It's not too often that a local girls' basketball team has a 6-foot-2 center. Even more rare is that the length is bolstered by athleticism, toughness, and an all-around skill set that makes her far from a one-dimensional inside threat.

Sherburne-Earlville junior, Lilly Berg, has cut an imposing presence on the court since she moved to the varsity level as a freshman. Berg has made steady progress the last two seasons, but her leap forward as a junior has put her among the best big girls in her league, and perhaps all of Section III.

"Every chance she gets, she's playing basketball," said S-E head varsity coach Karen Mulligan. "She has put a lot of work in during the offseason to improve her game."

Aside from her varsity basketball responsibilities, Berg is a member of elite offseason travel teams, the Utica City Rocks and the Syracuse Nets. She has matched up against a varying array of talent, and has taken those experiences into this season and ran with them.

Last week, Berg was named the Most Valuable Player of the Unadilla Valley Tournament, and most assuredly, the decision to select Berg was a no-brainer. In the opening game against Hancock, Berg had 22 points by halftime, and finished with 27 leaving in the third quarter with a minor injury. She followed that up with a 26-point night in a blowout victory over the host Storm to clinch the title victory.