Kiya Dorroh played a lot of different sports and activities as a child, but fell in love with basketball after joining her older sister at a practice.
It didn鈥檛 take long for others to notice.
鈥淧robably about fifth grade 鈥� she had been training with her older sister and it was one of those things where she had a good game with YMCA and we鈥檙e thinking 鈥榳e might have something here,鈥欌€� Kiya鈥檚 father, Sherard, said. 鈥淎nd then she started growing like crazy and her skill set stayed, so we鈥檙e thinking 鈥極K, we might do something.鈥欌€�
Dorroh, 15, received her first Division I scholarship offer 鈥� to Texas-Rio Grande Valley 鈥� as a sixth grader.
Tanque Verde High School鈥檚 6-foot-1-inch freshman, now holds offers from national powerhouse Tennessee as well as 蜜柚直播, 蜜柚直播 State, Cal, USC, Washington and Washington State.
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Dorroh is averaging 15 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.4 steals and 1.6 assists in 17 games.
She scored 14 points in last week鈥檚 50-39 win over rival Sabino at home.
鈥淢y main goal is to make it to the WNBA and be successful,鈥� Dorroh said. 鈥淪o I鈥檒l do whatever it takes, and I have amazing people to help me get there.鈥�
The decision to put 蜜柚直播鈥檚 best women鈥檚 basketball prospect at a Class 3A school with an enrollment of around 600 students was, the Dorrohs said, fairly easy.
Dorroh鈥檚 older sister, Brianna Pitre, starred at Sabino and now plays at UTRGV 鈥� the same school that offered Kiya when she was in sixth grade. The Dorrohs watched the Sabercats cycle through coaching changes before deciding to send Kiya to Tanque Verde. The Hawks had a breakthrough 2017 season, going 23-5 and earning the No. 14 seed in the Class 3A state playoffs. Tanque Verde lost to Chinle in the second round.
While it鈥檚 not uncommon for the Hawks to have a freshman on the varsity squad, Sherard Dorroh said he鈥檚 still amazed by his daughter鈥檚 success.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always a surprise because you never know how it鈥檚 going to be,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e were very grateful that she made the team as a freshman.鈥�
Kiya Dorroh primarily plays guard, but can be moved to any position if needed. Conditioning was initially a concern because of Dorroh鈥檚 age, but 鈥渟he can go the whole game,鈥� Tanque Verde coach Michael Edwards said.
鈥淎nd when you鈥檙e considered one of the better players on the team, you shouldn鈥檛 have to come out,鈥� he said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 done a real good job of getting better with her conditioning, eating habits, physicality, working out, the running aspect.鈥�
Dorroh and her family say they haven鈥檛 thought too much about college. There鈥檚 time 鈥� three more years 鈥� for that.
鈥淭he expectation for her is to just get better and just go out there and become the best player that she can be,鈥� Sherard Dorroh said. 鈥淚f she鈥檚 able to be fortunate to play college basketball 鈥� great. We want to make sure that she gets the best education. That鈥檚 the most important thing.鈥