Maliah Howard-Bass already had earned two major accomplishments that her mother had achieved — a state championship and a chance to play Division I basketball.
Now, the Columbus North senior has something else in common with her mother, Brianna. She’s an Indiana All-Star.
“It’s just great to have a role model that has already been on the path that I’m about to go on,” Maliah Howard-Bass said.
The Indiana All-Stars will play the Kentucky All-Stars on June 10 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis and June 11 at Central Hardin High School in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. The Indiana team also will play the Indiana Junior All-Stars on June 6 and 8 at sites to be determined.
The 12-player All-Star team was officially released on Wednesday. Howard-Bass was notified of her selection on Tuesday night.
“I knew I had a chance,” Howard-Bass said. “I was excited because I didn’t really have the best season this year. My numbers went down, but with our team’s success in the past and our success this year, I felt very confident that I would get it. I just had to prove that I deserved the spot.”
Howard-Bass was a core-six member of the Junior All-Stars last season after averaging 18.6 points, 5.0 rebounds 1.5 assists and 2.8 steals in leading the Bull Dogs to a Class 4A state runner-up finish. This year, she averaged 16.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 3.3 steals to lead North to Conference Indiana, sectional and regional titles.
The 5-foot-9 guard is the ninth girl from North to earn Indiana All-Star honors. She is the third Bull Dog in the past four years and the fourth in coach Pat McKee’s seven-year tenure.
“I think it’s everyone’s goal playing high school basketball to end up playing for the All-Star team,” Howard-Bass said. “It’s kind of like a milestone in your life.”
Once again this spring, Howard-Bass is running track for the Bull Dogs. She has been going into the gym to shoot baskets and play pickup games after track practice.
Howard-Bass has committed to play collegiately at Ball State.
“Maliah is a highly-skilled player who has worked really hard and does many things well,” McKee said. “We hope she has a good experience with the All-Stars and a good experience when she moves on to Ball State. She has a lot of opportunities in front of her.”
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This year’s girls Indiana All-Star team:
Player;School;Ht.;Pos.;PPG;College choice
Chyna Anthony;New Albany;6-1;F;13.2;Northern Kentucky
Riley Blackwell;Plainfield;6-1;F;15.1;Northern Illinois
Dana Evans;Gary West;5-6;G;35.8;Louisville
Maliah Howard-Bass;Columbus North;5-9;G;16.9;Ball State
Nicole Konieczny;South Bend St. Joseph;5-9;G;14.4;Valparaiso
Karissa McLaughlin;Homestead;5-8;G;25.9;Florida
Rachel McLimore;Zionsville;5-10;G;20.7;DePaul
Madisen Parker;Homestead;5-8;G;16.8;Bowling Green
Destiny Perkins;Lawrence North;5-6;G;16.1;Akron
Zion Sanders;Evansville Central;5-8;G;6.9;undecided
Ajanae’ Thomas;North Central;5-9;F;14.4;Indiana State
Macee Williams;Fountain Central;6-2;F;26.1;IUPUI
Madison Wise;Greenfield-Central;6-1;F;23.5;Iowa State
Head coach: Curt Benge, Plainfield
Assistant coach: Vince Cerbone, Martinsville
Assistant coach: Michelle Harter, Warsaw
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