Watch CBS News

Neumann-Goretti's Alisha Kebbe Commits To Syracuse

By Joseph Santoliquito

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Alisha Kebbe knew her role last year on the Neumann-Goretti girls' basketball team, which turned out to be the best in the country and the best girls' high school team the Philadelphia area has ever produced, finishing 30-0 and winning the school's first girls' state basketball championship.

Kebbe played in the shadow of a star-studded senior-laden team, yet the 5-foot-11 wing was herself one of the nation's best in her age group. That did not go unnoticed by college coaches. On Saturday, May 30, Kebbe gave Syracuse head coach Quintin Hillsman an oral commitment to accept a basketball scholarship to play for the Orange in 2016.

Next month, Kebbe will make it official when she signs her national letter of intent on Tuesday, Nov. 11, during the early-period national signing day.

Kebbe, the best high school female player in Philadelphia, chose Syracuse over St. John's, Virginia and La Salle.

"When I went to Syracuse I loved it and could see myself there," Kebbe said. "I feel really secure. It's great knowing where I am going to go to college. It's a lot less stress, because there was some stress. It came down to Syracuse and St. John's. I choose Syracuse because the atmosphere is bigger there, and the players and coaching staff made me feel real welcome. I felt like I knew the Syracuse players more. I'm thinking about majoring in business management, or something to do with sports."

Kebbe was an important part of Neumann-Goretti's success last year. She was a defensive stopper who contributed key points in clutch situations. But she played behind Christina Aborowa, now at Texas, CC Cryor, now at Georgia Tech and CBS Philly's Player of the Year, and the Towson-bound pair of A.J. Timbers and Sianni Martin.

The 2015-16 Saints are now Kebbe's team. They'll begin the season with a 30-game winning streak, the longest current run in the state and among the top streaks in the country.

"We have a lot on our backs from last year and we have to bring the same intensity," Kebbe said. "I'm ready to be a leader. We are going to be a different team than last year. We're going to be a team that shares the ball more, and everyone will do their part. We have a lot of people who can score on this team."

Saints' coach Andrea Peterson, the 2015 Naismith Award winner as the national girls' high school Coach of the Year, has high expectations for Kebbe.

"Alisha is one of the best guards in the country and she's grown considerably in the time I've known her, both on the court and off," Peterson said. "She definitely is the leader of this team and she's ready to lead us to another championship. She's grown a little over the summer, but her body-type has become more toned. She can touch the backboard with the palm of both hands. With Alisha, she can do everything. She can play inside and out, and that's what makes her so special. She has no position on the floor, because she can play every position. I would say she's one of the best female players in the area. She's without a doubt one of the top players at her position in the country."

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.