Meet Avery Hinson, a defensive stopper and rising star for the Nevada girls basketball team
Avery Hinson came to play Thursday night.
The Nevada senior had the task of guarding the best player on the floor when the Cubs girls basketball team hosted Grand View Christian. GVC point guard Kelly DeMeulenaere entered the game averaging 8.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.6 assists. To get past the Thunder, the Cubs were going to need to slow her down.
They did more than that thanks to the tremendous effort of Hinson. DeMeulenaere was kept off the scoreboard the entire game, with Hinson going with her step for step most of the night.
“I just kept her in front of me,” Hinson said. “I knew if I played good defense on her it’d make it a lot harder for them to score and slow down the game. It just helped us out in the long run because they couldn’t get as many shots up.”
That keyed a 49-42 upset victory by Nevada over a GVC team that had won eight straight.
“She locked down No. 1 (DeMeulenaere),” said Nevada point guard Bridget Cahill. “That was huge for us.”
Hinson has earned a reputation as a top-notch defender.
At 5-10 Hinson has good length and quickness. She also plays with constant energy.
“What can you say...Avery is just a hustler,” said Nevada center Isabelle Nelson. “She gets after it every time. She’s been working so hard all season and she’s getting her chance to shine.”
It also helps that Hinson has a good mind for basketball.
Her father, Chris Hinson, used to coach the Nevada boys basketball team. His daughter has proven to be a student of the game.
“She’s a knowledgeable kid about the game of basketball,” said Nevada coach Jordan Bentley. “There’s some coaching background there that kind of helps her out a bit and she’s really coachable. She does the things you ask her to do and she’s just going keep going until she accomplishes that goal.”
Hinson is adored by her teammates.
“Avery is just awesome to be around,” Nelson said. “She’s always so much fun in the locker room making us laugh and a great teammate to talk to if you’re having problems. She’s the best.”
More:How a strong start is helping Nevada girls basketball center Isabelle Nelson build confidence
The trust the rest of the Cubs have shown in her has helped Hinson slowly build confidence in her first season as a varsity starter. In addition to her great defense, she's starting to come on offensively as well.
Hinson is averaging 4.9 points per game for the season. But she's upped that to 9.7 over the last three games, helping the Cubs to a victory each time.
Hinson scored 9 points during the victory over GVC. She scored 10 points during a 65-22 victory over Saydel on Jan. 31 and also netted 10 in a 56-40 upset victory over then Heart of Iowa Conference co-leader South Hamilton on Jan. 27.
“Offensively, Avery’s kind of been this consistent player these last seven games,” Bentley said. “You know you’re going to get some rebounds, you’re going to get some assists and she’s putting in points as well.”
It's no coincidence that Hinson's rise has resulted in more success for Nevada. The Cubs are now 9-10 on the season and 7-5 in the HOIC with two games left on the schedule before Class 3A regionals start.
“We’re right where we want to be at the end of the season,” Bentley said. “Trending upwards. Avery is directly a part of that.”
Nevada wants to finish with a winning record, both overall and in the conference. The Cubs also want a regional victory.
More:How the Roland-Story girls held off Nevada in a HOIC match-up Tuesday
In order to get that regional win Nevada will have to get past nemesis Roland-Story, a team that swept the Cubs in the regular season. With the way Hinson is playing, the Cubs just might be able to finally get over the hump.
“We keep saying third time is a charm,” Hinson said. “I think it’s our time to finally beat Roland.”
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Defensive standout Avery Hinson coming on strong for the Nevada girls
