Junior guard Averi Porter has helped the Ankeny Centennial girls’ basketball team to a 6-2 record. She is averaging 6.5 points per game.
Porter is shooting 30.8 percent from 3-point range (8-of-26). She is tied for the team lead in assists with 19.
Here is some inside info on Porter:
How is the season going thus far?
We are off to a strong start with a couple of good wins, but we’ve had a couple of close losses that showed us we can finish games stronger and get better every week.
What has been the highlight for you?
Our win against Southeast Polk was a total team effort and our best win so far this year. We’ve played really good defense all season and holding them to 38 points and holding Brooklin Dailey to nine points was a good accomplishment.
Your team is coming off a tough loss at Waukee Northwest on Tuesday. What do you think was the difference in the game?
The loss to Northwest was tough, especially building a 10-point lead on the road and letting it slip away. They are a great team and we had a chance to beat them on their home floor. We just need to be better at finishing games and staying consistent on offense for 32 minutes.
Are you glad that you’ll get a chance to play the Wolves again immediately after the holiday break?
Having two weeks off to think about that loss will give us all the motivation we need to come out and play them even tougher at home after break.
Your team’s only other loss came at Johnston, 48-39, on Dec. 14. Even though you lost, did your team gain some confidence knowing that you could play right with the Dragons down to the wire?
We played a great game at Johnston and even though we didn’t shoot the ball well, we still had the No. 1 team in the state in our sights with a couple of minutes to go. It gave us confidence and showed us we can play with anybody when we play as a team and defend at a high level the entire game. They have great players and overall we did a good job holding most of them below their average.
Your team won’t play Ankeny until Jan. 11, but the Hawkettes have already defeated Northwest and are in first place in the CIML Iowa Conference. Do you think this might be the best Ankeny team that you’ve faced in your career?
Ankeny has a great team this year and I look forward to competing against them every year. I’ve played against most of those girls since I was in first grade, so we know each other very well and even play with each other during the club season. The atmosphere for this year’s games will be even better because the conference lead will be at stake.
I know one of your team’s goals is to get back to the state tournament at Wells Fargo Arena. What will be the keys for this team to reach its potential?
We’ve proven we can play with teams that consistently make the state tournament like Johnston and Southeast Polk. We defend really well and if we can do that in every game and be more consistent on offense, then we have a chance to play with the best in the state. Our bench players have been huge contributors and if they continue to step up, we will be a tough matchup for anyone.
Your teammate, Elle Street, recently committed to play both basketball and soccer at Simpson College. Those are also the two sports that you play. Would you like to play both of them in college?
I really do want to play either soccer or basketball in college.
Where are you at in the recruiting process? Have you looked at any schools yet?
Right now, I’ve received some Division II interest in both sports and I’m hoping that by the end of the high school basketball and soccer seasons I’ll have a better idea of the best fit for me.
What are you going to study?
I’m hoping to study either digital media or cinematography in college, but I also have interest in law school and I’m going to keep my options open.
Do you have any big plans for the break?
I’m looking forward to a couple of days off with my family and enjoying some of my grandma’s fabulous Christmas cooking and then I’ll get back in the gym this week and start working on getting better for Northwest, Ankeny and the rest of our schedule.