Nyajuacni Riak is a 6’2 freshman guard for Madison’s LaFollette High School girls’ basketball team. Riak, who is ranked by ESPN among the best players in the nation, burst onto the high school scene with a 48-point game against Madison East High School last fall.
Riak is coached by Mentoring Positives founder Will Green, who has been the head coach of the La Follette girls varsity program since 2016.
Green said he’s received calls from UCLA and the University of Minnesota regarding Riak, who has also received scholarship offers from Iowa State and Alabama, to name a few.
Riak sat down with Madison365 for an interview about the season and her goals heading into 10th grade.
Madison365: What was your favorite part of the season?
Nyajuacni Riak: Probably when we played Janesville Craig at Craig. We were down by 20 at the half and we came back and won by two. It was a crazy environment, too. The student section was crazy with people yelling stuff. Their program is crazy.
That was my first time coming back from my knee injury. So I was focusing on not doing too much and not too little.
M365: Speaking of that injury, what was the first time you felt like you were back to 100% and didn’t need to worry about it anymore?
NR: Probably when we played East at home. That’s when I really stopped worrying about it. I felt like I could get off the ground quicker and stuff.
Coach Green: And that East game is always a rival game. Her first game she got 48 points against East. So, those games are just crazy.
M365: What’s it like scoring that many points in a game? Do you feel like just going along with the flow of the game? Are you telling everyone to get out of your way?
NR: I was just nervous like I wasn’t going to play well. Like, there’s just so many people in the gym. I remember warming up and I could barely hear the music. I couldn’t even hear myself talking at a point in time during the middle of the game. And then, when I realized I scored that many points at the end, I was shocked.
I didn’t even know how many I scored. I thought I was at like 18-20 points. I found out I had 48.
M365: How do you follow that up? Were you like “this is the standard now”? Or was that a one-time thing?
NR: I felt like I could have done it again or gotten even more. There were games I could have. There were games where I had 38 and felt like I could have had 46 or 47. I feel like just averaging more than 20 points per game was my goal.
I was competing against my brother to see who was averaging more. So, in that first game (where she had 48) I had to let him know that I’m coming like that.
M365: So you feel like it’s just easy out there and the competition you’re facing is not ready for you?
A: Some games are easier than others. Mainly, the first time we played teams it was really easy. But the second time, I feel like they started to watch me more and stuff. So double teams started coming and then triple teams.
M365: What is it like being the best player on the team as a freshman? Do you feel like people are ready to pass you that torch and be supportive, or are people unsupportive?
NR: Some are and some aren’t. That’s just how it is. But the people that are supportive are the only people that I need.
M365: What is your focus going into next year? What is summer going to be like?
NR: I’m playing AAU. I’m playing with a different coach and I feel like he’s going to push me and show me little things I could work on, especially defensively.
M365: Are scouts and coaches looking to reach out to you saying they love your game and wishing you would come to their college? What’s that scene like?
NR: In the middle of the season, some reach out here and there. But it’s mainly during AAU and when March Madness is over when they start to come to tournaments and show interest. They’ll talk to my coach.
M365: Any early thoughts about where you’d want to go to college?
NR: I don’t know where yet. I’ll know by my junior year, maybe early senior year.
M365: Any programs you’re particularly a fan of?
NR: Any program that has a crowd and, like, is hype. I hate programs that are quiet and are just boring and have no energy.
M365: What did you learn the most this year?
NR: That if my energy is down it affects everyone else’s. I have to always stay energetic and always see the court.
M365: Who inspired you growing up, either as a player or a person?
NR: Probably my sisters and my brothers. I remember watching my brothers play and I thought it was fun. They were competing a lot, too. And then I remember my sister had her senior night and I couldn’t go and I was so mad. I just always wanted to play.
I just feel like if you don’t want to win, why are you playing?
