Valley girls basketball looks to continue growth, improvement

By: Antonio Rossetti
Saturday, November 29, 2025 | 12:37 PM

Tonya Norman, a 1989 Valley grad, once helped lead the Vikings girls basketball team on the court before going on to play at Duquesne.

Fast forward to 2025, and Norman is entering her second season as head coach at a school she knows and loves. Last season, the Vikings finished 2-19, notching the program’s first section win since the 2018-19 season.

Valley was able to produce wins and score but now will have to retool as four players graduated, including the coach’s daughter, 6-foot-2 power forward Janelle Norman.

The Vikings return one starter, senior center Tori Tallerico, who will be relied on as an impact player and leader.

“Tori, I believe, will have a great impact being a returning starter, having the most varsity experience on the team,” Norman said. “I’m looking for her to be a captain and leader. An all-around player on offense and defense.”

The Vikings have 12 players signed up this season, including a plethora of sophomores and freshmen.

Point guard Avrie Kosten is one of those freshmen.

“Avrie, being a freshman, does not have a lot of experience at this level, but she’s a disciplined player,” Norman said. “She’s hard-working and is eager to learn. She will be a future leader and, hopefully, a dominant player in the next coming years.”

Norman expects four other players to make an immediate impact: junior Leasha Perkins and sophomores Maria Hayden, Karsyn Beltran and Zaryia Tucker-Felton.

“It seems like the younger girls are really getting into it and wanting to play,” Norman said. “We finally won a game last year, so, overall, it’s just getting better. I think with the parents’ support and the new athletic director’s help supporting, I think, hopefully, it’ll turn the program around.”

Norman said the Vikings have shown the hunger to compete throughout open gyms.

“I’m very excited for the new girls that have come out this year,” Norman said. “Although they may not have a lot of experience or basketball knowledge, they are willing to learn. They have a lot of natural instincts that I can tap into and, hopefully, develop for this season and future seasons. Hopefully, they can continue on with basketball, developing and keep the program going at Valley.”

Norman added: “It’s not easy to start a new sport that you don’t have a lot of experience in, especially at the high school level so I’m very excited that they have the courage to come out and want to be a part of this team.”

With her basketball background and Division I experience, she wants to prepare the players for the high school level.

“I want them to learn how to be a team,” Norman said. “I want them to develop their basketball IQ, as well as their skill level. I want them to know and understand that they have the talent to play and that they could be good players and sustain the team and be competitive and then embrace that.”

Norman said being a young basketball player can be intimidating, but she believes their eagerness to learn and mature as a team and as individuals will overcome that.

“My goals this year may not be a lot of wins,” Norman said. “Hopefully, we’ll get a few, but a definite goal is growth, knowledge, building character and strengthening their confidence within themselves and having fun. I think these girls definitely have what it takes, and, hopefully, they inspire others to come out and be a part of the future.”

Valley girls at a glance

Coach: Tonya Norman

Last year’s record: 2-19 (1-13 in Section 1-4A)

Returning starters: Tori Tallerico (Sr., C)

Others to watch: Leasha Perkins (Jr.), Maria Hayden (So.), Karsyn Beltran (So.), Zaryia Tucker-Felton (So.)

Top newcomers: Avrie Kosten (Fr.), Leasha Perkins (So.), Maria Hayden (So.)

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

11.28, at Leechburg^, 6 p.m.

11.29, TBD^, TBD

12.1, at Deer Lakes, 7 p.m.

12.2, at Ligonier Valley, 6 p.m.

12.4, Knoch*, 5:30 p.m.

12.5, at Springdale, 7 p.m.

12.8, at Apollo-Ridge, 6 p.m.

12.15, at Derry*, 6 p.m.

12.16, at Hampton, 6 p.m.

12.18, North Catholic*, 5:30 p.m.

12.22, at Freeport*, 7:30 p.m.

12.26, TBD+, TBD

12.27, TBD+, TBD

1.5, Oakland Catholic*, 5:30 p.m.

1.8, Burrell*, 5:30 p.m.

1.12, at Highlands*, 7:30 p.m.

1.15, at Knoch*, 6:30 p.m.

1.22, at North Catholic*, 7 p.m.

1.23, Derry*, 5:30 p.m.

1.26, Freeport*, 5:30 p.m.

1.29, at Oakland Catholic*, 7 p.m.

2.2, at Burrell*, 7 p.m.

2.5, Highlands*, 6 p.m.

*Section game

^Leechburg tip-off tournament

+Neighborhood Academy holiday tournament

Tags: Valley