Girls basketball preview: Ranking the 5A SIC’s top teams, contenders and dark horses
Change has come to 5A Southern Idaho Conference girls basketball courtesy of Idaho’s reclassification cycle.
Middleton and Nampa are in, Skyview is out. But for all the reshuffling, the pecking order remains largely the same.
Boise and Timberline came out on top of the preseason coaches’ poll conducted by the Idaho Statesman. But the Southern Idaho Conference remains Idaho’s toughest league, and a host of upstarts all have their eyes on ending the Boise and Timberline stranglehold.
We examined each team, their top players and their chances with the conference schedule about to start. Teams are listed in their order of finish in the preseason poll.
1. BOISE BRAVE
Last season: 21-4, 13-3 5A SIC
Coach: Kim Brydges, 18th season
Players to watch: Avery Howell, jr., F; Kaity Haan, so., G/F; Avery Patricco, so., PG; Alison Turcke, so., G
Only 15 seconds separated Boise from sweeping the district and state titles last season. Now a loaded squad returns looking to bring back more hardware.
Boise enters as the heavy favorite in the 5A SIC, receiving nine of 13 first-place votes in a preseason poll. And it’s not hard to see why with Howell — a first-team All-Idaho pick who averaged a double-double (10.2 points, 12.1 rebounds) and owns a host of Division I offers — back and leading the way.
She’ll headline an up-tempo team that plans to take advantage of the new shot clock, Brydges said. Haan gives Boise another 6-foot versatile weapon after foot surgery sidelined her most of her freshman season. And Patricco (4.4 points, 43% 3-point shooter) and Turcke (2.2 ppg) also return after playing key roles on last year’s decorated team.
Brydges noted the Brave won’t have a traditional rim protector like in recent years. But they’ll make up for it with a deep lineup to press teams and wear them down before they can get the ball into the paint.
2. TIMBERLINE WOLVES
Last season: 25-2, 16-0 5A SIC
Coach: Andy Jones, fifth season
Players to watch: Lauren McCall, sr., PG; Kailey Huegerich, sr., SF; Piper Davis, sr., SG; Aly Cox, jr., P
The Wolves lost a pair of Division I players to graduation. But don’t feel sorry for the reigning state champs. They still have plenty of talent to defend their crown.
McCall (5.7 ppg, 4.0 assists) gives Timberline another future Division I player. She signed with San Diego earlier this month, and the reigning four-time state track champ will step into a leadership role after getting overshadowed a year ago.
She’ll have plenty of talent around her with three four-year varsity players and another three-year varsity member of the roster, including the 6-1 Cox (5.6 ppg, 4.6 rebounds) and Huegerich (4.1 ppg, 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists).
Jones said all that experience allows the Wolves to dial up a litany of plays on offense and defense. But he cautioned that Timberline lost a lot of scoring and rebounding with the graduation of Sophie Glancey and Audrey Taylor. So all that experienced talent will need to grow into new roles, which may take time.
3. OWYHEE STORM
Last season: 14-13, 9-7 5A SIC
Coach: Jordan Ax, second season
Players to watch: Sydnie Rodriguez, jr., G; Josie Davis, so., G; Mikale Roy, so., P; Emma Atchley, sr., G
Owyhee fell one win shy of making state in its first season. Now the Storm return loaded and ready to contend for hardware.
Five starters return from a young squad that grew into a threat by the end of last season. And Owyhee received a boost with the transfer of Rodriguez (16.3 ppg, 7.9 rebounds) from Borah. She was a first-team all-conference pick and holds offers from a host of WAC and West Coast Conference schools.
She joins an offense that will push the pace with proven scorers like Davis (9.3 ppg), Roy (9.9 ppg) and Atchley (9.8 ppg). Ax said the Storm will have to get stronger and tougher to finish in the lane against the state’s true powers. But with another year of development under its belt, the sky is the limit for Owyhee.
