CHERRY TWP — Aslyn Pry put up shot after shot on her family's regulation back yard basketball court this summer.

The Moniteau senior realized quickly how lucky she was to have such a place to play during a pandemic.

While others struggled for opportunities to improve their skills, Pry was able to hone her craft day after day just yards away from her West Sunbury home.

It was worthy labor. She worked with former Moniteau girls basketball coach Matt Stebbins on her outside shot, jumpers off the dribble and free throw shooting and also got a helping hand from her mom, Maura, who is the assistant girls basketball coach with the Warriors.

“All my mom does for me is definitely a benefit — she cares a lot about the sport and how I do,” Pry said. “But it's sometimes harder hearing criticism from someone you're close to.”

Pry, though, took the criticism as a path to get better.

She knew she needed to improve her outside shooting and performance from the free throw line, even though she put up 14.6 points, 13.5 rebounds, three steals and three assists per game last season as a junior.

While those numbers were very good, Pry wants them to be even better in her senior campaign.

That's why she put up more shots than even a mathematician could calculate.

“I don't even know how many shots I took,” Pry said, chuckling. “I can't even count. It was a lot.”

Stebbins, who is now the girls basketball coach at Laurel, helped Pry with both the technical and mental parts of the game.

Pry admitted that last year she was sometimes afraid to step to the line for fear of missing a crucial free throw. This year she's longing for that kind of pressure.

“I would kind of just get lost in my head,” Pry said. “I was scared. I'm just going to try not to think about them and go to the hoop to draw a foul every time.”

Pry is one of only two starters returning for Moniteau. There is a lot of youth around her and Abby Rottman and Pry has taken on a big leadership role already in preparation for a season that will be unlike any other because of COVID-19.

“One main think I like to focus on is team chemistry,” Pry said. “We're trying to bring the younger players in and teach them without overwhelming them, taking it slow with them. I'm just trying to help out as much as possible.”

Pry certainly helped out the Moniteau volleyball team this fall.

She recorded a team-leading 185 kills, 37 blocks, 110 digs and 26 aces to help the Warriors to the playoffs for the second consecutive season.

For Pry, that accomplishment gives her a big sense of pride.

“Our school has never been a very good volleyball school, so it was cool my last two season we made the playoffs and we did pretty well as a team,” Pry said. “We were able to bring attention to that sport.”

Pry will be getting a lot of attention on the basketball court this winter.

While she started volleyball relatively late in the eighth grade, basketball has long been a big part of her life.

“I've always worked hard at basketball,” Pry said. “I know I put the time in and it's nice to see the results at the end of the day.”

She really blossomed between her sophomore and junior campaigns.

Sprouting four inches in a few months will do that — Pry's growth spurt took her from 5-foot-5 to 5-9 and she retained the ballhandling skills she learned as a small guard.

Now a big forward, Pry is about as versatile as they come.

She hopes that versatility leads to an opportunity at the next level — in more than one sport.

Pry doesn't want to chose one — not yet, at least. If she had her druthers she won't have to make that difficult choice between basketball and volleyball.

“I'm undecided as of right now — my education comes first,” Pry said when talking about her future. “But I'm considering playing either basketball or volleyball or even both.

“I've had a few coaches reach out to me, which has been nice. I'm looking forward to making that decision when it comes, but I'm not really rushing as if right now. I want to see where this basketball season takes me and go from there.”

Pry admitted she's getting antsy, though, about making a choice.

How is she staying patient?

“Not good,” Pry said, laughing. “It's in the back of my mind all the time. I have options. I just need to do some decision-making.”

Maybe her huge family can help.

There are many branches on the Pry family tree.

Her father, David, has 10 siblings. She has an older brother, Lake, and a younger sister, Davina, as well as more than 50 cousins scattered all over the county, many in this area.

She never wants for an opponent on her back yard basketball court or close teammates — her cousin, Allie, is also on the team this season.

“It's extremely fun and it makes us all super competitive,” Pry said. “We always had people at our house playing on our court over the summers. I've been very fortunate.”