PLAYER OF THE YEAR : Greco Points Toward Bright Future

Michelle Greco dreams of playing professional basketball.

But never in her wildest fantasy did Greco, a 5-foot-9 junior forward for Crescenta Valley High, envision herself scoring 54 points in a state playoff game.

“I don’t know, it just didn’t seem like I scored 54,” Greco said. “I guess you could say it’s all been overwhelming.”

Greco, The Times’ Valley player of the year, established a school single-game scoring record against Porterville Monache. The following day, she strolled into school and all but received a standing ovation.

“A friend of mine gave me flowers and people from the administration were coming up to me,” Greco said. “I got to my classes and my teachers all knew about it and the principal announced it over the loudspeaker.

“It’s a really good feeling to have everybody looking at you and smiling.”

Greco should be accustomed to making fans smile. As a freshman and a sophomore, she was selected Cal-Hi Sports’ state player of the year in her class.

This season, Greco averaged 24.6 points, 11.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists while leading the Falcons (29-4) to the Pacific League title and the Southern California Regional Division I semifinals against Crenshaw.

But even for Greco, this season’s stretch run seemed improbable.

Before topping the 50-point plateau, she had averaged 34 points through five playoff games. Against Crenshaw, which moved multiple bodies in Greco’s direction whenever she touched the ball, she still managed to score 19 points.

“She is the best player I’ve ever coached,” Crescenta Valley Coach Marc Ward said. “She can create so many things.”

That might include her own destiny.

Greco next season figures to be among the state’s most highly recruited players. But she has all but declared herself for UCLA.

“I’d really like to go to UCLA,” Greco said. “That would be my first choice.”

From there, Greco aspires to suit up in the fledgling Women’s National Basketball Assn.

“I really do,” she said. “After college, I cannot imagine anything better than playing in the Women’s NBA.”