Junior Arsema Abraha began playing basketball while growing up with her two older brothers.

“I’ve just played it for so long,” she said.

From humble beginnings — playing on the middle school CYO basketball team for St. Ignatius and practicing on the weekends with her brothers — to competing in the La Salle basketball program, Abraha said the achievement she is most proud of is making varsity this season after spending her freshman and sophomore years on junior varsity.

She originally decided to attend La Salle so she could follow the footsteps of past and current family members, including both of her brothers who are alumni and several of her cousins currently attending the school, she said.

Growing up, Abraha shared a close relationship with her older brothers.

“We used to go to the park and play basketball,” she said. “Every Saturday the whole community — our families — we all went to play soccer as kids,” she said.

Although they are much older than her, respectively 23 and 21, their close relationship inspired her to start playing basketball. 

“They always used to play, and I used to see them play, and it made me want to play,” she said.

Abraha said her favorite part about being on the basketball team at La Salle is the friendships she has made through the sport. 

According to Abraha, her closest friends are sophomore Ryan Ballou and senior Meklit Wondwossen — who are also on the team — adding that they grew closer this year after being friends in the past.

“I feel like we have really good chemistry,” she said about her team. “There’s a lot of new people on varsity and I feel like we get along really well.”

Looking ahead to the season, Abraha said her goal is to maintain “a positive attitude” and “just [keep] our heads up if we lose or are down,” she said.  

Last season, Abraha played club basketball, but now she focuses solely on high school basketball as she continues her journey on La Salle’s team.

During the season, she practices six days a week with the team and competes in games against other high schools. Without a club team in the offseason, Abraha said she stays motivated with the support of her community.

“My coaches and my friends, they motivate me,” she said, adding that her family does too.

Abraha noted how her familiarity with the sport is what’s kept her on the court. 

“I feel like I am good at it, and I’ve been playing for so long, so I feel like I should keep on going,” she said. 

Abraha currently plays shooting guard though she has played point guard in the past, with her strongest skills being shooting and dribbling, she said. She added that one challenge of her role is navigating defensive pressure. 

“Going around the defense because they’re always guarding you, like getting pressed by [defenders],” she said.

However, she remains feeling positive about her skills.

She attributes this confidence to extra shooting practice with her dad and the help of her parents, who she says are her biggest supporters.

“They take me to the gym,” she said. “My dad always takes me to basketball practice and trains [with me].” 

Outside of athletics, Abraha said her biggest challenge has been “making time for my friends and family.”

She also spends her time participating in the Black Student Union (BSU) and Cooking Club activities at La Salle.

One inspirational memory Abraha shared was listening to a motivational speaker during a BSU meeting who owned and hosted rodeos. She said he spoke about maintaining faith and optimism.

In her free time, Abraha enjoys hanging out with friends and going to the gym.. 

These hangouts often include “going to the mall and getting food,” she said. Her favorite place to eat with friends is at Chick-fil-a.

While balancing leisure, academics, and athletics can be difficult, Abraha said she stays on top of her studies by seeking help outside of school hours.

 “I usually come in the morning before school starts, or stay after school, before basketball practice to go to my teachers,” she said.

Her favorite subject in school is history. 

“I like to learn about it,” she said. “It’s just interesting to me because once I hear about it I want to know more.”

When she feels unmotivated, Abraha said she focuses on staying positive, with her motto being to “trust Jesus and have faith that you’ll get through it.”

The three most important things to Abraha are “family, friends, and God,” she said, the first being a key component in her spiritual journey.

“We go to church every Sunday and we sometimes do bible studies,” she said, adding that “praying and reading the Bible” have strengthened her faith. 

Looking ahead, Abraha said she is unsure of the career she will pursue, though she has interest in pursuing medicine. One thing she is certain of is that she will stop playing basketball after high school to pursue other interests.

Her main goal, she said, is to be successful.

“I want to be rich, make a lot of money, have fun, and help people,” she said “If I’m rich, I can help a lot of people and that gives me joy.”

Correction: Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the grade of sophomore Ryan Ballou.