Regents guard Analisa Taylor keeps it real with basketball, family and playing guitar
All about Analisa: Her baseline is her family
If you had a plane ticket to travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I would probably go to Spain and visit this little town called Esquedas. I would go because that's my mom's last name, without the "s." I'd like to find out more about my heritage and explore Spain.
Share something about you that most people don't know.
I like to play the guitar. It's very calming, and I've been playing instruments my whole life. I play piano also, but I like to play the guitar a lot more because I like the way it sounds. I like to learn songs that I listen to on the radio.
What is your favorite sound?
I like the sound of a crowd cheering, but maybe my favorite sound is putting ornaments on a Christmas tree. The holidays are so special, and I like decorating with my family. We have little jingle bell ornaments.
What is your favorite meal?
It's the chicken Alfredo that my grandma makes. She lives in Killeen. Every time we visit, she makes it because she knows it's my favorite.
Visualizing goals keeps Analisa's game in perfect focus
Do you have any game-day rituals?
Before the game I like to visualize goals and things I want to accomplish. Whether it's a new move I learned in practice or shooting the ball more, I like to visualize myself doing these things. And I try to be encouraging with my body language or communication.
What has been your favorite basketball memory at Regents?
It was this year when we won our first home game. After we won, we were so excited and celebrating, and everyone around us was celebrating. The next day people were congratulating us in the halls, and we could feel their support. We had been having a rough season, and we're rebuilding and haven't won as many games as we'd like to have won.
Has basketball taught you any lessons you apply to daily living?
Basketball has taught me to persevere and never give up. It's also taught me patience, on and off the court. And also communication, which is important to me.
What do you like most about basketball?
I like being able to grow and see my growth over the season, and I also like my coaches, mainly Emmanuel Tiluscar, who motivated me to be my best self. He's been my trainer and coach.
Dream dinner: Paul McCartney, Jesus just let it be
If you could have dinner with any four people in the history of the world, who would they be?
I'm going to choose Paul McCartney, Jesus and my (paternal) grandparents. I'd also like to invite Henrietta Lacks (whose cancer cells are the source of the HeLa cell line, the first immortalized human cell line).
What do you think Paul and Jesus would talk about?
That's a difficult question. They would have a conversation on how (Paul) grew in his life and his devotion to music and persevering.
Faces off the field interviews
Other Central Texas girls basketball players we've interviewed this season: Georgetown G Caroline Rutledge, Hendrickson G Niyah Waters, Pflugerville C Jem Yowa, Bowie G Micah Walton, Lake Travis G Taya Bussinger.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Faces off the field: Analisa Taylor, guard, Regents basketball
