By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News
For the uninformed, Archbishop Murphy girls basketball is one of the best programs going right now. They are currently 17-1 and ranked #18 in the State of Washington. Their only loss was a 54-58 nail biter to the #11 ranked Lynden Christian.
Carving out a role for herself on Archbishop’s varsity team is 15-year-old Tulalip tribal member Kyla Fryberg. She’s normally a featurette on the junior varsity team, but because of her prowess as a defensive stopper and someone who can knock down the corner 3-ball, Archbishop head coach Ebany Herd has promoted Kyla into the big league rotation.
During a recent matchup with Arlington High School, Kyla received playing time in the 2nd half and, in doing so, shared the court with fellow Tulalip tribal member Kierra Reese who balls for Arlington. It may be the first time ever two Tulalips shared the court while playing for the Archbishop Wildcats and Arlington Eagles. If not the first time, it’s definitely one of the only times, making it a noteworthy story in the long lineage of Tulalip hoopers.
Following the matchup, Kyla was gracious enough to sit down with Tulalip News for a quick Q&A.
Q: How excited are to be getting Varsity run in your sophomore season?
A: “It’s an amazing opportunity. Playing on both JV and Varsity is letting me get to know so many of my teammates and to develop new skills. My time practicing and playing with Varsity is really making me better. I’m having fun.”
Q: What is your role when playing with the Varsity team?
A: “My role, specifically, is to bring energy and be a defensive threat. I’m comfortable picking up full court and using my speed [and agility] to stay with the player I’m guarding.”
Q: There was a lot of community support in the gym. Do you get nervous playing in front of so many friends and family?
A: “No, not really. When I’m playing, I don’t really pay attention to who’s watching or what’s happening off the court.”
Q: Last question. If you could have the game of any basketball player, NBA or WNBA, who would it be?
A: “LaMelo Ball. He just doesn’t care about what anyone says or is doing to try to stop him. He knows that he’s the best player on the court and doesn’t bother with all the stuff that doesn’t matter. Two years from now, I hope be leading Archbishop to a deep playoff run and be balllin’ like LaMelo.”