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Female Athlete of the Year
Four years ago, the Prep Charter Lady Huskies were still Philadelphia Public League puppies. Only three girls on the squad had experience, one of which was Raven Jones.
Learning the game from coach Paul Reiser, Jones had to work hard at practice to help make the squad formidable.
The 2009 Prep Charter grad remembers shooting 500 jump shots in a practice. When senior year rolled around last winter, things almost took a turn for the worse as she was injured in a scrimmage against Cardinal Doughty. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
"Our season didn’t even start yet. I cried myself to sleep three nights in a row," Jones, who split her time between shooting guard and point guard, said, "It caused the team to step up and work together on the court."
Her last season of wearing the blue and gold turned out to be a year of firsts. The squad competed in its first league championship, where it lost 53-42 to Central. The guard chipped in 10 points. The Lady Huskies also advanced to its first District 12 Class AAA City title match, but fell to eventual state champ Archbishop Carroll, 53-31.
"My senior year was favorite year. We made it to the Public League Championship, [Class] AAA City title game and states playoffs," she said. "I thought if we worked hard enough we would have the kind of season we did. I’m the type of person that wants to win so I can be considered one of the top players in Philadelphia."
To the athlete who helped put the Lady Huskies on the Public League map goes the ’09 Review Female Athlete of the Year Award.
The 18-year-old did everything she could to make her team a winner, including practicing and playing like any other high school athlete. But, looking to help Prep Charter become the real deal, she convinced many of her Amateur Athletic Union friends, including junior Lashay Banks and sophomore Bria Young, to give the school at 1928 Point Breeze Ave. a try.
"Lashay and I played on the same AAU team since we were young. I’ve known Bria since she was 9, and I met the rest down the line. It was very helpful because we didn’t have to find a bond because all of us already had one," she said.
It showed on the court last winter, when the Lady Huskies stole some of the spotlight from its male counterparts, finishing the year with a 20-8 record. The captain credits the success to a solid team effort.
"I would say I scored around 10 points a game. In the District 12 playoff game against Friere Charter I scored 24 points," she said. "Points really don’t matter to me, as long as we win the game I’m cool. We had a lot of talent and it worked out well for us."
Jones also filled the role of mentor to her younger teammates, which sometimes included filling the role of big sister.
"Being the only senior on the team was cool. The coach made me stick Bria, and Bria had to stick me. I had to rough her up a little bit," Jones said.
Over the last four years, Jones formed a special lifetime bond with her coach.
"Coach Paul will look out for me no matter what I do," she said. "He was the only person that I could talk to about anything. He’s been there with me through injuries, and school work. I call him every chance I get. He’s basically the turning point of my life."
Her efforts didn’t go unnoticed at Prep Charter as she was named the Senior of the Year and received the James Young Award, which included a $500 stipend to put towards her books and other school needs.
Now Reiser along with her Prep Charter teammates and friends can watch this standout performer continue her basketball career at Clarion University on an athletic scholarship.
"I have chance to be a great player here," Jones said.
