Alysa Connelly, a 6' 2" SF, PF, C in the 2023 Class from Community Christian School (CCS), has committed to play college women's basketball for Head Coach John Ishee at Howard College in Texas.
Coach Ishee said, 'We offered her this opportunity because of her Character and Grades in the Classroom, she has a good Build for basketball, her hands, her touch and her straight away speed along with her length gives her a lot of Basketball upside if she is willing to put in the work necessary to progress.'
In 2009, Coach Ishee was a member of Lamar University technical staff, headed by Six-time Hall of Famer Larry Tidwell, who conducted a coaches' clinic in Trinidad.
Connelly, who was a member of Trinidad and Tobago U17 National Team pool in 2022, enrolled at CCS, Mineral Wells, Texas, as a foreign exchange student last August. During her one-year program, Connelly represented CCS in basketball and volleyball, which was an entirely new sporting experience for her.
According to CCS Kayla Buchanan, Girls AD & Head Coach Basketball & Volleyball, 'It has been a joy and privilege to get to know and coach Alysa. She has grown in her knowledge and skills as a basketball player. It has been fun to watch her fine tune her abilities and grow in her basketball IQ. I look forward to seeing what she accomplishes at the next level.'
Along with her head coach daughter Kate, who led the District in scoring with 409pts, they guided CCS Varsity Lady Warriors to an 18-9 overall record and the runners-up position at the 2023 Texas Christian Athletic Fellowship (TCAF) State Championships. Teammate Kate Buchanan has committed to attend Howard Payne University.
Connelly ended the season averaging 11.1ppg, 12.2rpg, 2.7apg, 1.3spg, 0.9bpg and recorded 13 Double-Doubles with a shooting percentage of 43% FGA (123-285) & 51% FTM (32-63). She enjoyed a career high 22pts & 21rebs on November 15 and 3blks on November 9. Connelly was Rank 2nd in Rebounds (324), 3rd in Double-Doubles and 3rd in total point scored (292pts). During the regular season, she picked up three Player of The Game Awards and was voted on the 2023 TCAF All Star First Team. In addition, Connelly won two Player of the Match Awards in volleyball.
Since joining FieldLevel, an Athletic Network, on August 19, 2022, Alysa worked with her coaches to target 10 different schools and received the following activity from college coaches: Search Appearances: 369. Profile Views: 87. Video Views: 77 and Followers: 22.
Eventually, she stated. 'I choose Howard College because I feel like I connected with the atmosphere, my experience at CCS was amazing, everyone is so genuine and loving and I love them so much. I would like to thank my mother Kielle Connelly (national basketball player), personal coach Stefan Dillon, basketball talent scout Albert Lee Young, CCS AD & Boys Head Coach Brian Rodricks, Coach Buchanan and Mr. Wendell Rosales and the Caribbean Association of Texas for my journey so far.'
The multi-talent Alysa Connelly career goals are to obtain a degree in physiotherapist and play professional basketball.
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