Sisterhood Fueled Hardwood Success for HP Senior Guard

As the second of three siblings, Lila Collins learned from one and is mentoring another

If it wasn’t for her older sister, Lila Collins isn’t sure she’d even be playing basketball in the first place.

Family ties run deep in the Highland Park girls program, linking the passions of former Lady Scots standout Charlotte Collins with Lila and their younger sister, Brady.

“I grew up watching my older sister play and that’s where I got my love of basketball from,” Lila Collins said. “It’s kind of ingrained in us at this point.”

She was able to play alongside Charlotte, who graduated in 2023, for two years with the Lady Scots and also on the same select team during the summer.

“We had a huge rivalry because we would always play and practice against one another,” Lila said. “Charlotte helped me grow and she taught me. Now I help Brady grow.”

That’s part of her responsibility as a senior captain, the same role Charlotte had during her final year at HP. Lila also is a valuable contributor as a quick-footed guard.

“We’ve seen so much growth with her leadership and her voice within the team,” said HP head coach Todd Monsey. “Lila has such a high basketball IQ.”

Lila recalls not playing much during her freshman and sophomore years, but cherishes the memories because of the leadership she learned from Charlotte. Now she hopes to pay that forward to Brady, who has future captain aspirations of her own.

“I just followed them,” said Brady, a sophomore who has played primarily on the junior-varsity squad this season. “Seeing them always play, it was convenient.”

The Collins sisters are one of two sibling pairs in the HP basketball program. Junior forward Avery Sambrano’s younger sister, Olivia, is playing at the freshman level.

The Lady Scots endured an up-and-down nondistrict portion of their schedule while facing elite competition at tournaments in Allen and Georgetown. They hope that experience will pay off while chasing a postseason berth in a challenging District 12-5A.

Monsey said that Lila and Brady often challenge one another and communicate in practice in a mutually beneficial way that pushes each of them to improve.

“That really establishes what we want as a program,” he said, “that we can compete with each other and make each other better.”