Westmoreland athletes of the week: Greensburg Salem’s Mya Heasley, Greensburg Central Catholic’s Liam Gallagher

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, December 21, 2024 | 11:14 AM

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The Westmoreland County Athletes of the Week is presented by Smail Kia. Look for the tags and look for the savings at Smail Kia in Greensburg.

Mya Heasley

School: Greensburg Salem

Class: Junior

Sport: Basketball

Claim to fame: Heasley has been one of the top shooters in Westmoreland County so far this season. She had 10 points in a 53-33 win over McKeesport, then scored 21 as the Golden Lions defeated Connellsville, 47-29. Heasley is averaging 14 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.5 assists and had a team-high 22 3-pointers in seven games.

“She has a whole bag of tricks on the offensive end,” Golden Lions coach Rick Klimchock said. “She really works on her game.”

What has this season been like so far?

It’s been a pretty successful season so far, and I think we can do something big with this team.

Did you expect to have a greater role in the offense?

I think the role I play fits me best. I like being the one who the team can depend on to score the ball.

How many shots do you take a day in practice?

I’d say I shoot roughly 100 shots a day.

Are you always using the shooting machine?

I’ll use the shooting machine as much as I can, whether it’s in practice or before a game.

When did you start playing basketball?

I started liking basketball when I was around 4. I would just dribble and shoot some hoops at the park with my grandma. But I didn’t start playing on an actual basketball team until seventh grade.

Who is the best player you’ve played against?

Torrie DeStefano on Penn-Trafford.

Why do you wear No. 24?

I wear No. 24 for Ashlan Price (a senior last year). She was the player I looked up to my freshman and sophomore years of high school basketball. She was a teammate that everyone should want to be like. She was an amazing role model and a great scorer. And I want to represent her number for my last two years of high school.

Who is your little niece who wears your jersey? What does she mean to you?

My niece is Oaklynn and she means everything to me. I would do anything to make her happy. My life changed when she entered the world, and I wouldn’t do anything to change the bond I have with her.

Do you want to play in college?

I am looking to play basketball in college, but I don’t know what college yet.

Do you play other sports?

I do not play any other sports. Basketball is my only sport I play year round.

Is the team doing a grab-bag gift exchange for Christmas?

Every year we have a tradition that our team does Secret Santa and have breakfast as a team.

What do you want most for Christmas?

A pair of Jordans would be my favorite gift to recieve.

What’s your favorite Christmas movie?

“The Grinch.”

Did any of your family members play basketball/sports?

My mom played softball and cheered in high school.

What is the best advice coach Rick Klimchock has given you?

“Always be tough on the court and have a good attitude.” I use that quote a lot on the court because when you don’t have a good attitude and bring yourself down, you aren’t playing to your full potential. You should always be playing your hardest, whether you mess up or not, because you can’t go back to the mistake you already made.

Where did your nickname, “Peanut” come from?

From middle school. I was the shortest player on the team.

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Liam Gallagher

School: Greensburg Central Catholic

Class: Senior

Sport: Basketball

Claim to fame: Gallagher has eclipsed double-digit points in all seven of Greensburg Central Catholic’s wins and is averaging 17.6 points per game. This week, he scored 21 points, including five 3-pointers, in a 58-27 win over Clairton on Tuesday and a season-high 22 points, including six 3s, in a 96-37 win over California on Friday. GCC is 7-0, 3-0 in Section 1-2A play.

Coming off a loss in the WPIAL championship game last year, what were some of your personal goals heading into this season?

I worked a lot over the summer on being a better penetrator, getting to the paint, getting to the free-throw line, and I feel like I’m doing it with my team. I’ve gotten much better at getting into the lane, drawing in the defense and kicking it out to my teammates for the open shot … I don’t want it to be all about me. I don’t want to go out on the floor and be like, “All right, this is my game. I’ve got to have 30 points.” … No, we’re going to win, like, we’re a team, we’re going to win it.

What were some of your team’s goals for this season?

