Alexia Thrower is in
the final month of her high school basketball career at Canyon Springs High. It
seems like yesterday when the 5-foot-7 forward started in the Sunrise Regional championship
game as a freshman for the Pioneers. “It happened all so quick,” Thrower said.
“People always say high school goes by fast. They are right; it goes by so
fast.” Not too many athletes can say they are four-year starters on varsity,
and not too many can say they are one of the leading scorers in the region.
Thrower, who averages 20 points and nearly 10 rebounds per game, can stake
claim to both.
But more important is
how she’s received by others at Canyon Springs, which was witnessed Thursday
when she received the Sun’s Wingstop Player of the Week award. The boys team
stopped its practice to applaud Thrower, who flashed one of her trademark
smiles in appreciation. “She plays hard all of the time,” said Chris Walker,
the Canyon Springs girls coach. Canyon Springs is 14-6 overall and in second
place of the Northeast League behind defending Sunrise champion Liberty. That’s
a testament to Thrower’s determination, Walker said. Canyon Springs’ lineup has
been inconsistent all season because of injuries to key players, but Thrower
hasn’t missed a beat in keep in the Pioneers in contention. They’ll likely earn
a home playoff game. “She makes her teammates look better,” Walker said. “She
has stepped up big time to help us.”
Thrower doesn’t want
credit. Rather, she credits her support system at home for giving her
confidence. Her family is always there on game day. “Their support makes it
easy on me,” she said. Wingstop provides the player of the week a $50 gift
card.
