Reese Power has a lot of reasons to be proud.
And she’s quick to brag.
But it’s never about what she’s done.
However, ask her about her siblings, and you better have some time because that’s the only time Power will start to brag.
About others.
“We’re really close, very family oriented,” Power said. “I guess it was always us four together. The four of us are always doing something. They’re so supportive of me, same as my parents. And we all love sports.”
And all were stars.
Her oldest sibling, Morgan, was a star at Little Flower, where she was a top player in basketball and soccer.
Next up was Mike, who was a soccer and basketball player at Judge and later went on to be the starting point guard at Holy Family.
Her younger brother Brady is also a great athlete. He’s recovering from a torn ACL but the eighth-grader plays hoops and baseball. And he’s a special player, too.
“I think Brady is going to be the best athlete, he’s very good,” Power said. “My whole family is always there for each other. Mike moved out, he lives in Fairmount now with his girlfriend. We go up there for dinner and to hang out. My siblings are my best friends, I love hanging out with them.”
And they love hanging out with one of the best high school athletes around.
In the fall, Power played a huge role in helping the Pandas make the Catholic League championship for the second year in a row in soccer.
She did so well in her fall sport that she earned a scholarship to continue her soccer career at Drexel University.
Now the Division-I bound athlete is playing basketball, where she’s been one of the team’s stars since she enrolled in Nazareth as a freshman.
That year, she took over as the team’s starting point guard, helping the team in the Catholic Academies league. She did the same her sophomore year.
Junior year, the Pandas moved from the Academies League to the Catholic League, and despite playing in the league with some of the best teams in the area, Nazareth made the semifinals.
The same year the Pandas took a step up in competition, Power’s role evolved. While she was still responsible for running the team and quarterbacking the offense, she also became one of the team’s go-to scorers.
So much in fact that she ended her junior year on the verge of scoring 1,000 points.
We’re talking really close.
“That was a funny story, last year I was three points away,” Power said with a laugh. “In the second-to-last game, I needed 26 points, the balloons were bought and everything. I ended up with 15. And we moved on to states, I needed 11 points, I only got eight, so I was short three points. Everyone kept asking me how I was going to do it.”
The answer was a layup early in the Pandas opener.
She now reached the 1,000-point plateau, and she’s able to focus on helping the Pandas and finishing up a great career.
“I wasn’t trying to think about it,” Power said. “First game, everyone knew I was going to get (the ball). I didn’t think about it. I hit a layup and next possession and I got it. So I never got 1,000, I got 1,001. Now I can just not worry about it, I’m just playing. I felt so much more relieved. Just playing my game.”
The Pandas have started out strong, going 3-1 in early-season play. The team has an ambitious schedule so it’s ready to dive into the Catholic League next month.
It will be bittersweet when the season comes to an end because so will her basketball career.
“I’m committed to Drexel for soccer, so this is the end of basketball,” Power said. “I’m leaving the sport that defines me. Nobody thought I would play soccer. Basketball, I love and will always play it, I’ll play with my brothers and my dad, it will still be a passion, soccer is the new route and I’m excited about it.”
She’s going and she’s not going alone.
She’ll be joined by her Nazareth teammate Gracie Sullivan, who will play goalie for the Dragons, as well as Ryan senior Riley Lukach, who is one of her best friends.
The future is exciting, but she’ll never forget her high school days.
“It’s very sad leaving Nazaeth, I wish I could stay another year and play with my best friends,” said Power, who is an executive on the Naz-a-Thon committee. “My grade, we left everything on the soccer field and we’re going to do the same in basketball. We fell short in soccer, but we made a name for Nazareth. Girls coming in trying to get into the school. I love how popular and great Nazareth is getting. I’m so proud of everything we have accomplished. It’s home and a place I love.”
She will be leaving her Nazareth family, but her other family will be with her at Drexel and anywhere else she goes.
“I have the most supportive family, they help me so much,” she said. “Honestly, Mikey is the one I’m most like. I learned so much from playing him. And from getting beat up by both of my brothers in the backyard playing basketball. I’ve gotten a lot from Morgan, and I think Brady is like all of us.
“Even at the games, they sit along the sideline. I’ll hear my brother during games and I do listen to him. But my parents, too. My mom would help me with balancing classes. My dad was in my ear telling me to work harder. They’ve always been there for me. We’ll always be there for each other.”
