It was truly a season to remember for Sandra Day O’Connor girl’s basketball player Jilly Licurgo. She led the Eagles to the playoffs as the team’s top scorer and is now looking forward to furthering her skills and education at Canisius College on a full ride scholarship.

 

“Our season went really well this year,” Licurgo said. “It didn’t go as far as we hoped but we played our hearts out and I’m proud of my team for that.”

 

Throughout her season, as she worked on improving her skills, she also wanted to pass down some of her knowledge and technique to the younger players to help them in the future. Her head coach, Danny Soliman, was one of the first ones to notice her leadership and dedication to helping the team.

 

“I don’t think we are who we are this year if it wasn’t for her and the other seniors,” Soliman said. “Her leadership has taken this team with her, and this program is what it is because of her and her support from the other seniors.”

 

Toward the end of the regular season, Licurgo had achieved an exceptional milestone by scoring her 1,000th career point. She had many to thank for that accomplishment, and Soliman expected nothing less from her as he noticed her drive and commitment throughout the season.

 

“I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I was the hardest on her than anyone else,” Soliman said. “Her leadership can be contagious but I knew she could be a lot more than she was early on and it paid off. She understood that I was hard on her because I believed in her and wanted her to be successful and when the team sees that, they all fall in line.”

 

Licurgo couldn’t agree more on how much of a help Soliman was for her as the season went on and believes that he was just as much of X-factor for the team’s success.

 

“Coach Soliman has really impacted me as a player and as a person,” Licurgo said. “He pushes me harder than I’ve ever been pushed and he doesn’t give up on us, either, and I think that has really helped me.”

 

Licurgo has been playing basketball ever since she was little. Her mother and father are two of her biggest motivators she’s had throughout her basketball career. Her father played in college and in the professional leagues in Italy, so she knows where she developed her love for the sport. On her off time, she enjoys watching sports of all kinds, observing how athletes of the collegiate and professional level carry themselves and make big time decisions.

 

Licurgo has always tried to keep a humble mind but also display her leadership for her team when they are looking for someone on the court to take charge. Eagles senior Grace Lyons recognized her influence that she had on the team and quickly joined with her to help some of the younger players build some confidence and good decision making when it came to game time.

 

“Coming into the season, we all knew Jilly was going to be one of the leaders on the court,” Lyons said. “She’s very humble, but yet hungry and when girls have success it brings the team together and the girls noticed the success she was having and that really helped us get where we got.”

 

The Canisius Golden Griffins of Buffalo, N.Y., should be very excited in what they’re getting in Licurgo as a student athlete on and off the court. She is very excited to show them what she can bring to the table.

 

“I can stretch the floor, I can shoot, I can post,” Licurgo said. “I’m always looking to help others and motivate them to improve their play to overall bring success to the team.”