She is a hidden gem, playing hoops at a high level at an outpost kind of off the beaten path.
Pequea Valley's Alyssa Hershey isn’t a household name in Lancaster-Lebanon League girls’ basketball circles.
Yet.
But she’s certainly knocking on the door.
The Braves’ wiry 5-11 sophomore guard not only made coach Jason McDonald’s roster in her freshman year — she cracked his starting lineup as a ninth-grader.
The way she’s going, it’ll be impossible for McDonald to pry her out of there the next two and half seasons.
After averaging 11.0 points and earning L-L Section 4 third-team all-star status as a frosh, Hershey returned this season with a vengeance.
Her stat line is quite impressive:
Heading into Thursday’s Section 4 game at Annville-Cleona, Hershey was averaging 16 points, 13 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 steals and 2 assists per game, and she was shooting a crazy-good 63 percent from the floor.
She scored 18 points and grabbed 10 boards in a 60-40 setback to the Little Dutchmen on Thursday.
“She does an awful lot for us,” McDonald said. “She rebounds well. She hustles. She can shoot. She’s a good defensive player. And she’s a really good teammate. She finds open players because she draws defenses, and she can get it to other kids for an open shot.
“She can definitely play at the next level.”
That’s not for a couple of years.
For now, Hershey and her teammates are getting things turned around in Kinzers, a rural community tucked off Route 30 in eastern Lancaster County on the way to Coatesville.
The Braves went 5-17 last season, but are already 6-8 this season, and are inside the top 10 in the latest District 3-AA power rankings.
There is plenty of balance to go around; fellow starters Heather Lockard (9.6, 24 3s) has been a dangerous arch threat; transfer floor general Victoria DeHaven (10.9, 20 3s) has also been a spark on the perimeter and in transition; Kellie Wallace (2.5) helps out in the backcourt, and she scored a season-high 11 points Thursday vs. Annville-Cleona; and Amanda Houck (1.6) is the rebounder/shot-blocker in the paint.
Pequea Valley has the pieces; it’s just a matter of putting it all together.
Having Hershey as the glue has been a great start so far this season — as she continues to jam her foot in the door for league-wide household-name status.
“Our goal is to make it to Leagues and to Districts,” McDonald said. “And we thought those were realistic goals coming in. Leagues is going to be almost impossible now, but we still have a shot for Districts. What we have to do is start winning some games. We haven’t beaten a team with a winning record yet.”
A couple of those and the Braves just might be dancing in the postseason.