MACKENZIE AMALIA
BLACKHAWK SENIOR 5-5 • GUARD
The scoop: A point guard who averaged 21.9 points and 7 assists a game this season for a WPIAL Class 4A semifinalist. An excellent shooter, Amalia made 71 3-pointers and shot 75% from the free-throw line. Set school records for 3-pointers in a game (8), assists in a game (14), single-season assists (181) and career assists (571). A four-year starter, Amalia finished with 1,794 points.
College talk: Has signed with Robert Morris. Most memorable moment this season: I would say when we played a game at Trinity and everyone was just super hyped up. It was a close game and our team was so together. All of our fans were together. It was just a good feeling because it felt like a family.
Favorite player of all time: Steph Curry or Kyrie Irving. Favorite person to follow on Twitter: I don’t really use Twitter a lot.
Toughest opponent: (Former North Catholic standout) Sam Breen. I played her my freshman year in the WPIAL championship. People might be surprised to know: I can juggle. Can you juggle three basketballs? Yeah, basketballs, tennis balls, dice. Anything. Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: (Blackhawk coach) Steve Lodovico.
You can’t be an athlete or a coach in the future, you’d be: Something in the medical field.
Funniest moment from this season: One of our sophomores, Casey Nixon, lost her speaker (for music) and had the athletic director and custodians looking everywhere. A week or two later, our assistant coach (Dave Florentine) tells everyone, ‘Hey, I found this speaker and had it in my locker. Is it anyone’s?’ With no school because of the coronavirus, anything you’ve done differently to pass the time: I’ve gone to shoot at outdoor courts, which I haven’t done. I’ve started lifting weights in my basement. I’ve spent a lot more time with my family, too.