Mimi Thiero makes big impact during productive season for Quaker Valley girls

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, March 2, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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Mimi Thiero ended her junior basketball season at Quaker Valley with some spectacular credentials.

Thiero scored 578 points and grabbed 413 rebounds, giving her 1,248 points and 915 rebounds for her three-year career. A 6-foot-5 guard/forward, Thiero averaged 23.1 ppg and 16.5 rpg this season.

In the QV girls’ WPIAL playoff games, the talented Thiero, both a backcourt and frontcourt whiz, averaged 28.5 ppg and 14.7 rpg with 25 points and 13 rebounds against McGuffey, 32 and 14 versus Greensburg Central Catholic and 28 and 17 against Avonworth.

Thiero led the Quakers in several other statistical categories in 2024-25, including field goal percentage (48%), rebounds (16.7 rpg), steals (109), blocks (94), free-throw percentage (67%) and 3-point percentage (33%).

“Mimi has really embraced all of the opportunities and challenges that were in front of her and the team,” QV coach Ken Johns said. “She continues to improve, and I know that she has a drive to get better. I am excited for her and to see how far she will go.

“I think the points, rebounds and her impact on the games speak for themselves. What is so great and impressive is that she wants the team to win. She continues to stay focused on the team and her teammates, and all of the attention really hasn’t changed her approach and who she is. She and all the girls are great to be around.”

After finishing 10-4 and in second place in Section 1-3A, QV ended the season 15-10 overall. The Quakers won seven consecutive games at the end of the year, including a 39-35 victory over No. 10 seed McGuffey in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs.

The seventh-seeded QV girls advanced to the semifinals where they lost a 56-47 decision to No. 2 GCC, then saw their season end with a 56-51 loss to No. 6 Avonworth in the consolation round.

“I’m not sure any of us were ready for the season to end,” Johns said. “It’s a great group, and they really worked hard this year and came together well. They truly get along and enjoy being around each other. That really makes a big difference.

“I thought this year was a really good building year for us when you think that all of the core players will be back next year. The experience you get in playing in three playoff games is something you really can’t replicate except for being in those games. A few of the players got a taste of that in previous years, but to get that for everyone and to have that heading into next season can only help.”

QV’s starting lineup consisted of Thiero, freshman guard Keira Watson, junior guard Lucy Roig, freshman forward Leasia Karto and sophomore guard Anna Campbell.

Next season, Thiero will have a chance to become the first girl at QV to score 1,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds in a career.

“Yes, it is safe to say that if she does that, she’ll be the first in Quaker Valley history,” Johns said. “I don’t know this for sure, but I’d bet that she’d be the first one to do that in the history of Quaker Valley basketball, girls or boys.

“There might be some, but if she isn’t the only one, it’s very elite company.”

Watson ranked first on the team this year in assists with 88, or 3.5 per game, slightly ahead of Thiero’s 80 total (3.2 avg.). Watson also was the Quakers’ second-leading scorer with a 6.6 ppg average.

Roig ranked in the top three in four categories: steals, rebounds, assists and 3-point shooting percentage.

Integral reserves for the Quakers in 2024-25 included sophomore guards Rose Cline and Maggie Watson, junior guard/forward Mia Floro and senior Lily Tarkin, junior Lilly Millet and sophomore Annabel Miko, a trio of frontcourt players.

“It’s hard to see the season come to a close, no matter when it happens,” Johns said. “I am very proud of all of the players and how they improved as individuals, and we improved as a team.

“We were playing our best basketball at the end of the season. To see the improvement from the beginning of the year to where we ended up, you could see a big leap.”

Tags: Quaker Valley