Trib HSSN girls basketball player of the week – Karis Thomas

School – Shady Side Academy

Class – Senior

Height – 5-foot-7

Position – Guard

#Earned – Karis Thomas is winding down a successful high school career that has included a WPIAL championship along with a WPIAL and PIAA runner-up finish. Shady Side Academy is ranked No. 1 in the Trib HSSN rankings in Class 3A after beating No. 2 Greensburg Central Catholic on the road last week thanks to a huge performance by Thomas. The week began for the Bulldogs with a rout of visiting Deer Lakes in the first game of 2026 for SSA. In limited minutes only in the first half, Thomas had nine points. But she had a lot more three days later in the battle for first place in Section 2-3A against GCC. Thomas led the Bulldogs with 28 points, including hitting 14 of her 15 free throws. She also added six rebounds and five assists as the Bulldogs defeated the Centurions, 66-59.

Background – Thomas will continue her academic and basketball playing career at Division I Purdue Fort Wayne in the fall. She is interested in studying sports medicine and sports management. For the season, Thomas is averaging 17.1 points, 3.2 assists and 3.0 steals per game. She is shooting 62.2% from the field, 42.6% from the 3-point line and, thanks to her effort from the charity stripe on Thursday, she is shooting 90.7% from the free throw line. Thomas eclipsed 1,000 career points early last season and is over 1,700 points for her career. Her older sister Randi played high school basketball at Washington. Karis loved playing softball when she was younger.

What coach says – “She didn’t score in the first quarter and still ended with 28 points,” Shady Side Academy coach Jonna Burke said about her performance against Greensburg Central Catholic. “I think that speaks to her understanding of the game and how she just knows when we need her. She knows how to get her teammates involved and then when she should take it herself. No one can ever say that she plays selfishly, and that was on full display Thursday night against GCC.”

“She has ice water in her veins at the foul line in high pressure situations,” Burke said of her hitting 15 of 16 vs. GCC. “It’s her standard. She has always been clutch from there.”

“Karis continues to evolve as a player,” Burke said. “It seems like teams are trying to take the 3 away from her more this season, so she has made the adjustment and upped her driving game. She continues to make me shake my head in disbelief with some of the things she does on the court.”

“Karis has been an outstanding player since Day 1 for us, but she came into her own last season,” Burke said. “She had to really step up in our playoff run due the loss of Cassie Sauer to the hip injury and she hasn’t looked back. She’s an unassuming leader, doesn’t say much, but the way she plays and involves everyone, she’s just a natural leader on the court.”

2024-25 Trib HSSN Girls Basketball Players of the Week

Week 13 – Juliette Leroux, South Fayette

Week 12 – Karis Thomas, Shady Side Academy

Week 11 – Brady Wehner, North Catholic

Week 10 – Payton Newman, Neshannock

Week 9 – Erica Gribble, Greensburg Central Catholic

Week 8 – Carla Brown, Aliquippa

Week 7 – Greta O’Brien, Avonworth

Week 6 – Kylie Fruehstorfer, Union

Week 5 – Aubree Hupp, Blackhawk

Week 4 – Emma Larkin, Geibel Catholic

Week 3 – Rylee Kalocay, Upper St. Clair

Week 2 – Iyanna Wade, Clairton

Week 1 – Oumou ‘Mimi’ Thiero, Quaker Valley