However, Alcorn's climb to a highly skilled player was not easy.
"It was hard just to come out for the team. We had a new coach, and the drills she had were crazy," Alcorn said. "I couldn't do most of them. It was frustrating. There were a lot of times I thought maybe I had made a mistake coming out for basketball, but I loved playing. I had to work pretty hard because I was not that good, but I even enjoyed just watching my teammates play. I knew I couldn't quit."
Mason wouldn't have let her. The coach and player are somewhat of an odd couple - and not just because Alcorn is much taller. Alcorn is quiet and seldom shows emotion on the court. Mason is outgoing and doesn't mind going nose-to-nose with a player or official.
"I am the quiet type, but she's not. We are like opposites," Alcorn said. "She can yell a lot. In the games when I am not doing too well, she will get in my face. But that doesn't bother me. I got used to it and I also learned that she doesn't mean anything bad.
"People sometimes judge her without knowing her. All they see on the court is her yelling in our face. But off the court she is so nice. She has great patience with me. She has helped me with so many things. I am really going to miss her a lot."
Will miss her
The feeling is mutual.
"What I love about Tori is that she is the same no matter what goes on around her. She never gets too emotional or too down about anything," Mason said. "Every single kid in our school adores Tori because she treats everyone with respect.
"I know I will miss her more than anyone, though, because she is like a daughter to me. She has taken all the coaching over the last four years and never questioned or balked on anything I asked her to do. That is they type of player that I love coaching and being around daily."
Mason says Boyle's returning players next year will miss Alcorn, too. Most teams this year made stopping Alcorn inside a priority. That created easier scoring opportunities for Boyle's perimeter players that may not be available next season. "She draws so much attention from the defense. Our players should buy her lunch every day for taking the pressure off of them on the offensive and defensive end," Mason said. "Not only that, but she is the only one on our team that is old enough to drive. She has to be a leader of a bunch of young kids and has handled it with pride."
She's also handled it well enough to help the Rebels overcome a so-so start and earn the No. 1 seed in the 45th District. Boyle will play the Danville in Monday's semifinals.
"I think we have a good chance to win the region," Alcorn said. "If we just rebound and play like we can, we can win it all. That puts some pressure on me. I want to get the ball a lot. I have to hit my shots and rebound for us to win.
"This is my senior year. It really doesn't matter to me if I score or not. I just want to help the team win."
Key to postseason
Mason says Alcorn is the key to her team's postseason chances.
"She has to stay out of foul trouble and stay on the floor for us to be successful. When she is in the game teams are more than likely going to have to double team her, which makes it easier for our perimeter players to do well," Mason said.
Whenever her prep career ends, Mason says Alcorn will have a chance to play in college
"How well she does in the postseason may determine at what level she is going to play," Mason said. " I think she will be a great project for some college and only get better as the years go along. I know I would love to have her on my team.
"She has improved more than any kid I have been associated with in a four-year span. However, this year she has improved most in her aggressiveness on the offensive end and in finishing her shots."
Alcorn knows that will have to continue in college.
"I wasn't confident shooting the ball before, but now when I get the ball, I am ready to shoot and score. I don't wait around," Alcorn said. "In college, I will have to be more aggressive because the girls will be bigger and stronger."
She also knows she might have to develop a mean streak.
"There are a bunch of teams that push and shove me or grab my jersey. But not much bothers me or makes me want to fight back," Alcorn said.
Mason says that's just Alcorn.
"She's a great kid. As much as I'll miss having her as a player, I'll miss just being around her even more," Mason said. "Some players you don't miss, but she's one I'll miss for a long, long time."
