Meet SBLive’s 2021-22 Idaho high school girls basketball all-state teams

Burley junior Amari Whiting, an Oregon commit, is the all-classification state player of the year while Timberline's Andy Jones is the state coach of the year

With the 2021-2022 Idaho high school girls basketball season wrapped up, it’s time to hand out some awards.

SBLive Idaho has compiled all-state teams for girls basketball, featuring player of the year, coach of the year, first team, second team and third team selections. The teams span all levels of IDHSAA competition:

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Amari Whiting, Burley, junior

The state's best pure scorer, Burley's Amari Whiting led her school to a Class 4A title to cap a 25-1 season / Photo by Loren Orr

The Gatorade state player of the year. The likely back-to-back Class 4A state player of the year. The back-to-back 4A Great Basin MVP. Top 35 national recruit for 2023. University of Oregon commit.

Just add this honor to the long list.

Her junior-season numbers - 26.9 points, 10.5 rebounds, 5.7 steals and 3.6 assists - back up the attention. But the crowning achievement was winning her first state title in style - breaking her own state record for the most total points in a 4A tournament with 89 - to cap a 25-1 campaign.

"She wasn’t out this year to look for any personal accolades," said Burley coach and mother Amber Whiting. "She was out to win a state championship. That’s what she wanted because she felt like we choked the last two years prior. So she wanted to prove to herself more than anything, that it wasn’t going to happen again."

COACH OF THE YEAR

Andy Jones, Timberline

Before leading Timberline to the Class 5A title, Andy Jones also won state championships at Caldwell and Middleton / Photo by Julian Jenkins

Before Jones took over at Timberline in 2018, the program hadn’t been to state in 13 years - the longest 5A postseason drought at the time. Less than four years later, the longtime coach delivered the school’s first state championship in 19 years with an impressive 25-2 record.

He now has seven state titles at three different programs. Jones previously won with Caldwell (2001) and Middleton (2008, 2010-12, 2017). He only trails Emery Roy’s nine for the most in state history. Jones is now 453-216 in his nearly 30-year coaching career.

"He has a lot of knowledge of the situations and understands the environment of the big games," Timberline senior guard Audrey Taylor said. "But I think the main reason he is such a good coach is his dedication to the team. He is 100% bought into our goals and that helps everyone give 100%. He cares about all of us and is willing to help with whatever we need."

ALL-STATE FIRST TEAM

Forward: Kambree Barber, Rigby, soph.

One year after being a reserve, Kambree Barber emerged as the 5A High Country MVP (18.1 ppg, 13.3 rpg) this season / Photo by Loren Orr

Barber went from the bench to the 5A High Country Conference player of the year within one season. She chalked up a double-double season average of 18.1 points and 13.3 rebounds. The 6-footer also tallied 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks per game to lead the Trojans in making back-to-back semi-final appearances for the first time in at least 38 years. And to think Barber still has two seasons of remaining eligibility left.

"I knew she would play well, but she exceeded my expectations for sure," said Rigby coach and father Todd Barber. "Not only in her play, but in her leadership skills as well."

Center: Sophie Glancey, Timberline, sr.

Talk about efficient, this 5A SIC player of the year shot 66% from the floor and averaged 16.2 points per game this season / Photo by Loren Orr

According to Timberline coach Andy Jones, Glancey perfectly encapsulates the development of the program since his arrival four years ago. The 6-foot-2 post went from raw, athletic talent to a dominant state champion within four years. The Northern Arizona signee, who was the 5A Southern Idaho Conference player of the year, nearly averaged a double-double this season at 16.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. Glancey also shot 66% from the field - something that in all of his years of coaching - Jones has never had a player do.

"The most amazing thing about Sophie is how far she came from her freshman year to this year," Jones said. "Year after year after year of being more consistent, having more skills and just becoming such a good all-around and efficient center."

Forward: Avery Howell, Boise, soph.

Avery Howell was not only a nightly double-double performer, she was named the 5A SIC defensive player of the year this winter / Photo by Loren Orr

Howell led the Brave in three of the four major statistical categories. And if she had just 19 more points, she would have had all four. Boise’s 5-11 do-it-all player was first in rebounds (12.1), steals (2.4) and assists (2.2) to go along with 10.2 points per game - only trailing Ashley Banks. It resulted in her being both an all-5A SIC first-team pick and the SIC defensive player of the year. It’s no wonder why she already has several NCAA Division I offers, including Boise State.

