Boise junior was unstoppable all year. Now she’s the Gatorade state player of the year
Boise High junior Avery Howell added another award to her resume Wednesday as Gatorade’s all-class girls basketball player of the year.
Howell led the Brave (23-3) to a third-place trophy at the 5A state tournament last month and helped the team win back-to-back district championships. She averaged 22.1 points, 13.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.8 steals per game. The 6-foot forward also recorded 20 double-doubles this winter and set single-season program records for points (551) and rebounds (345).
“She was able to take over the game for her team. We did not have anyone that could defend her,” Lewiston coach Karlee Stefanchik said in a news release. “She’s an extremely hard matchup for teams with her length and speed. She is super tough and can rebound (with physicality).”
Howell was also named the 5A Southern Idaho Conference Player of the Year last month.
She is the fourth Boise girls basketball player to win the state’s all-class award, joining Peyton McFarland (2019-20), Jackie Luna-Castro (2010-11) and Maggie Burkett (2005-06).
Howell, who owns a 3.6 GPA, has a host of Division I scholarship offers from schools like Gonzaga, Minnesota, Oklahoma State and Boise State. She remains uncommitted.
Gatorade plans to announce its Idaho boys basketball player of the year next week.
This story was originally published March 8, 2023 at 12:25 PM.
