Alayna Gribble fell in love with Petersen Events Center when she walked onto the court for the WPIAL Class AAAA girls basketball final.

What the Norwin star didn’t notice, at least not until halfway through the game, was that Pitt coach Suzie McConnell Serio and her staff were watching her.

“I wasn’t looking to impress them because I had already committed,” Gribble said. “She was watching but I was just focused.”

That Gribble on Wednesday switched her commitment from William & Mary to Pitt should serve as a lesson for Division I prospects. The 6-foot junior guard got a high-major scholarship the old-fashioned way.

Picking William & Mary before her junior season allowed Gribble the free time to work on her weaknesses. Instead of concentrating on visiting college campuses, she worked with private skill instructors and a personal trainer to improve her shot, speed and strength.

“I always work on my ball-handling and shooting. That’s really important to my game,” Gribble said. “I’m not the most athletic kid, so I need to have the advantage of having a higher skill set than most of the players.”

It showed as she averaged 19 points and seven rebounds in leading the Knights to their first WPIAL title and the PIAA semis.

“I definitely got better this year because I had more free time on my hands,” Gribble said. “Since I committed, I felt more relaxed when I was playing because I wasn’t worried about which school I was going to.

“I was definitely more relaxed this season and just focused on my team. Nothing else got in the way of that.”

Nothing else got in the way of winning, still the best way to get the attention of college coaches.

Kevin Gorman is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at kgorman@tribweb.com or via Twitter @KGorman_Trib.

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