"She’s probably the best rebounder that I’ve had the pleasure of coaching and I’ve coached some pretty great ones in the past," said Boise coach Kim Brydges, who’s coached the likes of Mandy Simpson (Oklahoma) and Peyton McFarland (Utah). "The thing that makes Avery different in terms of the rebounding aspect is when she grabs a defensive board, she pushes that as well as any point guard or maybe even better than some point guards. So that’s immeasurable."

Center: Hadley Humphreys, Blackfoot, sr.

Many around the program consider Hadley Humphreys the best post player to ever come out of the program / Photo by Loren Orr

From almost wire-to-wire, the Broncos were considered by many to be the best overall team in the state. They had a 29-game winning streak - the longest in the state at the time. Despite being stunned in the semifinals, one loss doesn't define a season. Blackfoot still finished as one of the best teams at 26-1 and much of that had to do with its 5-10 post. Humphreys was a walking double-double at 11.7 points and 10.0 rebounds per game this season. She was a High Country Conference first-team selection and will play at Utah State University Eastern next season.

"She could be arguably the best post that has ever come out of Blackfoot," Blackfoot coach Raimee Odum said. "Just that true post with her back to the basket type player that was almost impossible to stop. She was so dominant down low, scoring, as well as rebounding."

Guard: Audrey Taylor, Timberline, sr.

Even when she wasn't making shots, Timberline's Audrey Taylor was doing the other things to help her squad win the 5A title / Photo by Loren Orr

Taylor made a name for herself over the last few seasons within her prolific shooting. But when opposing teams finally keyed in on that ability, Taylor rounded out the rest of her game. She led the team in assists (3.5) and steals (3.0) with teammate Lauren McCall to go along with that shot, which still led to her averaging 12.8 points per game. Taylor earned all-5A SIC first-team honors for the second consecutive year. She will join Glancey at Northern Arizona.

"I told her over and over again this year, ‘I know you’re struggling shooting, but you’re playing the best basketball that you ever have,'" Jones said. "Audrey became someone who played much better individual defense, much better team defense. She made the right plays for other kids. Her basketball IQ just rose and rose and rose."

ALL-STATE SECOND TEAM

Both guard Skylar Burke and forward Madi Symons have elevated Coeur d'Alene to one of the premier programs in the state over the past three seasons / Photo by Loren Orr

Guard: Skylar Burke, Coeur d'Alene, sr.

To say Burke has had an effect on the program would be an understatement. In four seasons prior to her arrival, the Vikings went 29-56. Over the past three years, they’re 56-14 and Burke is the back-to-back 5A Inland Empire League MVP, including this past season with 18.3 points, 2.1 assists and 8.1 rebounds per game. She eclipsed the 1,000-point career mark this year for a team that spent all season ranked top-5 in the state media poll. But Burke’s playing days are far from over. She will play at UC Santa Barbara next season.

"She’s been part of a big cultural shift," Coeur d’Alene coach Nicole Symons said. "Coeur d’Alene girls basketball was kind of in a bad spot for a while and she was a big part of bringing the joy back to the game. Bringing the joy back to being in that locker room."

Guard: Sydnie Rodriguez, Borah, soph.

It’s not easy being the coach’s kid, especially when you’ve been starting since freshman year and playing alongside an NCAA Division I signee. But 5-11 Rodriguez handled that pressure and then some. The stat sheets routinely had her name atop of them most nights with 16.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.0 steals, 2.9 assists and 36% from 3-point range this season to earn a 5A SIC first-team nod. The Lions went 18-8 and returned to state for the first time since 2018. The University of Portland has already offered her.

"She ignored what year she was in school and showed tremendous leadership," said Borah coach and father George Rodriguez. "She was our overall leader on both ends of the floor and I think the success that she had this year is just a testament to the hard work that she put in on and off the court."

Guard: Shay Shippen, Skyline, fr.

When Montana State signee Mattie Olson went down before the season with a torn ACL, it seemed lost before it even began. But Shippen had other ideas. She had quite the debut with 563 points (19.4 ppg), which according to Skyline coach Tyrell Keck, is a state record for a ninth grader. For comparison, Olson had 370 points her freshman year. Shippen shot 52.3% from the field, including 35.1% from behind the arch. She also racked up 6.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.1 steals to lead the Grizzlies to their first-ever state title game.

"Overall, I think all of us knew that she was going to be, long term, an amazing player, but there was a lot of unknown," Keck said. "But she stepped in and from almost day one, she was just amazing. She was a very technically savvy player."

Guard: Annie Stinar, Centennial, sr.

Context matters. No, Stinar never had a winning season. But the 5-8 facilitator just got her first All-SIC teammate this season and it was honorable mention. She was double-teamed constantly, including this season, but still found a way to lead the league in scoring with 19.5 points per game to make her third all-SIC team in a row and leave with five program records, including the single-season scoring record (468). Stinar also added 4.3 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 2.8 steals to take the Patriots from a one-win team a year ago to 11 this season. She is headed to Wyoming in the fall.

