Copper helps Prep Charter girls to PL title

THERE SEEMS TO BE a shift of power going on in Public League girls' basketball. Central dominated the league in the first decade of the 2000s with a run of league championships between 2002-07, plus the '09 and '10 titles.

But entering the current decade, Prep Charter, which entered the league only 4 years ago, has emerged as the league power. The Lady Huskies have appeared in the past four Public League championships games and have won the past two. Their most recent was a 70-34 trouncing of Central on Saturday at Community College of Philadelphia.

"It just shows you that this is a process, if you want to become a program and not just a team in this city, you have to do all the right things. That's what our kids do. We practice every day, we travel to play anybody and that's why we're ready when we step on the court and do the things that we do," Prep Charter coach Paul Rieser said. "I think we outworked everybody in our league, and that'll change. I'm sure there's other teams looking at us saying, 'You know what? We need to work as hard as they do to get where they're at.'

"I'll be honest with you, bring it on. I'm looking forward to it, I want our league to get better."

The Lady Huskies appeared to outwork Central as they forced 33 turnovers and had the Lancers shooting 13-for-45 (28.9 percent)from the floor. Prep Charter was led by standout forward Kahleah Copper, who finished the game with 19 points, 11 rebounds and three steals.

"It feels good. We've been there so many times, we got over the hump last year and we were able to do it again this year," said Copper, who was named the game's most valuable player. "[[We stayed consistent with]] our attitudes and we're young, so we can be pretty immature some times, but in this game, we encouraged each other, played good defense and at a high intensity."

Copper, a senior, has been the catalyst for Prep Charter's championship streak. She averaged 20.2 points per game this season.

"She came [[to Prep Charter]] a very good basketball player and a really good athlete and she's really developed her midrange game and helped the kids around her," Rieser said. "When we get into a situation where we need a basket, we know where we're going, we know who it's going to, and we know she's going to deliver."

In November, Copper signed a national letter of intent with Rutgers.

"It was close to home. I love the coaches, I love the team and I really wanted to play for a Hall of Fame coach," Copper said.

Scarlet Knights coach C. Vivian Stringer has attended some of Copper's playoff games.

"[Stringer] tells me different things I need to work on so I can fit into her system," Copper said. "I'm that big guard, another team might put their 'five' on me and I'm going to go right by her. I'll get to the basket, I might pull up. Give me room and I'm going to shoot."

After the PIAA playoffs, Copper will be playing in the McDonald's All-American Game in Chicago on March 28, which will also feature Friends' Central's Amile Jefferson.

["[Copper is]] a 17-year-old and 17-year-olds struggle at times, but the thing with her is that she'll struggle for a quarter and then she perks herself up and comes after you hard," Rieser said. "That's character; she's a character kid, she plays hard and is coachable and lots of times you don't get that."

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