4. EAGLE MUSTANGS
Last season: 11-14, 8-8 5A SIC
Coach: Jeremy Munroe, second season
Players to watch: Paige Cofer, jr., G; Molly Johnson, jr., G; Kylan Wallace, sr., G; Emily Rasmussen, sr., G
Back-to-back losing seasons and Februarys watching the state tournament from the stands make the Mustangs a dark horse. But with the height and speed to match up with the league’s big and small teams, Eagle starts as a favorite for a state berth.
The 5-11 Cofer leads the group as a reigning second-team all-conference pick. She led Eagle in scoring (12.0 ppg) and steals (1.7) last year, and she committed to Division I Utah Tech in October. She’ll have plenty of help with Johnson back to run the point and Rasmussen returning from an ACL injury. But Munroe said the Mustangs will have to become more consistent and develop a killer instinct to vault back up the standings.
5. ROCKY MOUNTAIN GRIZZLIES
Last season: 12-15, 7-9 5A SIC
Coach: BJ Humphreys, fourth season
Players to watch: Cianna LeGaspi, jr., G; Brielle Magnuson, sr., G; Anna DaBell, jr., P
The Grizzlies nearly pulled off a major upset at state last year, pushing No. 1 Lake City to the wire before falling. But now they return three starters and some key reinforcements as they seek to shake the underdog label.
LeGaspi, a second-team all-conference pick as a freshman, returns after an injury sidelined her last season. She joins Magnuson (9.3 ppg), Archibald (6.3 ppg) and DaBell (5.7 ppg) to give Rocky Mountain a bounty of weapons.
Humphreys said he has six players who can score in double figures on any given night. But his guard-oriented lineup will need to find a way to score in the paint against the league’s bigger teams.
6. MOUNTAIN VIEW MAVERICKS
Last season: 10-12, 8-8 5A SIC
Coach: La’Cale Pringle, first season
Players to watch: Demi Thompson, jr., G; Presley Binder, so., G; Jada Ojukwu, so., G; Quincy Keller, fr., G
The Mavericks enter a new era this winter. Connie Skogrand, the only coach in program history, retired in the offseason, turning the reins over to Pringle, an assistant the past two years and former Utah State player.
Pringle has two returning starters to build around. Thompson (16.5 ppg) gives Mountain View an elite scorer who can keep the Mavericks in every game, and Binder (6.9 ppg, 4.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists) provides another weapon to keep defenses honest.
Pringle said Mountain View will remain tough on defense. But a new group needs to learn a new offense, which will take time.
7. MIDDLETON VIKINGS
Last season: 20-7, 14-0 4A SIC
Coach: Brad Huter, first season
Players to watch: Kylee Landis, jr., P; Zavier Lake, jr., G; Eliza Palmer, jr., W; Zoey Blackwell, fr., G
The Vikings dominated the 4A SIC for years, winning three of the past four district titles and making it to state six years in a row, the longest active streak at the 4A level. But they jump up to 5A for this time this winter.
Huter leads the group as its fifth head coach in the past five years, and the longtime Notus coach inherits zero returning starters. Landis (3.4 ppg) is the leading returning scorer, and Blackwell has already made a splash as a freshman, dropping 27 points on Eagle in a nonconference victory. Huter said the Vikings ought to remain strong defensively, but he added a young roster will experience growing pains.
8. CAPITAL EAGLES
Last season: 6-16, 2-14 5A SIC
Coach: Matthew Creech, first season
Players to watch: Saioa Sarria, sr., P; Hannah Price, sr., G; Paige Edmunds, jr., F
Creech earned 5A SIC Coach of the Year honors in 2018-19 after snapping Meridian’s five-year state tournament drought. Now he’ll look to do the same at Capital, which has gone 16-63 (.203) in the past four seasons since making it to state.
