By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

When it comes to basketball, there never really is an off-season for Sydney Abbuhl.

Pick a month and a ball is probably in the hands of the Streetsboro senior shooting guard.

Not because of a hyper-structured schedule of games and training sessions, though, like so many coaches feel required to arrange to keep players engaged.

Instead, Abbuhl just always took herself to the game.

Backyard battles with her older, taller brother.

Summer days filled with hours of knockout and pickup games.

“I think back to those days, and I realize now that I was learning the game without even knowing it,” Abbuhl said.

And it certainly shows.

The 5-foot-7 standout has emerged as one of the most complete players in the county, with the ability to impact a game in a variety of ways.

It hasn’t always been that way.

One season at a time, Abbuhl slowly began to build her game out, moving from a player that was rostered on the “B” team as a youth to becoming a three-year varsity starter.

“I have just always loved the game,” Abbuhl said. “I kind of feel like even through my sixth grade year, I wasn’t too sure what I was doing out there. Sometimes it felt like I was just running up and down the court, but by my eighth grade year, I remember things started to click for me on the court. The game slowed down, I felt more confident and the game felt different.”

Even when the game presented challenges to her during her youth seasons, Abbuhl never reacted with discouragement or frustration.

She stuck with the game she loved and the results have been historic.

The Rockets are in the midst of the best four years of girls basketball in school history.

With at least 13 games still remaining in the 2024-25 season, the current group of Streetsboro seniors have won 67 games (and counting).

The group also won the program’s first-ever league championship a year ago before running through the tournament for a district title and regional runner-up finish.

Senior forward and University of Illinois commit Naomi Benson is at the center of the success, but the team’s core works as one unit for its success, with contributing players like Carlee Bedford, Olivia Johnson-Wilson, Raegan Hendon, Ava Bodovetz and Abbuhl.

“Sydney has a complete offensive skill-set,” Streetsboro head coach Carl Singer said. “She handles it well and can make plays off the dribble and shoots it at a very high percentage.

“Syd could probably go out and get us 20 points in a lot of games, but she knows what we need her to do and embraces it for the team,” Singer added. “We have been pushing her every year to be a better defender, and she continues to improve. She is currently one of the team leaders in steals and is doing a good job rebounding, as well.

“Sydney is one of the most coachable players we have had in the program. She doesn’t complain, always listens to what her coaches tell her, and is a great teammate.”

On the season, Abbuhl is averaging 10.5 points and 3.0 assists per game. She is also among Portage County leaders in field goals, free throws and steals.

Numbers that validate her talent on the court, but it is possible that Abbuhl’s greatest skill is actually her unshakeable attitude regardless of the opponent, situation or level of pressure the game may exude onto others.

Abbuhl will always be her calm self and Singer and her teammates know it.

“Where most teenagers wear their emotions on their sleeve, Syd almost always has the same demeanor,” Singer said. “Her ability to not let her emotions influence her play comes up big in pressure situations and helps keep her teammates at ease.”