Daily News spotlight athletes: West Mifflin's Karlyn Garner, McKeesport's Ronnie Upsher
Karlyn Garner
School: West Mifflin
Sport: Basketball
Class: Senior
Claim to fame: Garner, who also plays football for the Titans, scored 20 points, 16 in the second half, to help lead the Titans to a 72-71 win over East Allegheny in the Serra Catholic tournament on Saturday.
“Karlyn is the best guard in our league and one of the best in the WPIAL,” coach Lance Maha said. “He has the opportunity to be a scholarship-level college player. How he goes is typically how we go. He had 20 and 22 in our games over the weekend, and he carried us in the second half of the second game. For us to reach our potential, he has to play at a high level.”
What will you remember most about your high school basketball experience?
I would say probably my sophomore year of basketball and beating Steel Valley for the first time in a while.
What do you think is the best part of your game?
I would say driving to the hoop, attacking the rim, getting fouled and hitting foul shots.
What are your plans for next year?
I'm probably going to study business. I'm looking into Seton Hill, and I definitely want to play basketball in college.
Do you have a favorite player or team?
My favorite player is probably LeBron, and my favorite team is probably the Heat. I'm not on the bandwagon like most people are.
What classes do you enjoy the most?
I would say sociology because Coach Maha teaches it. It's definitely the easiest class to understand.
Ronnie Upsher
School: McKeesport
Sport: Basketball
Class: Senior
Claim to fame: Upsher scored 20 points in a 51-43 loss to Baldwin at the McKeesport tournament Saturday.
“That was one of her best games ever,” coach Eric Smith said. “She did everything we had been working on over the summer. She crashed the boards. She didn't settle for deep shots, and she attacked the basket. We've only played one game, but afterwards we told her that if she keeps playing like how she played she would have a really good senior season.”
How did you get into playing basketball?
My dad put the ball in my hands as a kid, and I've just kept with it.
What do you find most challenging about it?
Having to find out what your next opponents' moves are going to be.
What do you do to get pumped up for a game?
I listen to different types of music, and then have a little bit of quiet time and think about my game plan and what I'm going to do.
What classes do you enjoy the most?
My personal business math class and German. I enjoy German because I never expected to be able to do it so well. Now, I want to travel one day because of it. I like my personal business math class because it's getting me ready for the real world — taxes and all that good stuff.
What are your plans for next season?
I plan on playing in college. I've narrowed my options down to Tiffin, St. Vincent and Utica in New York. I would like to study sports management.
