Q&A With 2022 West Coast Aaliyah Giles

Aaliyah Gayles is the top ranked prospect in the 2022 class in Nevada. The Las Vegas resident may not be a household name on the East Coast yet but she will be soon. The 5’9 rising junior lead guard attends Valley Spring HS and plays travel ball with West Coast United. Mark my words, she will be a name that most Power 5 schools will know on the east and west coast. At the end of her sophomore year, Gayles was named 1 ^st team All-State by MaxPreps. The explosive crafty guard is efficient on both ends of the floor. She led her team to 26-6 record while averaging 12 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.2 steals and 3 assists per night. NYGHR got a chance to do a Q&A with the west coast star. 
 
 
How was your AAU experience playing with Coach? 
 
My experience playing with coach Nicc was very intense with a lot of coaching moments I will always remember. He’s a competitor and he doesn’t take anything for granted.  He always pushed me to take what’s mine and leave it all on the court.
 
How was your experience like playing basketball at Spring Valley high school?
 
My experience playing at Spring Valley High school has been very good. I love the program. The coaches have your back with anything 24/7 and I feel like that affects how we play. They make sure we’re on our A-Game 24/7. No slacking.
 
What was your most memorable moment during the high school season?
 
My memorable moment was in the state tournament, in Reno. The first team we played was full of shooters and we were going at. We did send our opponent home and luckily my teammate G (Garrisen Freeman), pulled of a buzzer beater. And we got to continue our journey.
 
What is it like playing for your high school coach? 
 
Playing for Coach H (Billy Hemberger), is wonderful because he doesn’t let anyone left behind when it comes to teaching the game. He makes sure everyone is up to date even the coaches. He’s very organized and that’s probably why we are a tough competitor on both ends of the floor.
 
What do you think was the biggest growth in your game that led to you getting scholarship offers? 
 
I most definitely feel like my athleticism because I like to be everywhere on the court. I also had to change my mindset on the court and I feel like that comes in handy while playing tough teams.
 
What part of your game do you want to improve on?
 
One part of my game I would like to improve on is my shooting. The reason why I say that is because there’s always a key reason why you need to shoot the ball. Going in for a layup can be a little tough when people know you can get to the rim. 
 
What schools are recruiting and who has offered you?
 
USC, Louisville, UNLV, Texas Tech, Georgia and Utah. 
 
Did you take visits to college yet? Also, how are the virtual tours compared to visits?
 
I took two campus visits, to Utah and USC. They both have great campuses, a good team and coaching staffs. I liked them both. I have not done any virtual tours.
 
Who are some of the players NBA/ WNBA / NCAA you pattern you game after?
 
NBA player – Kyrie, WNBA- Mya Moore. The reason why I pick those players is because they both have some type of athleticism and heart to go against whoever their competition is.
 
 What are you looking for in a college?
 
I’m looking for how good their academics are because, being a student comes first. Also, I want to go somewhere that’s going to help me grow and successful off the court. I want to graduate from a school that I am proud to say was my home for 4 years.