We are still about 5 weeks away from the tip-off of the college basketball season, which means that we have plenty of time to prepare for the action ahead. We will do so via a series of season previews featuring the best players/coaches in the country. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage with Niagara JR G Aaliyah Parker, who talked about being 1 of the best defenders in the nation and her expectations for this season.
You were born/raised in New York: what made you choose Niagara? I wanted to stay close to home so Niagara was one of the main schools I was looking at. Every time I was at Niagara it would feel like a second home to me, plus I was able to play with my sister again.
You play for Coach Jada Pierce: what makes her such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from her so far? She always says the right thing at the right time both on and off the court. She is a great motivator and her pregame speeches are the best: she always gets you in the right mindset before the game. The most important thing I have learned from her is to take everything one step at a time.
In 2022 you led the team with 6.3 RPG and were named conference ROY: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It meant a lot to me because I came in hoping to do everything I could to help the team. Receiving this award showed the work I was putting in paid off and motivated me to do even better the next year.
Last year you were #2 in the nation with 3.7 SPG: what is the secret to being a great defender? There is not really a secret, but I have long arms/quick reflexes so I feel those things help me out a lot on defense.
You finished the season by being named to the conference All-Academic Team: how do you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? I usually put all of my homework assignments in my calendar and set times to do them. I also try to do most of my assignments ahead of time (especially on the weekends) so I will not have to worry about them later on.
In the 2023 MAAC tourney quarterfinals you had 18 PTS/14 REB/11 STL (the 1st triple-double in MAAC postseason history) in a win over Rider on International Women’s Day: where does that rank among the best all-around games of your career? I do not really rank my games…but it would probably be in my top-3.
Your schedule includes games against LSU/UCLA/Maryland/West Virginia: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? All of them will be a test but LSU would probably be the biggest since they just won a national championship.
You are majoring in sports management: what is the post-graduation plan? My plan is to either play professionally or become a coach.
What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? My goal for this season is to win a MAAC championship. I just want to do the best I can this season and be the best teammate that I can be in helping us get there.