Aliyah Mazyck is the espnW HoopGurlz Top 100’s No. 18 prospect for the class of 2015,
receiving a 5-star rating and a grade of 98. Mazyck is considered the sixth-best point guard
among incoming freshmen and will be taking her talents to Southern Cal. The 5’10” floor leader
hails from Charlotte, North Carolina (Myers Park High School), she is widely considered the
best player in the Tar Heel State for her age group.
As per ESPN, Mazyck led Myers Park to a state title as a junior and the team finished
the season ranked 9th nationally in the espnW Power 25 rankings. Her decision to head west
for the Left Coast was not an easy one, but in the end it was between the Trojans and Texas
A&M, as reported by espnW:
“All of the programs that recruited me were excellent schools. I ultimately went with
Southern Cal because I felt they never wavered in their desire to have me. I want to learn to be
a better point guard and I know I will be challenged by Coach Cooper and learn from her
through the experiences she has had.”
“Coach Cooper” is famed women’s basketball star Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, a gold-
medalist at the Olympics and FIBA World Championships and voted as one of top 15 players in
WNBA history by fans. While more of a shooting guard, Cooper will be instrumental in
developing Mazyck’s game and will be someone she can model her playing career after,
considering the trail she blazed in women’s basketball.
USC was a powerhouse in the 1980’s with women’s basketball GOAT Cheryl Miller and
Cooper winning national titles for the Women of Troy in 1983 and 1984. Lisa Leslie is also a
USC alum. Mazyck will look to be the next Lady Trojan to have an impact and help the team get
back to PAC-12 prominence. The Lady Trojans made it to the Big Dance last season as a No. 9
seed but lost in the first round to St. John’s; it was USC’s first trip to the NCAA Tournament
since 2005-06.
Mazyck has a bit of attitude to her game and personality, but not in the negative sense.
She uses her swagger to impose her will on the court. In today’s volatile sports world, a dash of
edge is needed to compete at virtually any level. With Mazyck now in the mix, don’t be surprised
to see the Lady Trojans competing for PAC-12 titles in the next four years.
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