Aaliyah Dabney helps put gritty Berks Catholic over the top, again

By Jason Guarente — MikeDragoSports.com senior correspondent

There’s a day not far in Aaliyah Dabney’s future when she won’t be part of a sports team. That’s hard to picture right now. Such great athleticism with no uniform to wear or practice to attend.

Once she graduates from Berks Catholic, Dabney plans to study law. Her college time will be focused more on academics.

The senior isn’t sure how she’ll react to the change.

“The summer is going to tell me,” Dabney said. “I’ve grown up playing sports. I’ve never had a season where I’m not in something or not busy. We’re going to see how that goes.”

The final weeks of this basketball season and the spring lacrosse season will be a showcase of sorts. A chance for Dabney to display her considerable gifts. Maybe for the final time.

The focus at the moment is on defending the county championship. Dabney had a team-high nine points and six rebounds to help Berks Catholic knock off Twin Valley 37-22 in a Berks I-II crossover on the road Thursday night.

Dabney is a four-year varsity player who’s long had a reputation as a great defender. She has become an all-around contributor.

“She does the dirty work,” Berks Catholic coach Bob Birmingham said. “She just goes after it. She plays hard, she’s strong, she’s athletic.”

If you put Dabney on a weaker team with fewer options, she could rank among the league’s scoring leaders.

The 5-7 guard has that kind of talent. She can get to the rim at will against most defenders. They can’t stay in front of her.

Seven of Dabney’s nine points came in a 90-second stretch of the second quarter Thursday. She’s averaging eight points, third-most on the Saints behind All-Berks standouts Caroline Reedy and Caraline Herb.

Almost all of Dabney’s baskets are in the paint. They’re either putbacks or drives to the hoop.

“She’s so quick,” Birmingham said. “That first step is unbelievable. She goes so hard all the time. Nobody wants to step in front of her.”

BC assistant coach Josh Ressler said he found one opponent all season who was actually quicker than Dabney. It was during the Saints’ trip to Orlando for a holiday tournament. The player was Jada Brown, a Vanderbilt recruit.

Dabney doesn’t have any interest in being a big-time scorer on a bad team. She’s happy in her current situation. The perfect role player for an excellent team.

“If I see the opening and it’s clear, I take it,” Dabney said. “But I also want my team to have the points. That’s just how I play. I want everyone to get their job done. If someone else is open and I have a tricky lane, I’ll pass it.”

Berks Catholic (5-0, 10-2) has won six in a row since it returned from Florida. That winning streak includes victories over Gov. Mifflin, Wilson and Twin Valley, three top contenders for the Berks championship. This week the Saints handed the Bulldogs and the Berks II-leading Raiders (4-1, 8-4) losses while allowing them to score a combined 54 points.

One thing about Berks Catholic that’s easy to overlook is its grit. Dabney, Reedy and Herb are all terrific defensively. Dabney’s growth this season has been essential. The Saints wouldn’t be the same without her.

“She’s a great role model for all the kids,” Birmingham said. “She plays hard all the time and she has a great personality. She can lighten things up.”

Soccer and basketball are Dabney’s top sports. She can’t pick a favorite. She said both have her heart. This spring she’s going to play lacrosse for the first time since she was a freshman. Add one more varsity letter to her collection.

Dabney missed part of the basketball season as a junior because of a knee injury. She returned in time to play a crucial defensive role in helping Berks Catholic defeat Wyomissing for the Berks title.

Now that she’s back at full strength, she’s playing her best.

“She has come such a long way,” Birmingham said. “She’s calm now where she used to be all over the place before. She knows what her limitations are.”

If Dabney ever changes her mind and wants to keep playing sports, it won’t be hard to find a spot. Just about any team could use her.