Hard works leads to milestone for Hampton’s Collins
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Sunday, January 14, 2018 | 10:36 PM
Ali Collins said she was “shocked” when she scored her 1,000th career point in a section win against Indiana in December.
But given her background, it was only a matter of time before it happened.
Hampton girls basketball is a top-tier program that has won at least a share of a section title in five of the past six seasons.
Cracking the starting lineup as a sophomore is not easy, but Collins and close friend Laryn Edwards, who are both guards, did that and more.
Collins led the Talbots in scoring as a sophomore. She also made the all-section team and helped Hampton reach the WPIAL Class AAA semifinals.
Since then, she's gotten better.
“When I first got here, she was mostly a driver and a shooter,” coach Tony Howard said. “But she's definitely picked up the ability to score at a mid-range level.”
Collins has been a linchpin in Howard's system, which covets quick guards who can spread out defenses. Collins' hustle has been a perfect fit.
“Her No. 1 attribute is her competitive nature,” Howard said. “She just has that inside her. The bigger the shot, the bigger the chance she's going to make it.”
Collins credits her playing style to the amount of time she puts into the game and the influence of her family.
“Playing forever has helped me out a lot, AAU and everything,” said Collins, who committed to Division II Seton Hill in November. “My dad always pushed me to play my hardest.”
That kind of competitive nature runs in the family. Older sister Courtney Collins was a four-year letterwinner for Hampton. Around middle school, Collins committed her future to the sport.
“I just wanted to compete at that next level and go far with it,” she said. “I knew it was the sport I love and that I wanted to do it for a long time.”
In addition to her scoring abilities, Collins is a star on defense, leading the team in deflections and steals, and creating more points.
“Her motor just never stops,” Howard said. “She plays the game offensively and defensively 100 miles per hour.”
Devon Moore is a freelance writer.
Tags: Hampton
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