WSOU

Pirate Player Preview: Mya Bembry

Date: August 25, 2020

By: Justin Morris

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Seton Hall Women’s Basketball

We’ve arrived at the final checkpoint of the riveting roller-coaster ride at WSOU sports that has been this past summer’s comprehensive list of player preview articles for the upcoming basketball season at the Hall. And while we are not yet fully aware of when said season will take place (or even how its structuring will pan out, for that matter), that hasn’t stopped our staff from excitedly examining each player’s strengths and projections for the game we all adore so deeply.

 

Mya Bembry is the name who stars in the finale of our comprehensive highlight packages. Her last place seeding in our ordering certainly does not make her least in terms of importance to Coach Bozzella’s imminent lineup when play does commence though. In fact, Bembry’s stark combination of size, mental prowess and Division 1 experience will have Bozzella chomping at the bit to get her involved in his highly potent offense when athletic conferences deem it safe to do so.

 

Her initial introduction to the college ranks came at nearby Penn State University, where she received an immediate christening to the D-1 level as soon as she arrived on campus. While only making three starts last year, Bembry was plugged into the Nittany Lion rotation early and often under head coach Carolyn Kieger’s regime and made an appearance in every single contest her squad suited up for. In around 12 minutes-per-game, she posted averages of 1.5 points and 2.8 rebounds-per-night.

Those numbers only provide a miniature sample size of her capabilities however, and while she showed innumerable bona fide flashes of her alpha potential, including a career-high seven boards vs. Minnesota and an eight-point, five rebound showing against Northwestern, her array of noxious attack mechanisms on the court were very much limited due to the immense senior presence at the school. But don’t let the numbers fool you.

 

Her high school years show a wildly different contrast in terms of production – a telltale signifier of a girl that was heavily leaned on as the number one go-to option for her team.

Bembry starred for West Orange High during her four-year tenure and had eclipsed the 1,000-mark in both points and rebounds (1,718 points and 1,068 rebounds) by the time she graduated, putting up 17.2 points-per-game and 11 boards her senior year. Her list of career award tabbings was more than enough to have a bevy of college coaches salivating over her gaudy achievements, and they came knocking by the dozens.

 

The nods included: three straight Essex County Player of the Year and MVP accolades, first team All-Conference and second team All-State nominations in both her junior and senior campaigns, plus a number of top-100 rankings from several scouting outlets during her time there. Above all this though, Bembry was a winner. She led her team to three respective championships – a conference title her sophomore year, then sectional trophy the next year before following that with the big one: an Essex County Tournament prize in her final go.

Oh, and on top of that, she was a three-time soccer letter-winner. She was so much more than what statistical observations alluded to though. Bembry stood head and shoulders above most competitors based on physical stature alone, and at 6-foot-1-inches with a lengthy reach, she was easily able to invade passing lanes and come up with takeaways, while blocking a multitude of shots on the defensive end. Her shooting form was nearly impossible for defenders to alter, and her touch outside the arc was like Midas – pure gold.

 

The head on her shoulders is brilliant as well. A high honor roll student, Bembry showcased inalienable smarts on the court. Reel footage of her high school endeavors is hard to come by, but in the few pieces of tape that are available, it’s easy to see that the game comes to her seamlessly. The scope of her leadership stretches far beyond basketball, and her involvement in community service projects like Run/Walk for Nikhil and the Help Henry Beat Cancer Project are tremendous bolsters to her authoritative abilities as a whole.

 

With a slew of underclass players under Bozzella’s helm after the Pirates’ core senior troupe departed last spring, he’ll need dignitaries like Bembry to guide from a player standpoint. She’s more than suited for the responsibility and will be able to do so with both her mind, and through rife example on the hardwood.

 

Bembry is a Jersey girl, tried and true. She was born and bred in Livingston, so it’s no surprise that she ventured back to closer waters in South Orange, N.J. after entering the NCAA transfer portal following 2019-20. And Bozzella will indefinitely need that mixture of Jersey tough, savvy brains and leadership, and polished skill as he looks to revamp his dismantled 2019-20 squad. Our player previews at WSOU are over, but the hype surrounding Pirate basketball has just begun. For the women’s team, Bembry makes up a huge portion of it. Welcome back to Jersey.

Justin Morris is an Assistant Sports Director for WSOU Sorts, and can be reached at justin.morris@student.shu.edu.

Posted in: Sports, WSOU, Women's Basketball

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