Trib HSSN girls basketball player of the week for Feb. 2, 2025

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Sunday, February 2, 2025 | 8:22 PM


Trib HSSN girls basketball player of the week: Aubree Hupp

School: Blackhawk

Class: Junior

Height: 5-foot-10

Position: Forward

What coach says: “Aubree has been consistently scoring throughout the year, which has been huge,” Blackhawk coach Greg Huston said. “But what really stood out against Central Valley — and in many other games this year — is how she is controlling the game through her rebounding and defense. She’s currently averaging over 10 rebounds per game, and she does such a good job protecting the rim, which makes our defense especially tough.

“Aubree had a little shooting slump in early January, where the outside shots weren’t falling consistently. Over the past few weeks, she’s rectified that and is once again scoring at all three levels. When she starts hitting 3s, like she’s done the past few weeks, she’s very tough to stop.

“Aubree has nice size and is very strong, but she is sneaky fast and quick. She’s very capable of holding her own in the post against girls that have a few inches on her. But she’s equally comfortable guarding on the perimeter and defending the drive as well. Her versatility is what makes her special. Offensively, she’s difficult to stop because of that size and speed, but also because she understands angles and body positioning so well. That basketball intelligence makes her tough to deal with at all three levels.

“I wouldn’t say that she has done anything special from last year until this year. There’s no big secret. It’s just hours in the gym. Her work ethic is unmatched, and that shows with her performance on the court. She’s definitely more confident this year and understands her role as a leader both on and off the court. She’s also improved her strength and shooting. But all of that is tied back to just putting in the time and effort in the offseason. She’s a role model for how to do it to every girl in our program.

“She’s been a bit more vocal this year, but Aubree pretty much leads by example. She was voted a captain this year because the girls respect her for what she’s accomplished and how she carries herself. It’s been cool to see her grow into that role and watch her embrace it more and more. I’ve been coaching Aubree since third grade, and watching her development over the past eight years has really been something special.”

#Earned: The week began for defending PIAA Class 4A champion Blackhawk with a tough road trip to one of two teams behind them in the standings and tied for second place, Central Valley. After a slow start, the Cougars picked up some steam on offense thanks to Hupp. She had a game-high 28 points in helping the Cougars pull away from the Warriors and win 66-43. Hupp was 9 of 13 from the field with three 3-pointers, 13 rebounds and four steals. Blackhawk returned home on Thursday for senior night and community night against a Lincoln Park team that needed to win out to have a shot at the playoffs. There was no letdown by the Cougars as they rolled past the Leopards, 74-27. In what time she saw, Hupp again led the way for the green and gold with 24 points in hitting 8 of her 10 shots from the field, including one 3-pointer. She finished with 10 rebounds, four assists and five steals. In the two wins, Hupp was a perfect 14 for 14 from the free-throw line.

Background: As a sophomore last season, Hupp was a key part of the Cougars’ state championship title run. In the PIAA finals against Scranton Prep, she scored 21 points and had nine rebounds. In the five state playoff wins, Hupp had a combined 97 points and 43 rebounds. In 19 games this season, she has scored 393 points, which is third overall in WPIAL girls basketball, and she is averaging 20.7 points per game, which is seventh in the district. The junior is closing in on a personal milestone. Hupp enters the final weeks of the regular season at 964 points for her career, 36 shy of 1,000, a milestone she hopes to reach at home when the Cougars host Latrobe on Thursday or North Allegheny on Monday. She has a few college offers, which should pick up this offseason. Hupp hopes to make her decision before her senior season begins in December.

2025 Trib HSSN Girls Basketball Players of the Week

Week 4 – Emma Larkin, Geibel Catholic

Week 3 – Rylee Kalocay, Upper St. Clair

Week 2 – Iyanna Wade, Clairton

Week 1 – Oumou “Mimi” Thiero, Quaker Valley

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