NYLA ALLEN NAMED TOP 10 PLAYER IN THE COUNTRY

"JAMESTOWN, N.C. — When Nyla Allen entered her final season playing basketball for Guilford Technical Community College, she did so with focus and drive. That summer, she worked out every day so that, in her words, she “could come out with a bang.” And she did.

This season, Allen racked up a number of accolades including NJCAA Region X Player of the Year and NJCAA Division II Player of the Week. And most recently, she capped off the season with the title 2014-2015 NJCAA Division II First Team All-American. In other words, she’s one of the top 10 players in the country. The distinguished title was not only a first for Allen, but also the college. 

 “I didn’t come here saying I want to be Player of the Year; it came to me,” said Allen, a forward from Greensboro. “I had intentions on doing everything right as a player — and as myself — and do whatever coach needed me to do. All of it came as a surprise, but I worked hard for it.”

It’s been an incredible season for the Titans as they claimed the NJCAA Region X Carolina-Virginia Regular Season Conference Championship and the NJCAA Division II Region X Tournament. They also made history when they advanced to the NJCAA National Tournament — a first for the team. The Titans finished the season with an overall record of 28-5.

“It’s been an amazing experience just to be a part of everything that we’ve been through -- and created even,” Allen said. “This has been a great two years at GTCC for me.”

Allen says she’s grown not only as a basketball player but also as a person. She credits Head Coach Bobby Alison for helping her progress, mature and make good decisions in her life – and on the court. Coming into her first season, she says she lacked control on the court, but with good coaching and structure, she says she learned to slow down and be effective. Allen was the leading scorer for the Titans, averaging 15.8 points and 12.5 rebounds per game.

“I’ve let basketball come to me and let the game be more natural,” she said. “I just love basketball. I’ve learned from some things. It’s taught me to make better decisions.”

Allen is a native of East Orange., N.J. She attended Ben L. Smith High School in Greensboro, where she also played basketball. She plans to attend the University of North Carolina at Pembroke on a full basketball scholarship and major in biology.

Guilford Technical Community College is the third largest of 58 institutions in the North Carolina Community College System. GTCC serves more than 40,000 students annually from five campuses and a Small Business Center. Learn more at www.gtcc.edu."

- A Press Release