Engineers get big lift from Hrynko

Engineering and Science's Brittany Hrynko dribbled down the left side of the court against Bodine at the Northern Liberties Recreation Center. Despite being guarded heavily by the Ambassadors, she sneaked inside the free-throw line to hit a short basket for her first two points of the game.

Moments later, the Engineers' point guard again came down the left side of the court with the ball. This time, she spotted teammate Dahne Brown-Boyer flying toward the basket on the other side of the court.

Hrynko sent a well-timed pass to Brown-Boyer, who scored on an easy layup. It was Hrynko's second assist of the afternoon, and the game was less than six minutes old.

Then, with her team leading by 23-2, Hrynko hit a pair of three-pointers, the second one at the buzzer to give the Engineers a 29-2 first-quarter lead. Hrynko, a junior, finished with 24 points to help offset the 29 points by the Ambassadors' Chikilra Goodman.

According to Engineering and Science coach Dave Hargrove, it was a typical day's effort for Hrynko. And he's looking for her to keep up the pace as the Engineers (17-2) open the Public League portion of the District 12 playoffs Wednesday against Palumbo.

The Engineers won the District 12 Class AAA playoffs in 2008 but missed the postseason in 2009.

Hargrove sees a Division I player in the quiet-spoken Hrynko.

"She's a gifted athlete, and she has a great knowledge of the game. But best of all, she's got that competitive spirit," Hargrove said of his three-year starter. "She's double-teamed much of the time, but she finds ways to get open. And she's not selfish, either."

The 5-foot-8 Hrynko is averaging 20.5 points a game, and her 6.9 assists per game attest to the fact that she's not selfish. She also contributes 5.6 rebounds and 5.4 steals per game.

"I like to see people score," said Hrynko, who has been playing organized basketball since she was 7. She convinced her mother, Jeannette Darcy, and father, Mike, to let her try out for a recreation center league, and her father helped her with the fundamentals.

"It was a coed league, but I was the only girl that showed up," Hrynko said. "My mother and Aunt Joy Robinson are my biggest fans."

Lawncrest Recreation Center, which is near her home, is one of her favorite spots to work on her game, Hrynko said.

She needs just 69 points to go over the 1,000-point mark for her career. And with another season for Hrynko left to play, Hargrove expects her to break the school career mark of 1,216 before she's done.

Judging by the smile on her face when she connects with a teammate for a basket, Hrynko obviously enjoys the game.

"I used to play softball - pitcher, first baseman, shorststop - but I love basketball more," Hrynko said. "In basketball, I think I see the court very well. I'm aggressive, and I like to be a leader on the court."

Hrynko also makes it clear that playing at the Division I level is her goal. Ultimately, she wants to become a pediatric nurse because she loves working with children.

Asked where she'd like to play, she quickly mentions South Carolina. That's where Philadelphia native and former Temple coach Dawn Staley is the coach.

"I remember seeing her coaching at Temple," Hyrnko said. "She's an idol of mine."