Trib HSSN girls basketball player of the week for March 10, 2025

By: Don Rebel
Monday, March 10, 2025 | 10:52 PM

Trib HSSN girls basketball player of the week – Payton Newman

School: Neshannock

Class: Junior

Height: 5-foot-7

Position: Guard/Forward

#Earned: By her own admission, Payton Newman had a slow start to junior season. But that sluggish beginning is a distant memory because of the way she is winding down her outstanding season. Thus far in four WPIAL playoff games and one PIAA postseason contest, Newman has produced 107 points for an average of 21.4 points per game. Even in the WPIAL Class 2A championship game loss to Aliquippa, Newman shined with 20 points and 18 rebounds in the Lancers’ three-point heartbreaking loss. Neshannock was out to shake off the sting of that title game outcome at The Pete when they hosted District 5 runner-up Everett. Newman led the way with 16 points as the Lancers rolled past the Warriors, 58-21, to improve to 24-3 for the season.

Background: After a fantastic postseason, Newman looks to start drawing interest from schools heading into her senior season with the hopes of continuing her basketball career at the next level. Payton is a three-sport athlete at Neshannock, playing volleyball in the fall, hoops in the winter and softball in the spring. She stepped away from the diamond last spring before realizing she missed the game too much and looks to return to playing softball this spring. While Newman has always played basketball and softball, she started playing volleyball in eighth grade and is now an outside hitter and middle hitter for the Lancers. Her older sister Hunter also played basketball and softball at Neshannock before dropping hoops to focus on softball. She currently plays third base at Morgan State University. When Payton isn’t involved in athletics, she likes to chill at home and check out TikTok.

What coach says: “Payton worked very hard in the Everett game,” Neshannock coach Luann Grybowski said. “It was an off shooting night for her, but she still continued to work hard to get to the rim. Her defense was outstanding, and her rebounding was fantastic.”

“Payton has been playing like the player I know she has in her during the playoffs,” Grybowski said. “She has been averaging a double-double and working very hard on both ends of the floor. She is a very important piece to our full- and half-court trap defense. She reads exceptionally well and comes up with key steals.”

“She is very athletic and has really no idea just how good she can really be,” Grybowski said. “She has a nose for the ball, and her rebounding is pure determination and hard work. She’s also been averaging five to seven steals in playoffs, and it’s been due to her improvement on her defense and positioning.”

“From her sophomore year to this year, Payton has really worked hard on post moves and improving her range from 15 feet to even shooting the 3-(pointer) with consistency,” Grybowski said. “She has become an all-around asset to this team and a key in helping handle the ball in pressure as well.”

“This team was basically inconsolable after that very disappointing loss,” Grybowski said of the Lancers’ WPIAL title game defeat at the hands of Aliquippa. “A lot of things could have been different, but we have no control over that. We will definitely grow and learn from it. They are warriors, and I will take them over any other team every day of the week. They are a joy to coach, and their character and discipline in adversity is top notch. That loss will sting for a while, though, and I’m sure their drive next year will be unmatched.”

2025 Trib HSSN Girls Basketball Players of the Week

Week 9 – Erica Gribble, Greensburg Central Catholic

Week 8 – Carla Brown, Aliquippa

Week 7 – Greta O’Brien, Avonworth

Week 6 – Kylie Fruehstorfer, Union

Week 5 – Aubree Hupp, Blackhawk

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

Tags: Neshannock