in Section 1-3A.
Thiero led the Quakers against OLSH with 38 points.
“I just really like how everyone is working and playing together,” Johns said.