Paul VI’s Hannah Hidalgo reflects on a month in the spotlight: ‘The women’s game is really changing’

Hannah Hidalgo isn’t new to playing on a national stage. In fact, the Paul VI guard flourishes on them. But before she takes the floor, there’s times where the nerves start creeping in.

That’s when she’ll recall the Bible verse Philippians 4:6. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God,” it reads.

“I’m always praying,” Hidalgo, the nation’s No. 5 recruit, told The Inquirer on Tuesday. “Any time I feel like I’m getting nervous, I’m getting a little anxious, I’ve always just put my headphones in and listened to gospel music and just asked God to give me peace.”

The Notre Dame signee spent the last month bouncing from state to state, competing against some of the top high school basketball players in the nation. Along the way, she’s experienced new things and met people who’ve achieved the dream she is chasing: getting drafted by a WNBA team.

It started in Houston at the McDonald’s All American game. Hidalgo finished with 26 points for the East team and was named co-MVP of the game. But her biggest takeaway wasn’t her own performance.

Besides connecting with future teammate Emma Risch, a five-star guard from Melbourne, Fla., Hidalgo also met Los Angeles Sparks star forward Nneka Ogwumike.

Ogwumike, who was selected No. 1 overall in the 2012 WNBA draft, spoke to the All-Americans about taking advantage of their name, image, and likeness and how to better understand endorsement deals.

Hidalgo also visited a Ronald McDonald House in Houston, which provides housing for families whose children are seriously ill and being treated in local hospitals. The visit allowed Hidalgo to reflect on her appreciation for life.

» READ MORE: Hannah Hidalgo sets scoring record, named co-MVP of McDonald’s All American girls’ game

“The kids were just so happy,” Hidalgo said. “They’re painting, and they’re coloring. … There’s a lot of people who would love to be in my position and don’t have that opportunity. Those kids were still able to put a smile on their face.”

Hidalgo extended her trip in Texas with a visit to Dallas, where she watched a public shootaround leading up to the women’s Final Four.

Hidalgo was traveling back to New Jersey during the game, but she tuned in for the championship and watched LSU beat Iowa, 102-85, in the most-viewed NCAA women’s tournament game since UConn won the title in 2002.

“The women’s game is really changing,” Hidalgo said. “The crowd attendance was just through the roof. The game is really starting to go up, and this is honestly just great to be involved and know that the next generation of players will bring in more and more fans.”

There wasn’t much downtime once Hidalgo was back home. She had a day before leaving for Portland, Ore., to compete in the Nike Hoop Summit, which featured a women’s game for the first time, with USA Basketball on April 8.

Hidalgo was in Oregon alongside fellow locals Imhotep’s Justin Edwards and Camden’s DJ Wagner and also reconnected with Sue Phillips, the head girls’ basketball coach at Archbishop Mitty High School in California.

Phillips was Hidalgo’s coach while she competed in the FIBA U17 Women’s Basketball World Cup this past summer. Hidalgo, who finished with 13 points, 8 assists, and five steals against Team World, felt prepared since she was familiar with the system.

“I kind of knew what she wanted and how she wanted me to run the team,” Hidalgo said. “I felt like in that aspect, I was a lot more prepared than when I first played with her.”

» READ MORE: New Notre Dame men’s basketball coach Micah Shrewsberry shouts out South Jersey’s Hannah Hidalgo

There’s a few more tournaments Hidalgo will compete in before moving to Indiana in June to start her college career under coach Niele Ivey. In the meantime, she’s at the gym most days with her dad and high school coach, Orlando Hidalgo, and her younger brother, Judah Hidalgo, a sophomore at Paul VI.

Though she’s tried soaking in her final moments of high school, Hidalgo can’t help but keep working toward her long-term vision.

“The whole goal is for me to go to four years of college, get my degree, then go to the WNBA,” Hidalgo said. “That’s been it.”