He won’t stare with a bare cupboard though as the Eagles return three starters. That includes their leading scorer, Price (8.9 ppg, 3.2 steals), and a four-year starter in Sarria (4.4 ppg, 7.5 rebounds). Creech said that should translate into a strong defense. But how well the group adjusts to a new offense will determine how deep into the postseason it plays.
9. MERIDIAN WARRIORS
Last season: 9-15, 7-9 5A SIC
Coach: Jason Nichols, second season
Players to watch: Abby Kinnaman, sr., G; Josie Rowbury, jr., PF; Morgan Dick, so., G; Lucy Tourville, sr., G
After a two-out-performance at district last year, the Warriors transition into a new era. Seven seniors graduated, and only three players with much varsity experience return.
Kinnaman (8 ppg) and Rowbury (5 ppg, 8 rebounds) give Meridian two returning starters to build around. Kinnaman is a lockdown defender who creates offense from her defense. And the 6-2 Rowbury remains one the league’s most imposing post players. They will lead a young group as it tries to get ready for a late-season run.
10. KUNA KAVEMEN
Last season: 4-18, 2-14 5A SIC
Coach: Katie Holmes, second season
Players to watch: Brylin Field, sr., G; Sarah Walker, so., G; Harlee Grant, sr., G; Gabrielle Halverson, so., F
The Kavemen have yet to find their stride since returning to the 5A level, going 12-28 (.300) since returning to the state’s top level and finishing in last place a year ago. But Kuna looks to turn the corner with four returning starters.
Field is back after leading the team in points (7.7), assists (1.8) and steals (2.2) last season. Holmes said she is a leader and can play any position on the floor. But to contend again, she said the Kavemen will need to handle pressure better. Look for Walker (3.6 ppg, 1.7 assists) to lead that effort after cutting her teeth as a freshman a year ago.
11. CENTENNIAL PATRIOTS
Last season: 10-14, 6-10 5A SIC
Coach: Kerry Angelos, first season
Players to watch: Netta Tia, jr., G; Myra Martinez, so., G; Kahree Horton, sr., G
The Patriots begin a rebuilding season after the graduation of Annie Stinar. The first-team All-Idaho pick led the state with 19.5 points per game, and she set single-season program records for points and assists before graduating.
Centennial isn’t starting from scratch though with three returning starters. Netta Tia provides the glue and can score in a variety of ways, and Martinez is poised for a breakout year, Angelos said. But Ellie Tia’s season-ending ACL injury compounds the Patriots’ lack of depth and experience. So Angelos said Centennial will need to focus on turning defense into offense.
12. BORAH LIONS
Last season: 18-8, 13-3 5A SIC
Coach: Ebony Norman, first season
Players to watch: Amayah Defates, so., G/F; Maddie Romberg, sr., PF; Ava Young, sr., G
The Lions hit the reset button after last year’s trip to state. Jayden McNeal (16.1 ppg) graduated and is now playing at Eastern Washington, and Sydnie Rodriguez (16.3 ppg) transferred to Owyee. The two combined for 78% of Borah’s scoring.
Norman joins the program from Meridian after the loss of 10 seniors and with no returning starters. But she said that provides an opportunity to build a foundation for a new program. One facet that won’t change though is Borah’s hard-nosed defense, which will need to carry the Lions early as they break in a crew of fresh faces.
13. NAMPA BULLDOGS
Last season: 8-15, 7-7 4A SIC
Coach: Erica Weissenbuehler, second season
Players to watch: Isabella Bernard, sr., G; Atira Moore, sr., G; Julia Higgins, sr., G; Tyler Roorda, sr., G
The Bulldogs return to the 5A classification, where they went 24-66 (.267) from 2014-15 to 2017-18. But after four years of rebuilding at the 4A level, they look to prove they are not the same program as last time around.
Three starters return, including Bernard and Moore, who both averaged 8 points per game and give Nampa two scoring options. Weissenbuehler said Nampa spent the offseason improving its shooting. But she added the undersized Bulldogs will need to rely on their grit to contend at the state’s top level.
This story was originally published November 26, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
