South Shore’s Brianna Fraser made history for her school when she was selected last week as a McDonald’s All-American.
She is the first player tapped for the premier high school basketball all-star game in the history of a program that has produced numerous Division I players.
“It’s special because, especially the boys’ coaches were saying, it is an honor to be the first All-American from South Shore,” Fraser said.
Her coach said Fraser only recently put the golden-arches game on her to do list as she began to realize her potential, and watched her peers Sierra Calhoun (Christ the King) and Bianca Cuevas (Nazareth) play on the elite national stage last season.
“As your career grows, you start to realize what category you belong in,” said Vikings coach Anwar Gladden. “That last year in a half, two years, it started to become something she seemed to want to push for.”
The University of Maryland commit is the only player from New York City selected this year for the elite game set for April 1 at United Center in Chicago, but the 6-foot-3 forward will be joined on the court by fellow Maryland signee Kiah Gillespie (Capital Prep, Conn.).
Vikings teammate and close friend Amanda Cruz said the famously even-keeled Fraser seemed pretty calm prior to the selection show on Jan 28. She acted nonchalant around Gladden too, but her mom told him the selection meant a great deal to her — and it showed when Gladden told her and the team after practice.
“She had a big, ‘cheese’ smile on her face,” Cruz said. “We were so proud of her.”
Fraser has been one of the best players in the city for the last three seasons — an almost guaranteed double-double each time she steps on the floor. She led the Vikings to consecutive Public School Athletic League Class AA finals, and South Shore is once again one of the favorites to claim the crown this year.
Fraser is averaging 17.9 points and 10.6 rebounds per game in league play. She tallied 15 points and was the most valuable player in South Shore’s 49–42 win over New Jersey power East Orange over the weekend.
“She’s been good this year,” Gladden said. “She’s carried us. She’s helped us win some games. She knows her role and her importance to the team.”
Gladden, who lives down the block from Fraser in East New York, said he knew she could get to this level if she wanted to. And Cruz, who remembers Fraser as a weak freshman who has steadily gotten stronger and more confident, is happy to see her friend rightly being recognized as one of the best players in the country.
But honored as she is, Fraser said that the accolade she wants most now is something not just for her, but for her whole team — a city championship.
“I’ve wanted that for the longest time,” Fraser said. “It’s not only me. It’s my team.”
