Trib HSSN girls basketball player of the week: East Allegheny’s Amaia Johnson

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, December 23, 2018 | 11:30 PM

Amaia Johnson

School: East Allegheny

Class: Junior

In the 2012-2013 season, the East Allegheny girls basketball team finished 1-18. The next year, they were 3-16. But those were the dark days known as Wildcats PJ — Pre-Johnson.

Amani Johnson arrived the following season, and East Allegheny has not had a losing year since.

Last year as a senior, Johnson was one of the top players in the district and helped lead East Allegheny to the WPIAL finals and the PIAA semifinals, where they lost both times to Bishop Canevin.

Now the torch has been passed. While Amani has moved on to Kennesaw State younger sister Amaia Johnson has taken over the scoring shoes Amani filled for four years.

“Amaia is taking up a new position at the point,” East Allegheny coach Mike Osiecki said. “She is learning it, because Amani ran it while they grew up and obviously through high school.”

Amaia Johnson, a junior, scored 27 of the Wildcats 44 points Monday in a 51-44 loss to Carlynton, East Allegheny’s only loss in six games.

Johnson then scored 25 points in a bounce-back win for the Wildcats, 54-48 over Derry to improve to 2-1 in Section 3-3A and 5-1 overall.

“It’s nice to have a player that can pour in 25 a game for you,” Osiecki said. “The Derry game her decision and shot selection was a bit better. She has to learn to involve the whole team. Carlynton was a lot more one-dimensional, and they picked up on that.”

The obvious question for Osiecki is comparing the Johnson and Johnson brand on the court and in the locker room.

“Amaia wears her emotions on her sleeve, were Amani was calm and laid back,” he said. “Amani was a leader, and Amaia is still trying to figure out how she can lead.

Amaia is bigger and physical, and Amani was smooth. Lastly, Amani knew what was going to happen and executed. Amaia is still hesitant and improvises.”

While there is still much to learn for the talented junior, she has improved a lot.

“She has improved her shot and some of her ball handling skills,” Osiecki said. “Her communication skills have gotten better.”

Honorable mention

Siara Conley, Hopewell

There is hope for the Vikings girls basketball team, which has won a total of 10 games the last three years combined. This year the team is off to a 3-3 start and hopes to break its three-year playoff drought in a tough Section 2-4A. Conley is doing her part, as she scored 18 points in a 55-4o victory over New Castle on Monday. Then Thursday she scored 27 of her team’s 50 points in a 35-point loss to No. 2-ranked Blackhawk.

Bella Burrelli, Neshannock

After going over the 1,000-point mark for her career last week, the Edinboro volleyball recruit started adding on to her totals this past week. Burrelli scored 24 points Monday in the Lancers’ 64-34 victory over Riverside. The next night she dropped in 21 points but it wasn’t enough in a 59-50 nonsection loss to Section 2-4A front-runner Central Valley. Burrelli then scored 16 points in limited playing time as Neshannock rolled to a 67-18 win over Freedom.

Jada Lee, Carlynton

After missing out on the WPIAL playoffs a year ago, Carlynton is off to a good start thanks in part to the scoring of Lee. The junior scored 20 points Monday as the Cougars stunned East Allegheny, 51-44, for a big section road win. On Thursday the team captured a 56-44 win at home over Deer Lakes as Lee scored 21 points to improve Carlynton to 2-1 in Section 3-3A, 5-1 overall. Teammate Angelica Diallo added 28 points in those two section wins.

Don Rebel is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Don at drebel@tribweb.com or via Twitter @TheDonRebel.