SLIPPERY ROCK — The third quarter is about to begin and Nicole Papley breaks away from the Slippery Rock huddle to dance.

Gangnam style.

Papley, a 6-foot junior forward on the Rockets girls basketball team, also has been known to belt out songs on the bus and crack jokes in the most stressful of situations.

“She’s the class clown,” said Slippery Rock coach Christin Miller. “But in a good way.”

Papley has always been a cut-up — a walking stress ball in basketball shorts.

Her teammates appreciate her penchant for cutting through the tension.

“She definitely brings personality,” said senior guard Haley Angerett. “She pumps us up. She’s always excited before games.

Senior guard Morgan Siebka has trouble summing Papley up in words.

“She’s,” says Siebka, pausing. “Loud.”

And she’s also been dominant on the court this season.

Papley has emerged as Slippery Rock’s most dangerous weapon in the post, while also displaying an accurate outside shot.

Papley has recorded three double-doubles this season and has topped 20 points twice, including a dominating 24-point performance in just three quarters against Meadville Thursday.

Her secret weapon has been mid-range and 3-point shooting. Papley is just as potent from 15 feet out as she is under the basket.

Papley has hit 10 3-pointers this season and is averaging 11 points per game. That average would be higher if not for an ankle injury early against West Middlesex that quickly ended a scoreless night.

“I have worked on my shot for a long time, from junior high all the way up until now,” Papley said. “I feel like a lot of teams don’t know I can shoot.”

Papley averaged eight points per game last season as the first player off the Rockets’ bench. She did most of her damage with her jumper.

This year, she has added post moves to the mix.

Inside. Outside. Papley is dangerous.

“She has a beautiful, beautiful outside shot,” Miller said. “Her overall basketball knowledge is improving. You can see she is getting the grasp of things. Now she’s developing her inside game, she has a little left hook and footwork has improved.”

Papley’s emergence has opened things up for her teammates, including Angerett, who leads the team at 12 points per game.

“On the court, she’s such a presence,” Angerett said. “With her height, she brings a lot to the table. If I’m having an off night, I know Nicole is there.”

Papley, like the rest of the Rockets this season, is striving to become more consistent.

“I just try to forget about the past games and focus on the next games coming up,” Papley said. “I know I can learn from my mistakes and do better in my next game.”

Papley has excelled despite being born with a foot deformity called idiopathic localized gigantism.

“I have a different bone structure on my left foot. I can’t bend it,” Papley said. “I can do anything a normal person can do. It doesn’t affect me as much as it does to other people.”

Against Hickory in Hermitage earlier in the season, Hornet fans heckled Papley about her foot.

It affected her greatly during the game.

“Nicole is a big key for us, but she can’t get down on herself,” Miller said. “She’s too good a player for that.”

Papley said she learned from that experience and is determined that when the Rockets play Hickory again, she won’t take the heckles to heart.

“The Hickory game was nasty,” Papley said. “I’m going to block it out. I’m going to show them nothing can affect me.

“Honestly, it’s a part of me. It’s part of who I am,” Papley added. “If you don’t like it, that’s your problem because I really am a great person.”