Trib HSSN Girls Basketball Player of the Week for week ending Feb. 28, 2021

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, February 28, 2021 | 10:27 PM

Emma Seto did what she has done all season — lead the way for the Brownsville girls basketball team.

The junior capped off a big week with a clutch performance Saturday in the Falcons’ WPIAL Class 3A preliminary round playoff victory over Steel Valley.

It was the first playoff win for the Brownsville girls basketball team since 2008.

“During this very difficult season, the win was huge for our girls and for our program,” Brownsville coach Patty Columbia said. “Just like everyone, we didn’t have an offseason, we couldn’t get in a rhythm this year and we struggled immensely.”

The Falcons began last week at 0-8 overall. However, they registered back-to-back wins on back-to-back nights with a 56-19 victory over Bentworth and a 37-34 decision over Washington. Seto combined to score 43 points in those two wins.

“Every team we play knows her potential and they key on her,” Columbia said. “She is often facing defenses that are playing a box-and-one on her and double-teaming her and she still finds a way to score. Honestly, it is pure effort.”

Brownsville lost their regular season finale to McGuffey on Friday. Again Seto led the Falcons with 25 points.

“Her game on Friday impressed me because our big girl, Aubri (Hogsett), was having an off night, and Emma was battered and bruised from multiple games during the week,” Columbia said. “McGuffey was double teaming her and through sheer hustle and determination, she battled every minute of the game. Emma fights hard for every point she scores and it is beyond impressive.”

On opening day of the 2021 WPIAL basketball playoffs, Brownsville hosted Steel Valley (3-6) in a preliminary round game to determine the No. 16 seed.

The Ironmen led by two points at the half, then the Falcons were up two after three quarters before a big fourth quarter gave Brownsville its first postseason victory in 13 years.

While the senior Hogsett scored 18 points, again it was Seto leading the way with 22 points.

“She was huge, as she always is,” Columbia said. “She started slow and then caught fire in the second quarter. Perhaps, Steel Valley wasn’t as familiar with her as our section opponents, but they shut her down pretty well in the third quarter. In my opinion, she completely took over the game, in all aspects, in the fourth quarter. It was the difference in the game.”

Seto is one of the top scorers in the classification, now averaging nearly 18 points per game.

“She is a classic example of a young lady who leads by example on the court, and her teammates respect her immensely as the younger players look up to her,” Columbia said. “She is the hardest working player I have coached since her sister Alie.

Alexandra Seto graduated in 2017, the previous time before last year that the Falcons qualified for the district postseason.

While Seto continues to work hard to improve her ball-handling and develop her outside shot, Columbia feels there are many strengths to Seto’s game, including putting the ball in the cylinder.

“She is fundamentally sound. She can handle the ball, she can rebound, she plays tough defense, and she is in supreme physical condition,” the coach said. “She never gets tired. Her ultimate strength is pure hustle. In addition to her physical skills, she is a pleasant and delightful girl and she has a marvelous attitude. Her teammates and her coaches just love being around her.”

Brownsville will need a monster performance from Seto and the rest of her teammates to give the Falcons a chance against top seed and four-time defending WPIAL champion North Catholic in the Class 3A first round.

“It was wonderful to see our girls put it all together and get that playoff win against Steel Valley,” Columbia said. “It’s exciting for the program, and we are hoping that it will help to get the younger girls in our district excited about playing basketball. We know that North Catholic is tough. We are going to prepare as best we can and try and give them the best game possible.”

2021 Trib HSSN Girls Basketball Players of the Week

Week 6 – Taylor Jackson, Clairton

Week 5 – Aayanni Hudson, New Castle

Week 4 – Bryn Bezjak, Albert Gallatin

Week 3 – Mallory Daly, Brentwood

Week 2 – Olivia Westphal, Bethel Park

Week 1 – Ashleigh Connor, Mt. Lebanon

Tags: Brownsville