We want to win WPIALs. We have our eyes set on WPIALs right now, and we’re very confident that we can do it. But we’re not going into the season with the mindset like, “Oh, we’re going to win it,” because that’s when you lose it. So, we all know we want to win it, and we’re going to work as hard as we can to win it. And then after that, we want to win states. We want to be undefeated this year. We all have the same goals.

How would you evaluate your team’s undefeated start so far?

At the beginning of the year, we thought we had to be like a one-man show, but we’re coming together as a team, and we’re finally realizing that no matter who’s on the floor, we have five guys that can score. We all trust each other … and our coaches trust us to make the right reads, make the shots, make our own calls … That’s the reason we’re (7-0) right now.

What are some areas in need of improvement?

Individually, I’d say getting into the lane more. … For the team, it’s definitely, like, de-stressing our offense. Like after a few offensive possessions where we’re not getting anything, just like calming everybody down, setting something up and then running it. And that’s what we got to work on, because we’re a fast-paced team.

How has your role changed from last year to this year?

I’ve become more of a leader for the guys, for our team. Last year I had a lot of great playing time, contributed to the season. … I felt like because we lost two of our really important seniors last year my role increased. I had to step in along with our other seniors. We had to step up and do more for our team.

As a senior, has there been an adjustment to stepping up into a leadership role?

For me it’s been natural. I like the challenge, so getting that it’s fun for me, because it makes me have to work for something. So for me, it’s been a little bit of a challenge, but I like it.

Can you talk about coach Christian Hyland’s style and just in general how GCC likes to play?

We just like to play fast. … We don’t worry about those little mistakes. We get the ball, we go. We want to run it. We’re very fast, and we have a lot of athleticism, and we can use it, so it’s really good.

There have been at least two double-digit scorers every night for you guys. How have you been able to maintain that type of production.

We just build each other up. Like, for us as players, we know we’re going to get yelled at by our coach, it’s part of the game. We’re going to make mistakes. We’re going to miss shots. We’re going turn it over. It’s part of the game. But as teammates, we lift each other up. … So, when we keep getting in that rhythm, like, ‘All right, next possession,’ it doesn’t matter … it builds up a level of confidence, like, it’s OK that I made a mistake because my team still trusts me.

You have a pretty deep team this year with a lot of seniors. How have you seen the younger guys, like Brandon Martin and AJ Tarpley, contribute this season?

Yeah, I think they’re doing really good. They bring a different energy to the team when we’re in the game. AJ is a great point guard. He’s a natural point guard. I love having him on the floor with us. He gets to the paint. He kicks it … and Brandon’s a really good big when he comes off the bench. He gets big rebounds for us that we really need. And so he’s really picking it up this year, and his energy on the floor, it hypes us up.

Do you plan on going to college? Is basketball a part of that decision-making process?

Yeah, I plan on going to college. I’d like to play basketball, but I don’t know where I’m going to go yet. I’m not committed to anywhere. … I’m still waiting to hear back from a few schools, but I’m talking to some D3, D2 schools right now.

Do you have a favorite NBA team?

I follow college a little more (a proud supporter of the Duke Blue Devils), but I like the Warriors. I watched the Warriors a lot.

Do you draw inspiration from any specific NBA team or player?

Stephen Curry, absolutely … My brother always used to play, and he would always talk about Steph Curry. And then we started watching him, and the way he would shoot, I was like, “Now I have to shoot like that.” I needed to. I love shooting. Shooting’s my favorite thing, and I think I got that from my brother and watching him (Curry).”

Outside of basketball, what are some of your hobbies?

I like snowboarding a lot. I’ve been snowboarding since I was probably like 5 years old, and I just got into golf … Golf is nice. I also like hanging out with my friends, you know, hanging out with friends, hanging out my girlfriend.

What are some of your family’s traditions for Christmas?

On Christmas Eve, we go to Christmas Eve mass … But unfortunately, last year my grandmother passed, so just the traditions are like changing. … We miss her a lot, and we’re trying to, like, figure out how to have those traditions and still have her a part of us.

Football on Thanksgiving or basketball on Christmas?

I like watching football on Thanksgiving even though I’m not a big football guy.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Greensburg Salem