SPRINGFIELD - A pair of midterm exams opposed Olivia Vukosa as she sat in her hotel room mere hours before her team's first outing of the Hoophall Classic. Physics and Algebra 2/Trigonometry were the subjects in question.
She spent that morning putting the 'student' in 'student-athlete.' Yet, when the time did arrive to embrace the latter, her performance looked unbecoming of a premier prospect.
"I loved the second-half Olivia. The first-half Olivia, we were ready to put on the bus and send back to Queens," said coach Bob Mackey. "And she knows that, and the rest of (her teammates) do too."
But when the Royals returned from the locker room, the junior center rediscovered and imposed the kind of will her opposition has rarely had an answer for.
Vukosa, ranked No. 5 in the Class of 2026 per ESPN, secured MVP honors for Christ the King of New York (7-4) in its 87-75 loss to Ontario Christian of California (23-1) on Friday afternoon at Springfield College's Blake Arena. Looming over Knights and Royals alike at 6-foot-4, she racked up 25 points, nine rebounds and three assists, with the vast majority of that production coming in the second half.
"I treat it as an AAU game. I'm always there, I'm always around those people," Vukosa said. "So it just felt like another game for me, and we get to go back and play again tomorrow against a top team."
Boasting one of the nation's most polished interior skill sets for her age, the five-star recruit finished 9-for-11 from the field, including a pair of 3-pointers that hinted at her productivity from distance.
But with a slow start from its marquee two-way player, Christ the King totaled just 26 of its points before the break. Vukosa wasn't finding her spots as often and easy as she's accustomed to.
The final quarter, though, especially featured some real flashes of talent from the top-rated center in her class.
In one moment, she flew from the paint to the perimeter to intercept a pass, staying in bounds and initiating transition offense. In the waning seconds, she battled to the basket and earned the and-1 call she rarely gets considering her size.
"Our bench energy was great today, especially picked up in the second half. And I think that's what we needed the most," Vukosa said. "If we couldn't win, we knew we (were) going to make it a lot closer than it was."
The junior continues to operate as a standout for Christ the King. In the age of transfers, where top prospects seek greener pastures at private academies for a higher level of competition, she's stayed true to the Royals since her freshman campaign.
That continuity has granted Mackey the ultimate perspective on her growth. And even with his squad still in the early portion of its season, he's noticing positive adjustments.
"She's improved her coordination, both left and right side. She's not one-dimensional where all it is is just one move. She's multi-talented either side - she can shoot it, she can put it on the floor, she can get to the rim," Mackey said. "She really has matured as a young woman just finishing."
But Middle Village, New York, has been far from her sole stomping grounds. She's been active on the FIBA circuit as well, representing Croatia in the 2024 FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup and 2023 U16 Women's European Championship. The center averaged a point-rebound double-double in both events, and according to Mackey, has done the same on a regular basis for the Royals.
Sitting a couple rows back of the baseline Friday was Connecticut women's basketball coach and 11-time NCAA champion Geno Auriemma. He's one of several to have already extended a Division I offer to Vukosa, looking to bring a talented big into his equation for the 2026-2027 season and beyond.
"They play inside and out, and I feel like with Geno, I can be comfortable going outside and inside, and it won't be a problem for him," Vukosa said. "Obviously I have to be able to get down low, but if needed, I can shoot a 3 for him too."
Auriemma has been in Mackey's ear throughout the process.
Even with college ball still a couple years away for the still-developing junior, Vukosa's coach anticipates hearing from the Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer - this time for an uncommon reason.
"I'm sure I'll get a call from coach Auriemma about, 'what did you say before the game that put (the Royals) to sleep?'," Mackey said. "It'll be something of that nature."