SLIPPERY ROCK — Nicole Papley’s improvement wasn’t all in the numbers.

Sure, there were bumps in points per game, rebounds and 3-pointers for the 6-foot senior forward for the Slippery Rock High girls basketball team. But perhaps the biggest leap was made in the areas that couldn’t be quantified.

“The maturity level for a 17-, 18-year-old is what I really noticed,” said St. Vincent College women’s basketball coach Jimmy Petruska, who recruited Papley. “She’s a great kid and I liked her confidence and leadership.”

Papley took one visit to the Latrobe campus and was instantly sold and committed soon after.

Her remake was complete.

“I think I made a big leap with my attitude,” said Papley, who admitted what was going on emotionally within her hindered her play as a junior. “(Slippery Rock) coach (John) Tabisz, he was big on attitude and he really helped me a lot.”

That translated into a more dangerous Papley, who averaged 13.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and banged down 27 3-pointers to helping the Rockets to a 17-6 record and their first playoff win since 2008.

Winning a postseason game was a huge goal for Papley and her senior classmates, who had never won one before.

“It was awesome and very important to us,” Papley said. “It was a big lift off our shoulders.”

Papley blends rare shooting ability with size. She worked on improving her inside play with Tabisz before her senior season and that translated into more points in the paint.

She retained her deadly outside shooting.

That’s a skill that will translate well to the college level where Papley will be asked to expand her game even more.

“I’m going to have to handle the ball more and I’m definitely going to have to work on that more,” Papley said.

She’s sought out a good teacher — teammate and Slippery Rock classmate Riley McGonigle, who played point guard for the Rockets.

“It’s going to be hard, but I’m ready,” Papley said. “She’s a pretty good one to learn from.”

Papley was also being recruited by several other schools, including other Presidents’ Athletic Conference programs like Westmister and Washington & Jefferson.

Petruska was happy to snag such a potential weapon.

“Her high school coach had a lot of great things to say about her,” Petruska said. “And we definitely hit it off. There were some good vibes there. You’re only as good as the kids you recruit and we’re very fortunate to get another player from Butler County.”

Butler High graduate Maria Baroffio starred for four years at St. Vincent, finishing with 1,254 career points. Petruska, son of former Mars and current Deer Lakes girls basketball coach Dana Petruska, has been the Bearcats’ coach since early in the 2010-11 season after longtime coach Kristen Zawacki suddenly died on Christmas Day in 2010.

Petruska led St. Vincent to a 15-4 record the rest of the way and to an appearance in the NCAA Division III tournament.

The Bearcats went 19-10 last season.

Papley is looking forward to joining the program, especially coming from where she was just a year ago.

“Definitely, a lot of people doubted me,” Papley said. “I had to get a lot of things off my chest, and I think I earned some respect.”