Rigby’s ‘dynamic’ point guard Kinzley Larsen doing it all in her senior season

RIGBY – To say it’s been a good year for Rigby’s Kinzley Larsen might be an understatement.

The Trojans’ senior point guard topped 1,000 career points earlier this season.

Larsen checked off another career goal after signing to play college ball at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

Meanwhile, Rigby enters Friday night’s game at Thunder Ridge with a 15-0 record and is ranked No. 2 in the latest state coaches’ poll.

“I have some pretty high goals for me and the team,” Larsen said after a recent practice. “I wanted to have a really good year. One of my main goals was to have great team chemistry and really be connected like a team, and I think we’ve been able to do that.”

The Trojans have wins over a ranked Boise team, defending 6A state champion Owyhee, defending 5A state champion Pocatello, as well as wins over conference foes Thunder Ridge and Madison, both of which are ranked or receiving votes in the state coaches’ poll.

The team’s success midway through the season wasn’t really a surprise.

Larsen said she saw the team’s potential early on, as did coach Todd Barber.

“I saw a lot of fight and determination in our team,” Barber said of the early wins over Boise and Owyhee. “We were obviously still trying to get things figured out, but at least we had the hustle and the fight to compete. That was a good thing to see early on.”

Having a returning All-State point guard who’s been a three-year starter at the helm hasn’t hurt either.

Larsen, the reigning 6A District 4-5-6 Player of the Year, is averaging nearly 17 points, 2.1 steals, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists.

But she’s contributed more than just the numbers.

“Last year I was able to take the leader role on our team. That was a goal,” she said. “I just wanted to do it again this year. Especially since it’s my senior year.”

Senior year also means handling the recruiting process.

“The process was an interesting one for me,” Larsen said. “It was awesome when they reached out me.”

‘They’ being the University of Alaska Anchorage.

“When I went up there I just loved it,” Larsen said. “The campus is beautiful, the coaches are amazing and the girls were awesome.”

Larsen said she had other offers, but was familiar with Seahawks’ coach Matt Thune, who had previous coaching stints at Utah Tech and Weber State. Larsen and other Rigby and AAU players attended camps at Utah Tech, which was likely where Thune first spotted her, Larsen said.

Another highlight of the season was reaching the 1,000-point milestone.

“It’s so exciting,” Larsen said. “It kind of shows off all my hard work. All the hours in the gym by myself or in practice. I definitely couldn’t have done it without my teammates and my coaches for believing in me.”

“She’s a very dynamic basketball player,” Barber said. “She just has a huge passion for the game and loves to compete … Having that type of a player on your team makes you that much better.”

Larsen said she plans to study journalism in college and eventually be a coach.

But first, the priority is finishing up a successful high school career.

“Besides the stat line, I just wanted to get as good as I can and have the most fun I can since it’s the last time I get to do this,” Larsen said.