Western's 5'8" shooting guard Maiya Gibson is a pure scorer. She has a strong inside game and can step outside and knock down shots from long range. She recently committed to North Carolina A&T. We had a chance to interview her shortly  after her announcement and we touched on a number of topics.

695: How old were you when you started playing ball?

Maiya: I was 6 years old when I started playing.

695: How did you get started?

Maiya: My dad took me to rec basketball at Edreco.

695: Where did you grow up?

Maiya: Randallstown, Maryland

695: Which AAU teams have you played for?

Maiya: Maryland Surehots, Fairfax Stars, Alana Beard, Boo Williams MD, and currently, Maryland Pride.

695: Who is your favorite player?

Maiya: Shoni Shimmel from Louisville.

695: What other hobbies do you have besides basketball?

Maiya: I like to read, I like to play the piano, and I like to cook.

695: What can you cook?

Maiya: Only breakfast foods. I make awesome pancakes.

695: Pancakes? Do people other than you actually eat them?

Maiya: (starts laughing) Yes they do!

695: What are your goals for your senior season?

Maiya: My goals for this high school season are just to try to win a championship with my team.

695: What do you need to add to your game for college?

Maiya:  definitely need to get stronger and faster to keep up with the speed and physicality of college basketball. I also need to work on my ball handling.

695: Talk about the recruiting process and how you chose North Carolina A&T...

Maiya: The recruiting process was stressful. I had a few other schools looking at me, and a few schools tell me they decided to stop recruiting me. I really loved A&T when I went to their elite camp and I really liked the coaching staff.

695: What are you going to major in?

Maiya: I'm going to major in sports science and fitness management.

695: What position do you like playing the most?

Maiya: I like playing shooting guard and small forward.

695: Tell me something people might not know about you...

Maiya: My parents played a huge role in my success, especially my father. And it is much appreciated. I'm glad I could make them proud.

695: What's you take on this Zimmerman trial?

Maiya: I think he's guilty but Florida's self defense laws need to be reviewed. It's not the jurors fault. He just had an awesome lawyer.

695: Tell me about a funny basketball road trip...

Maiya:  Road trips were always fun with Brianna Jacobs and her dad. We always had snacks and were always pretty cramped in the car. Especially when Brianna's sister started coming with us.

695: Thanks for your time and good luck.

Maiya: Thank you.