Trib HSSN Girls Basketball Player of the Week for March 14, 2022

By: Don Rebel
Monday, March 14, 2022 | 7:23 PM

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Being the son or daughter of a high school basketball coach has its ups and downs.

One of the benefits is the gym is your playground. Having plenty of hours to work on your skill set while watching and learning doesn’t hurt.

Would anybody watching North Catholic sophomore Alayna Rocco realize she was a coach’s daughter?

“I do not think it would take long at all to realize she is a coach’s kid and has spent her life in the gym,” North Catholic girls basketball coach Molly Rottmann said. “Alayna just understands the game, does a great job of reading defenders and being able to take advantage of opportunities that come and just has such a high basketball IQ.”

The daughter of former Penn Hills and Penn-Trafford and current North Catholic boys coach Jim Rocco, Alayna made a big splash on the scholastic scene last year as a freshman. She has been very consistent in her play this season, averaging over 17 points per game.

“Alayna has had that steady trait since her freshman year,” Rottmann said. “Last year, I kept thinking that at some point she will show her age and the size of the stage would get to her, but it didn’t. That has just continued this year. Her demeanor is more of a seasoned senior than a sophomore for sure.”

The “seasoned veteran” played a big role in the Trojans winning their 21st WPIAL basketball championship two weeks ago.

Last week, Rocco led the way in two wins for North Catholic in the PIAA Class 3A playoffs.

In the opening round, Rocco scored 16 points as the Trojans rolled past Penn Cambria, 52-36.

“Alayna did a great job of getting to the hoop in that game,” Rottmann said. “We have asked her to attack the rim more often and I thought she did a really good job of reading the defense and going off of the bounce. Alayna shot 58% from the floor that night. She also did a great job on the boards that night too.”

On Friday in the second round, Rocco dropped 23 points as North Catholic once again pulled away to a convincing 56-25 win over District 10 runner-up Lakeview.

“Again, Alayna did a great job of recognizing the opportunities that the defense was giving us and did a great job of pushing tempo and attacking the rim again,” Rottmann said. “We knew we wanted to play up tempo and she did a great job of pushing up the floor. More importantly, we had a defensive plan and she was asked to defend one of the top players on the other team. She did a great job with her defensive assignment.”

Rottmann said Rocco is far from one dimensional and is very effective on the floor without the basketball.

“Alayna does a really good job of moving without the ball,” she said. “We have more of a freelance offense and she is really good at reading backdoors and moving to the ball when needed. We have seen some junk defenses this year, and it has helped her to realize the importance of moving with a purpose, being the screener at times and moving without the ball.

“Alayna is also one of our top defenders. We ask her to guard one of the top players on the other team consistently. Alayna is a good on-the-ball defender and has the foot speed to pressure the other team’s guards. With her length, she is tough to shoot over and see open defenders.”

Rottmann said Rocco’s size at 5-foot-10 and her skill set make her a nightmare matchup for opponents.

“She is a threat from the deep 3, but can take you off of the dribble just as well,” she said. “She is a tough matchup for any defender due to her skill set, speed and size. Alayna’s defensive ability and intensity are also strengths; she has not backed down from any player we have asked her to guard this season. Alayna is also hitting the boards more this year, which we needed.”

The Trojans will need Rocco and her teammates to continue to excel on both ends of the court as they move further down the Road to Hershey.

On Tuesday, North Catholic meets District 6 runner-up Forest Hills in the quarterfinals at Norwin.

“It is going to be a good game,” Rottmann said. “They have a size advantage and some talented players. We have to come in understanding our defensive assignments and what their players do well and how we want to guard them. They are going to pressure the entire game, so we have to handle that and take advantage of numbers out of that when we can.”

2022 Trib HSSN Girls Basketball Players of the Week

Week 10 – Maddie Webber, South Fayette

Week 9 – Journey Thompson, Peters Township

Week 8 – Nadia Moore, Winchester Thurston

Week 7 – Mallory Daly, Seton LaSalle

Week 6 – Olivia West, Seneca Valley

Week 5 – Graci Fairman, Thomas Jefferson

Week 4 – Corynne Hauser, Rochester

Week 3 – Aislin Malcolm, Chartiers Valley

Week 2 – Julia Ogrodowski, Beth-Center

Week 1 – Morgan Altavilla, Baldwin