This weekend will be a full-circle moment for UConn sophomore Kayleigh Heckel and her family.
Her parents, Donna and Walter, were both athletes at St. John’s, but they will have to leave their red-and-black garb at home Sunday when their alma mater hosts No. 1 UConn at Madison Square Garden.
Heckel, who’s from Westchester County, didn’t attend many games at MSG growing up. But, of course, she’s dreamed of what it would be like to play in an iconic arena that’s been the site of so much history.
“It’ll be really cool, especially just growing up watching the NBA playoffs and just seeing the energy that comes when you play there,” Heckel told The Post. “You always see the celebrities courtside. It’s just a different kind of energy, especially just being in New York. Everyone comes to watch games that are played there so I think the energy is going to be really high.”
She anticipates having a “good amount” of family and friends there. She’s already scrounged up as many of her teammates’ unused tickets as possible.
She’ll probably allow herself a moment to soak in the theater-like atmosphere at MSG.
She’ll think about the greats who walked the hallways before her.
These are the types of games Heckel dreamed of playing when she was trying to cook her brothers in the family’s driveway outside their Port Chester, New York, home.
Those Heckel family battles were epic and they shaped her into the tough, scrappy guard she is today.
Heckel would team up with her dad to take on her two older brothers, Corey and Tyler, outside their home. Her dad would defer to his daughter to shoot and help hound her brothers on defense.
Heckel described those games as “physical.” Scraped knees, high emotions and, sometimes, tears would come from the back-and-forth, trash talk-riddled duels.
She gradually got better. The games got closer and more competitive.
“They’re really good, too,” she said of her brothers, who played in high school. “They’re not going to just let me do whatever, so they’re very physical when we play and they get their shots and stuff, so it’s always a close game, but I’d say that I win mostly.”
Heckel emerged as a five-star prospect in high school. She developed a reputation for her speed, court vision and elite scoring ability. She finished her career at Long Island Lutheran with more than 2,400 points and 500 assists.
During the college recruitment process, Heckel felt a pull toward USC. The visit to the Southern California campus lined with palm trees and showered with sun was intoxicating. It was very different from New York.
“When I was on my visit, I felt like that’s where I needed to be,” Heckel recalled.
She spent last season suiting up for the Trojans, appearing in 34 games and cracking the starting lineup seven times. She averaged 6.1 points, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game.
But after USC’s Elite Eight appearance, Heckel entered the transfer portal and started to entertain other options.
UConn called. It felt like a no-brainer for Heckel, who grew up admiring Sue Bird’s game.
“It didn’t end up working out [at USC], and I feel like I’m where I need to be now,” Heckel said.
Heckel said she had a “great experience” at USC and keeps in contact with some of her teammates who became good friends. But she wanted a fresh start. She wanted to go to a place that would help her develop her overall game. Being closer to home was an added bonus.
Heckel felt like the culture fit at UConn was the easy part of her transition. She said she’s a good team player who roots for the success of those around her.
But she’s been challenged to find ways to impact the game more without the ball in her hands. She’s learned to make those timely cuts and move in order to collapse or break a defense.
In 30 games, Heckel’s stats are up across the board. She’s averaging 6.8 points on 54.8 percent shooting along with 2.9 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 1.5 steals.
She got to witness her idol, Bird, have her No. 10 jersey raised into the Gampel Pavilion rafters.
She also gets to spend more time with her family, who tries to attend as many of her games as possible. When they can’t come, Heckel’s first postgame call is to her mom. Her brothers, if they’re around, sometimes chime in to offer their unsolicited feedback on her game.
She wouldn’t have it any other way.
Heckel returns home to New York for the second time this season Sunday, and UConn has the chance to tie a bow on its perfect season with a win in the World’s Most Famous Arena.
“It’s really cool to just play in an arena like that,” Heckel said. “I’m excited and, of course, it’s in New York, so that makes it a lot better.”