SPOKANE, Wash. - Zeryhia Aokuso attacks the court with intensity, but behind her competitive fire is something far more personal: her family.

"My family is probably one of the main things that drives me," Aokuso said. "They do so much for me, the best I can do is just give back to them by performing my best."

Her foundation comes from the values her family taught her and the pride she carries in her Samoan culture.

"Being Samoan is definitely something I'm proud of," she said. "There's not very many Polynesian women who do play basketball, just being one of the many few means a lot to me."

Her Samoan heritage is etched into her skin through a tattoo that symbolizes her identity and who she represents every time she steps onto the court.

"Honestly, every time I see it, feel it, or I se

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