Trib HSSN WPIAL Girls Basketball Player of the Week: Week ending Jan. 30, 2022

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, January 30, 2022 | 3:28 PM

In this day and age, high school basketball coaches often will say teaching unselfishness to their players is the key to a successful team.

Seneca Valley girls coach Dorothea Epps had the opposite issue with senior Olivia West.

“Liv has really picked it up the last month,” Epps said. “Initially, she was being so unselfish, but now she understands that her scoring is a key component to our success.”

That was obvious this past week as Seneca Valley remained in the hunt for the Section 1-6A championship.

On Monday, Seneca Valley hosted North Hills and picked up a fourth straight section victory, 47-14, as West led the Raiders with 20 points.

“She’s a very intelligent player,” Epps said. “She took what the defense was giving her and didn’t force things.”

On Thursday, the Raiders visited Pine-Richland. Again, SV headed West in winning a close 59-54 decision.

“She played a strong inside game against Pine-Richland,” Epps said. “She is hard to stop in there.”

West dropped 33 points in the win, giving her 53 of her teams 102 points in the two victories.

At 6-foot-1, West has done well on the outside and around the perimeter in the past, but she has worked hard to improve her post play and work down on the blocks.

“She was mostly more of a finesse, outside threat,” Epps said. “She worked on her inside footwork and post moves. She is hard to guard because she has a beautiful knock-down shot from the 3-point line, a mid-range jumper and now she is a real threat inside. She’s just a complete player. Her knowledge of the game has improved tremendously.”

West isn’t the only reason the Raiders are one game behind first place North Allegheny and Norwin. Epps said several players have stepped up, including one returning player.

“The play of our point guard Jess Bickart,” Epps said. “She was out with an injury last year. Liv and Jess’ leadership with their other teammates has been a key. Our role players have been stepping up and contributing. As a whole, I think their trust in each other is the main component to our success so far.”

With two weeks left, Seneca Valley is 8-2 in the section, 11-5 overall and has games with the front-running Tigers and Knights coming up.

“I am pleased with our focus and level play right now,” Epps said. “We have four tough section games left. We never overlook anyone. We only focus on the next game ahead. Our section is too hard to look ahead.”

Epps is looking forward to some more “selfish” play and knows what she loves most about West.

“Her determination to win,” Epps said. “Liv’s unselfishness is refreshing, but she has learned when it is time to put her team on her back and kick it into the next gear.”

2022 Trib HSSN Girls Basketball Players of the Week

Week 5: Graci Fairman, Thomas Jefferson

Week 4: Corynne Hauser, Rochester

Week 3: Aislin Malcolm, Chartiers Valley

Week 2: Julia Ogrodowski, Beth-Center

Week 1: Morgan Altavilla, Baldwin

Tags: Seneca Valley