A-K Valley senior spotlight: Deer Lakes’ Reese Hasley

By: Michael Love
Monday, January 10, 2022 | 11:02 AM

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Reese Hasley Deer Lakes basketball

Whether it’s a pull-up jumper, a drive to the basket or a floater in the paint, Reese Hasley has shown a propensity for putting points on the board for the Deer Lakes girls basketball team.

That started right out of the gate as a freshman when she burst onto the scene and averaged 11 points per game and helped the Lancers to a 17-7 overall record, a 10-4 mark in section play and a trip to the WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinals.

At the other end of the court, she put her defensive skills on display with an average of 4 steals.

Now, as a senior, Hasley hopes her experience can again be a benefit for a team hungry to make its mark in section play and earn a berth in the WPIAL playoffs.

“I really worked a lot on my shot in the offseason, and I hope to get more open looks to prove that,” Hasley said.

“And being a captain and a leader on the team, I understand there is even more expected of me. With it being my last year, I have high expectations for myself and also for the team.”

Deer Lakes will attempt to reach the WPIAL playoffs for an eighth season in a row. In the preseason, Reese pointed to the need for everyone on the team to be as solid mentally as they are in their physical preparation.

Hasley, in her fourth year as a starter, was counted on in the offseason as a steadying force as the program experienced a coaching change.

Her reputation as a go-to player for the Lancers earns her special attention from every opponent she and her teammates go up against.

In last week’s holiday tournament game against Fox Chapel at Shady Side Academy, Hasley battled through the attention of the Foxes defenders over the full 32 minutes and finished with eight points.

She also recorded seven rebounds.

Hasley, who averaged double figures through the first five games, exploded for 13 of her team-high 16 points Dec. 20 against Freeport as a late-game rally fell short in a 36-31 setback.

“Throughout the game, we began to see what we could do to break Freeport down, and I took advantage of that in the fourth quarter,” Hasley said. “We got really close. It was a tough loss, but we get to see them again.”

Deer Lakes will rematch with Freeport on Jan. 24. In the meantime, Hasley and the rest of the Lancers players are eyeing a return to section play Thursday at home against Burrell.

Hasley earned VND first-team honors as a sophomore, averaging 14 points for the Lancers. Last year, she was a second-team selection.

“Reese is someone who not only leads on the court, but as such an experienced player, she is counted on to be that leader and voice off the court,” Salih said.

“She’s a college point-guard talent, and as a former college coach, I put pressure on her because it is part of the job of being a leader and part of that growth. She realizes that she has to stay calm and collected as best as possible in those high-intensity moments where she not only leads by example but is able to bring her teammates along.

“The team has fought hard in a number of the games, and that is reflective of Reese’s style of play.”

While Hasley’s focus now is on helping her team win games, she also has an eye to the next level as she has verbally committed to play in college at Division III Grove City. At the moment, she is undecided on a major.

“I am super excited for my future and being able to work with coach (Chelle) Fuss and the rest of the team,” Hasley said. “As long as I can remember, I’ve had a dream to play in college. It’s a great feeling to be able to fulfill that.”

Hasley said she is looking forward to joining forces with 2021 Knoch graduate Nevaeh Ewing in the Wolverines lineup.

“Nevaeh and I have competed in the past, but it will be nice to be on the same side,” Hasley said.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

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