Girls basketball preview: Ranking the 6A SIC’s top teams, contenders and dark horses
The 2023-24 season proved to be an off year for the Treasure Valley in girls basketball, with no District Three team making the state championship round in any classification for the first time since 1995.
That’s not likely to happen again given the depth of the 6A Southern Idaho Conference.
The 2024-25 season gets underway Friday, and the Idaho Statesman examined each team, their top players and their chances as the season begins.
Teams are listed in their order of finish in the preseason poll.
1. OWYHEE
Last season: 18-9, 8-3 5A SIC
Coach: George Rodriguez, first season
Players to watch: Josie Davis, sr., G; Riley Beck, sr., W/P; Mikale Roy, sr., W; Maiya Hardy, sr., P
Outlook: The Storm earned their first state tournament trophy last season, winning the consolation title with a 43-37 victory over Rocky Mountain. Four starters return from that team.
Owyhee features loads of next-level talent, with senior guard Madi Brooks (NNU), Hardy (C of I), Roy (Lewis-Clark State, volleyball) and senior forward Grace Brooks (Providence, softball) committed to play sports in college. Davis and Beck also have offers.
Rodriguez expects the Storm will be strong defensively and benefit from the leadership of eight seniors.
2. BOISE
Last season: 24-2, 11-0 5A SIC
Coach: Kim Brydges, 20th season
Players to watch: Kaity Haan, sr., G/F; Avery Patricco, sr., G; Alison Turcke, sr., G
Outlook: The Brave may have graduated McDonald’s All-American Avery Howell, but the cupboards aren’t bare.
Haan (9.3 ppg, 5.6 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 51% FG), Patricco (7.7 ppg, 1.9 assists, 1.7 steals, 33% 3 pt.) and Turcke (5.9 ppg, 1.9 assists, 1.4 steals, 47% FG, 42% 3 pt.) received all-conference honors last season and are entering their fourth varsity season.
That experience, combined with uptempo play and a balanced scoring attack, will put Boise in contention for a fourth straight district title and more state hardware.
3. EAGLE
Last season: 16-10, 8-3 5A SIC
Coach: Jeremy Munroe, fourth season
Players to watch: Porter Wood, sr., F; Berkley Jones, so., F; Bella Thompson, jr., G
Outlook: The Mustangs finished a win short of qualifying for the state tournament last season, losing to Madison in a play-in game. Three starters are back and hungry for a postseason run.
Wood returns after averaging 7.1 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game, while Jones contributed 9.7 points and 2.9 rebounds. Both players earned honorable mention all-conference honors, and Thompson (5.7 ppg) steps into her second season as a starter.
Munroe likes his team’s size, with multiple players standing 6-foot or taller, which should allow Eagle to control the boards.
4. BORAH
Last season: 13-11, 5-6 5A SIC
Coach: Ebony Norman, third season
Players to watch: Karli Hall, jr., PG; Kya Davis, so., G; Nikiyia Percell, so., G; Amayah Defares, sr., G
Outlook: The Lions made huge strides last season, earning five conference wins and finishing with a winning record. The six freshmen who played last season are now a year older, giving Borah valuable experience as it pushes to climb the conference standings.
Hall joins Borah as a transfer from Timberline and will bolster the trio of Davis, Dafares and Percell, who all started last season.
Norman says her program is built on defense and effort, which the Lions hope to showcase this season with the return of all but two seniors from a year ago.
T-5. ROCKY MOUNTAIN
Last season: 18-8, 8-3 5A SIC
Coach: BJ Humphreys, sixth season
Players to watch: Logan Sailors, sr., G
Outlook: The Grizzlies enter the 2024-25 season with a lot of question marks.
Returning starting point guard Addy Osterhout — an honorable mention all-conference pick — will miss the season after tearing an ACL in soccer.
That leaves Sailors as the only returning starter from Rocky Mountain’s state-qualifying team. Sailors earned second-team all-conference recognition a year ago after averaging 11 points per game.
Although his team lacks size, Humphreys says the Grizzlies will make up for that with a fast pace of play and accurate shooting.
T-5. CAPITAL
Last season: 7-16, 3-8 5A SIC
Coach: Matthew Creech, third season
Players to watch: Mckenna Chavez, jr., F; Eden Francis, jr., F; Jada Ojukwu, sr., F; Miriam Stafford, jr., G
Outlook: The Eagles will have one of the more experienced rosters in the conference thanks to the return of eight letter winners, including four starters.
