PASSING JUDGMENT: Princeton High girls’ basketball player Shaylah Marciano passes the ball in recent action. Last Wednesday, junior point guard Marciano scored 12 points with six assists and six steals to help PHS defeat Princeton Day School 61-17. Two days later, Marciano contributed six points and eight assists as the Tigers defeated Hamilton 41-20 and improved to 12-4. PHS plays at Notre Dame on February 5. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Shaylah Marciano stays busy athletically throughout the school year for Princeton High.

Marciano is a star goalie for the PHS girls’ soccer team in the fall, a point guard for the basketball team in the winter, and a playmaking midfield for the lacrosse squad in the spring who was among the state leaders in assists last spring.

As a result, junior Marciano has developed a game sense and ability to see plays develop before they happen.

Last Wednesday, her savvy was on display as the PHS girls’ hoops team headed across town to face Princeton Day School.

With Marciano triggering the offense, the Tigers jumped out to a 16-5 lead.

“We are a very selfless team,” said Marciano. “We are always looking to make that extra pass and get someone else to score the bucket.”

Marciano enjoys facilitating things for her teammates. “On the lacrosse field I am more of an assister and it translates on to the basketball court,” said Marciano.

Diversifying her portfolio, Marciano scored 12 points to go with six assists and six steals against PDS as PHS pulled away to a 61-17 win over the Panthers.

“I have been working on my shot this season, sometimes I make the extra pass a little too much when I probably should be shooting it myself,” said Marciano.

“This season, I focused on my form and making sure that I could be a threat from the outside as well as being able to assist.”

Being a threat in three sports can be a grind, but Marciano enjoys the challenge of juggling her pursuits.

“It is hard; it definitely keeps me competitive all year and it is a lot of a fun,” said Marciano, who has committed to attend Michigan and play for its women’s
lacrosse program.

“There is definitely a preseason period where I can shake the dust off but each sport contributes to the other — the field vision from being a goalie and seeing everything and then being a point guard and then being an assister in lacrosse.”

Marciano is having fun playing with the team’s four senior starters, Erin Devine, Catherine Dyevich, and the Intartaglia twins, Anna and Olivia.

“They are the best people ever; we have been playing together for a long time,” said Marciano.

“It is going to be sad to see them go next season. We just mesh together, so that it works perfectly and all of the spots on the court are filled so well.”

Fueled by that special chemistry, Marciano and her teammates are looking to do some big things this winter.

“We are looking to make a tournament run, that is the goal; we have always said from day one we want to put something on the banner and I think this is the year to do it,” said Marciano,  who contributed six points and eight assists as the Tigers defeated Hamilton 41-20 last Friday in improving to 12-4.

“We definitely have the skill and the talent and we have the drive. We are dying to win something. We really have gotten off to a good start and we have been working so hard in practice, so hopefully it ends up with a championship.”