Now healthy, Rozier helps Shady Side Academy girls to fast start

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, January 4, 2019 | 7:03 PM

Nyla Rozier, a 5-foot-11 sophomore on the Shady Side Academy girls basketball team, missed a lot of her freshman season after after getting injured around Christmas of 2017.

“I wasn’t able to come back until the last few games of the season,” she said.

She has quickly made up for lost time, averaging 14 points for the Indians. She plays mostly at the guard position with some time spent at forward.

“I’m comfortable playing guard, and I’d like to keep playing that position during high school,” she said.

She began playing basketball in the third grade.

“I wasn’t always one of the taller girls on the court,” she said. “My growth spurt came between seventh and eighth grade.”

Last year, she also began playing for the West Penn Bruins, an AAU team. She feels her strengths are driving to the hoop and court awareness while she wants to work on dribbling, shooting and being a leader on the court.

She isn’t surprised by SSA’s fast start this season. The Indians entered the new year 7-1 overall and 3-0 in Section 3-3A.

“A lot of us were back from last year’s team,” she said. “Since we got to know each other from playing together, our off-court relationships have grown. We share the same energy and the same goals. Despite a wining record last year, we didn’t make the playoffs. Our goals are to win the section and make the playoffs.”

She is one of three SSA players scoring in double digits with Catherine Jewart and Arianna Goitz being the others.

“That’s a situation that puts less pressure on all three of us to score,” Rozier said. “We know we can count on each other and that we can contribute equally.”

SSA coach Amy Szlachetka had high praise for the sophomore.

“She works very hard and truly cares about her teammates,” she said. “She has an infectious, positive energy on the court and is versatile at both ends of the floor. Offensively, she has an outside shot and drives well to the hoop, as well as posting up inside. Defensively, her athleticism gives her the ability to cover a strong post player or a quick guard.

“She has undertaken the task to make herself a stronger more disciplined defensive player. She has improved with every game we have played.”

Rozier hasn’t begun narrowing down college choices yet, but she has her sights set on the medical field and being an orthopedic surgeon or being involved in sports medicine.

Marty Stewart is a freelance writer.

Tags: Shady Side Academy