Lusk helps push Poky’s undefeated start to 7-0 with 24-point performance against Highland

POCATELLO — The Pocatello High School girl’s basketball team, coming off a third-place finish at State last year, is off to an undefeated and mostly unchallenged start to the 2024-25 season.

The Thunder (7-0) have won six games by double-digits — besting Minico by nine, 55-46, on Nov. 23.

A huge piece in the team’s success has been Abby Lusk.

The junior forward is coming off a sophomore season in which she was named First-Team All-Conference and State All-Tournament 2nd-Team. Despite the defensive attention that comes with her reputation, Lusk has been a reliable scorer for the Thunder.

In helping her team move to 7-0 with a 52-39 win over Highland Thursday, Lusk scored a game-high 24 points. She also contributed seven rebounds and a steal.

“She is capable of that,” Pocatello head coach Sunny Evans said after the Highland game. … “Abby probably feels some pressure, there’s expectations for her to do something like that every single night, and teams really key on her. It’s a credit to her, that she finds ways to do that.”

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Lusk has been an effective outside scorer, making a pair of 3-pointers against the rival Rams. But at 6-foot-1, she is capable of scoring inside as well, when her outside shot is not falling.

She adds in solid defensive and rebounding skills to make a complete player, while also being an “incredible teammate,” according to Evans.

“Even if, sometimes, she’s struggling to shoot it, she finds ways to get a steal or an offensive rebound, she’s finding ways to impact the game all over the floor, and then she ends up with 20-10 because she just keeps working,” the coach said.

The Thunder are back in action Wednesday when they host Madison (4-2). They open conference play Friday at Preston (4-2).