Capital also added Centennial transfer Jada Ojukwu, an All-Idaho second-team honoree who averaged 17.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game last season. Ojukwu has committed to Northern Arizona.
Chavez, a four-sport standout, led the Eagles in points (9.5), rebounds (7.5) and steals (3.1) last season, and Francis (6.2 ppg, 5 rpg) and Stafford (6.6 ppg) will provide additional scoring threats.
Creech cites athleticism and continuity as some of Capital’s strengths.
7. TIMBERLINE
Last season: 14-11, 6-5 5A SIC
Coach: Andy Jones, seventh season
Players to watch: Lexi Moore, jr., G; Ashlyn Graklanoff, sr., G; Jamysen Yates, sr., F; Danali Aggerwal, sr., G
Outlook: Injuries have forced the Wolves to pivot a bit this season, as All-Idaho forward Emmi Swillie tore an ACL in May, and Moore is dealing with a stress fracture that will keep her sidelined through November, if not longer.
Seven seniors are ready to fill in those gaps as Timberline aims to return to the state tournament after falling in the state play-in game last season.
Jones says this group is tight-knit and detail-oriented.
8. KUNA
Last season: 11-11, 4-7 5A SIC
Coach: Katie Holmes, fourth season
Players to watch: Sarah Walker, sr., PG; Jaeda Morrison, jr., G; Gabrielle Halverson, sr., F
Outlook: The trio of Walker (10.9 ppg, 5 rebounds, 4 assists), Morrison (9.5 ppg) and Halverson (5.3 rebounds) will start together for the third year in a row.
Walker, who was an all-conference honorable mention pick, has offers to play at the next level and will be among the top players in the league this season.
Holmes says the Kavemen will thrive on team chemistry, feature multiple offensive threats and benefit from a roster that is seasoned in her system.
9. MOUNTAIN VIEW
Last season: 3-19, 0-11 5A SIC
Coach: Derek Pegram, first season
Players to watch: Quincy Keller, jr., G; Kendrie Judd, sr., G; Addie Lee, jr., G; Kaylee Steinwand, jr., G
Outlook: Pegram will try to revive a storied Mountain View program that has won four state championships but went winless in conference play last season.
He’ll have three starters back to build from, highlighted by returning all-conference honorable mention selection Keller, who averaged 14.1 points, 2.5 steals and 1.1 assists per game last season. Judd (9.5 ppg, 3.4 rebounds) adds another consistent scoring threat, and Lee (3.8 ppg, 2.6 rebounds) will give the Mavericks a jump-start in transition.
Pegram cites guard play as a team strength, including quickness and pressure defense.
10. MERIDIAN
Last season: 7-15, 1-10 5A SIC
Coach: Marcus Campbell, second season
Players to watch: Kiet Martinez, jr., G; McKinley Puello, fr., P; Morgan Dick, sr., W
Outlook: The Warriors took their lumps last season, finishing with just one conference win. But Meridian’s fortunes could be about to change.
Martinez (10.5 ppg, 34% 3 pt.) and Dick (9 ppg) return as starters and will complement the 6-foot Puello, giving Meridian a more balanced attack.
Campbell says this year’s squad will be more uptempo with the ability to press, trap and switch more on defense.
11. RIDGEVUE
Last season: 15-9, 10-2 4A SIC
Coach: John Walker, third season
Players to watch: McKenna Durant, sr., F; Myra Martinez, sr., G; Hollund Miller, sr., G
Outlook: The Warhawks were a victory away from advancing to the first state tournament in program history last season, but competition is about to crank up another notch with their move to the state’s largest classification.
Ridgevue will benefit from the return of nine lettermen, including four starters. Durrant is a two-time first-team pick in the 4A SIC, while Martinez (second team) and Miller (honorable mention) were also recognized last season.
Walker says playing with consistency will be key to Ridgevue’s success.
12. CENTENNIAL
Last season: 7-15, 2-9 5A SIC
Coach: Michael Amaya, first season
Players to watch: Pepper Smith, sr., F; Ginger Allred, jr., G; Julia Lechuga, jr., G
Outlook: Amaya takes over a Centennial team that finished near the bottom of the conference last season, but he’ll have plenty of experienced players to help turn around the program.
Four starters return, including Smith, Allred, Lechuga and senior guard Elyse Simanton.
Amaya expects his team will play fast and unselfish as players adjust to new roles.
