For the past two years, no other name has become more synonymous with the Harlingen High girls basketball program than Sami Quilantan’s.
In her two seasons as a starter for the Lady Cardinals, she led the team with 399 steals on her way to winning back-to-back District 32-6A Defensive Player of the Year awards. She also helped the team amass an impressive overall record of 64-7 and two District 32-6A titles.
Her talent on the court can only be surpassed by her generosity and her willingness to give back to the community as she volunteers often at the Boys & Girls Club in Harlingen – the place that helped her become the player she is today.
This year Quilantan is a finalist for the Girls Basketball Player of the Year award, which will be presented at the 2016 All-Valley Sports Award banquet on June 14 in McAllen.
The other finalists up for the award are Jordan Rudd of Brownsville Veterans and Jazlyn Muniz of Weslaco High.
Recently Quilantan shared some of her time with the VMS to talk about her nomination.
Q: How does it feel being nominated for the Girl’s Basketball Player of the Year award?
A: It’s an amazing honor and it was also a surprise for me. To know all my hard word paid off is the greatest feeling ever. I can only thank God, my family and my teammates for always being there to push me even when I wanted to quit.
Q: What would winning the award mean to you?
A: If I won this award I would be speechless. Of course, all the glory would go to God and I’d thank anyone that helped me in all my years that have led me to this point.
Full story at RGVSports.com
