After being forced to step away from the game last season by an injury, junior point guard Aaliyah Flores rediscovered something essential about herself for St. Laurence.

Flores missed her entire sophomore year recovering from a torn meniscus, taking away her joy — like the sound that her shoes make on the court or the sensation of the basketball in her hands.

“I missed everything,” Flores said. “Being out there with my team, the energy on the court. I missed all of it. Honestly, the confidence I had in myself and my teammates really helped.

“The moment I stepped back in, it was comforting. My coach also made the transition way easier than I expected.”

The 5-foot-10 made things look easy Thursday night, coming up with eight points, four rebounds, four steals and two assists for the Vikings in a 67-15 nonconference win at Hancock in Chicago.

Senior guard Ciyah Thomas scored 12 of her game-high 16 points in the first quarter and senior forward Emma Raftery added 10 points for St. Laurence (5-5).

St. Laurence’s Aaliyah Flores (0) drives to basket past Hancock’s Roselyn Padilla (10) during a nonconference game in Chicago on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (Steve Johnston / Daily Southtown)

Thomas is in her first year with the Vikings after playing last season in Hammond, Indiana. Thomas and Flores have known each other since they started in basketball together at age 5.

As part of her comeback story, Flores is averaging 14.5 points a game. She balances excellent size with prototypical vision, athleticism and the ability to create or finish for the Vikings.

“Aaliyah is very athletic and explosive,” Thomas said. “She has great moves, scores a lot and is a really good team player. I love playing with her. We’ve been teammates for a long time.

“As a person, she’s very funny and kind. She’s laid back but also goofy, which balances out really well. She has a great sense of humor, and she’s a great friend.”

St. Laurence’s Ciyah Thomas (21) celebrates with Aaliyah Flores (0) after a basket against Hancock during a nonconference game in Chicago on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (Steve Johnston / Daily Southtown)

St. Laurence coach Claire Austin is in her third season directing the program, overlapping with the arrival of Flores as a precocious freshman. Flores’ absence last winter left a clear void.

“It was tough,” Austin said. “I talked about it a lot last season, and now it’s the best feeling in the world to be talking about Aaliyah being on the floor instead of wondering what might have been.

“She has so many ways to score around the rim. Since returning from injury, we’ve emphasized her presence in the post. She’s learned how to create for herself and for her teammates.”

Her older brother, Jacob, was Flores’ earliest inspiration and helped shape her passion for the game.

St. Laurence’s Elle Rice (12) puts up a shot against Hancock’s Nina Olvera (4) during a nonconference game in Chicago on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (Steve Johnston / Daily Southtown)

“The moment I saw him play, I fell in love with the game,” Aaliyah said. “I started playing when I was about 4 years old, basically as soon as I could walk.

“My favorite part of basketball is everything — meeting new people, scoring, just about all of it.”

If Flores shows off a particular flair and style in the open floor, her creativity and flavor have a natural connection to her love of baking, which is her favorite activity off the court.

“When I was younger, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen with my grandma, baking at her house,” she said. “We’d make cakes, cookies, brownies, and that just became part of my life.

“My favorite thing to bake is simple chocolate chip cookies.”

St. Laurence’s Aaliyah Flores (0) converts a layup against Hancock during a nonconference game in Chicago on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (Steve Johnston / Daily Southtown)

Now, she’s cooking up her own recipe for success, diversifying her game by playing off the ball while basking in a triumphant return. In the process, she has her groove back.

The comeback has also opened up her college recruiting, with an offer from Delaware State.

“Defensively, I want to step it up all around by rebounding, getting stops, creating steals,” Flores  said. “I want to make a bigger impact on that end.”

“I think I’ve played pretty well so far this year, but there’s always room for improvement.”

Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/19/aaliyah-flores-st-laurence-hancock-ihsa-girls-basketball/