"I think in some ways, she was kind of overlooked," Centennial coach Candace Thornton said. "But other than Naya Ojukwu, Annie is going to the biggest conference of any of the other kids who signed D1. So I feel like that kind of speaks to her talent and abilities."

Forward: Madi Symons, Coeur d'Alene, jr.

Different situation, same result. When opposing defenses started double-teaming her down in the low block - a place she had previously owned - Coeur d’Alene coach and mother Nicole Symons had the idea to use her as a point forward. It was a game changer. Madi Symons set three new records: points in a single game (38), rebounds in game (20) and rebounds in a season (282). She also averaged 18.3 points while already crossing the career 1,000-point mark and leading the team in assists with 4.2 for her second 5A IEL MVP in three seasons. Southern Utah, University of Idaho and University of Rio Grande have all offered her.

"She had an all-around solid year," Nicole Symons said. "She led by example. When things were kind of unfolding, she was the calm in the storm and was the level-head for our team in that leadership role as well."

ALL-STATE THIRD TEAM

After Thunder Ridge graduated two D1 players, guard Aspen Caldwell picked up the slack this season with 18.6 points per game / Photo by Loren Orr

Center: Ashley Banks, Boise, sr.

The 6-4 Banks had to bide her time. For two years, she had to sit behind Utah’s and former Gatorade player of the year Peyton McFarland. But this was her season. Banks led the team in scoring with 10.9 points per game, while shooting 53% from the field. It helped the Brave win their first district title in 18 years and come within seconds of the first state championship in two decades. Banks will play for Southern Utah next season.

"I think all that time in the gym paid off for her," Brydges said. "She was able to take all that work and make that work for her these last few years."

Guard: Aspen Caldwell, Thunder Ridge, jr.

The Titans had to replace two NCAA Division I players from last year’s state runner-up team, including Lauren Davenport, who is at Boston University. No problem. Caldwell stepped right in and more than filled that void with 18.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game this season to lead Thunder Ridge to its second straight state trophy in a row (consolation). She reached the career 1,000-point milestone in that game - Davenport achieved the same feat senior year - and was named to the High Country Conference first team. Caldwell is in talks with several schools, including University of Idaho.

"You can’t be the nice girl all the time. You’ve got to have a little bit of that attitude," Thunder Ridge coach Jeremy Spencer said. "She is the girl that pushes everybody else to get better. She does so much from a competitive standpoint, that everyone wants some of that piece that she’s got."

Guard: Jayden McNeal, Borah, sr.

McNeal has been a well-known commodity for quite some time. But the question was always what could she do on a good team? The answer was things like nearly single-handedly willing Borah to an upset of Timberline in the first round of state with 12 of her game-high 20 points in the fourth quarter. The 6-1 guard made her third consecutive all-5A SIC team, including back-to-back firsts with 16.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.1 steals. McNeail will play for Eastern Washington University next fall.

"I’m super proud of her for just continuing to be as dominant as a player as she could be," Rodriguez said. "She took it upon herself to put the ball in the basket when we needed her to."

Guard: Kendall Pickford, Lake City, sr.

Pickford may not have the numbers of Michigan State’s Brooklyn Rewers. But Pickford anchored the Timberwolves to one of the best seasons in program history. She put up 10.4 points - on 51.1% shooting - 4.7 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game. Pickford also broke the school’s single-season 3-point record with 74 on 37% shooting as Lake City placed third at state for one of its best finishes ever outside of the two state titles (1995, 2007). Pickford signed with Arizona Christian.

"Not everything is reflected in stats, especially with a young team," Lake City coach James Anderson said. "So much of our success was due to her leadership. The way she brought these younger, talented players along, when all was said and done, we exceeded our expectations a little bit."

Center: Kiana Wright, Blackfoot, sr.

Wright made the Broncos’ Big 2 a Big 3 by making a pretty significant jump this season. She stepped up when opposing defenses doubled and even triple-teamed Humphreys by leading Blackfoot in scoring with almost 14 points per game. But her contributions weren’t limited there. She grabbed 5.7 boards and 2.0 steals per game to earn High Country Conference first-team honors. Wright, who was an honorable mention selection last season, will play with Humphreys at Utah State University Eastern.

"I’ve always seen what she can do," said Odum, who has coached her since freshman year when she was on junior varsity. "The difference was really her confidence. She just believed in herself and her teammates believed in her. It’s amazing what those things can do for a player."