The Player Spotlight is a series that puts Briarcliff athletes under the microscope. The athlete under examination in this issue is junior Maddie Plank, captain and point guard of the Varsity Girls Basketball. Plank is a third year varsity player and is a star player on this year’s squad. Her success on and off the court has gained the attention of many, making her a top student, a decorated basketball player and a top college prospect.

Q: How long have you been playing basketball and what position do you play?
A: I’ve been playing basketball since kindergarten and have really varied in position throughout that time. Right now I play point guard, and I expect to play that position in college.

Q: What professional player do you compare yourself to?
A: I compare myself to both Kyrie Ir-ving and James Harden. Kyrie has the best ball-handling skills in the NBA, and I definitely work to get to that level. James Harden is a lefty, and he’s not the quickest, so as a lefty I definitely relate to him and try to imitate his game.

Q: What are your expectations for this coming season?
A: Simply put, I expect us to make it further than we made it last year. Also I want to emphasize the role of captains to set a good example for the younger kids on the team.

Q: What do you think yourself and the team can improve on from last year?
A: In order to improve on last year’s performance, I think we need to have more con dence in ourselves. Everyone has matured over the last year, and I think that our offense and defense are stronger than ever before. As an extremely fast team, we need to run the break all the time.

Q: What makes this young group special and capable of contending?
A: We are special and are capable of contending for a state championship because we are all locked into the goal of winning. No one lags behind, and no one plays for an individual goal. Every day we push one another and try to be the best we can be.

Rapid Fire Section
Q: Favorite song on your pregame playlist
A. My favorite song on the playlist is “Kill the Lights” because it has a funny background story and gets everyone

hyped.

Q: Favorite basketball shoes
A. My favorite basketball shoes ever are the white Kyrie 2s.

Q: Favorite hobby outside of basketball
A: I love spending time with my brothers. No matter what we do, we make it fun.