A-K Valley girls athlete of the week: Knoch’s Nina Shaw

By: Jerin Steele
Sunday, March 6, 2022 | 10:14 AM

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Nina Shaw

Class: Junior

School: Knoch

Sport: Basketball

Report card: Shaw scored 15 points, 11 of which came in the fourth quarter to help Knoch earn its first ever trip to the WPIAL girls basketball finals in a 56-45 win over Southmoreland on Tuesday in the Class 4A semifinals. Shaw is the point guard for the Knights, who won their first section title in 50 years.

What’s it been like making history for the Knoch girls basketball program?

We worked really hard for this, so at the end it just feels awesome to finally get everything we dreamed about.

What do you feel your role as a point guard?

In a game where maybe I’m not scoring, I make sure I lock down on defense and make sure that everyone else is scoring if I’m not. Leadership and communication are big. I want to help everyone and encourage everyone, so we can keep pushing. I want to find different ways to contribute.

Who would win a team-wide game of knockout?

It depends, because everybody has won when we play those types of games. Usually, it’s Maddie (Boyer) who wins though, because she’s good at those types of games.

Do you have any pregame routines or superstitions?

I always eat a bag of pickles before a game. I used to cramp up really bad, and I never really knew why. I drank a lot of water, but it kept happening, so I started eating a bag of pickles right before the game, and at halftime, I eat another bag. That’s been working for me really well this year, so I just keep doing it.

What is your favorite school subject?

I’m studying anatomy at vo-tech. We do a lot of anatomy of the muscles and the bones and do different stretches and routines. I like sports medicine, and there’s a broad spectrum in that field. I’m looking at sports psychology, but I’m still exploring all the areas of sports med.

What at are your hobbies outside of basketball?

I love to ski. Sometimes I like to draw too.

Jerin Steele is a freelance writer

Tags: Fox Chapel, Knoch