Jodi Howell, a 5'11 do-everything player from Alexandria High (IN), is the
top Indiana player in the class of 2005. She has won the IHSAA scoring title
for her class every year of her high school career, using a highly polished
set of offensive skills. She averages over 40-percent shooting from the
perimeter, is becoming automatic from the line, and can shoot just as well
coming off a screen as she can stopping on a dime and hitting the jumper
on a fast break. Her defensive game is equally advanced. Her pressure on the
ball leads to many steals (she had 11 in one game as a freshman), and
showed from her Nike Camp performance in 2003 that a sophomore can
frustrate one of the nation's top senior scorers.
Howell immediately made a statement in Indiana basketball as a freshman,
challenging senior Shanna Zolman and junior Katie Gearlds for the state scoring
title. Playing for her father Jon, who has coached four former Indiana All Stars,
Jodi assaulted the school record books, breaking school records for points in a
game (41), points in a season (646) and free throw percentage (.865). She averaged
25.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 4.2 steal while shooting 39.5 percent
from the perimeter.
In 2002-2003, Jodi came within one point of breaking her season scoring record, but
accomplished it in three fewer games. Raising her scoring average to 28.0 points
per game, Howell kept pace with senior Katie Gearlds to finish as the state's
second-best scorer. Playing roles that ranged from power forward to bringing the
ball up the court against the press, her shooting from the field increased to
55-percent, and her shooting from the perimeter was an impressive 42-percent. She
also led her team with 7.1 rebounds, 4.7 steals and 5.2 assists.
In 2003-2004, Jodi went down in the Lapel game early in the season with a torn ACL
that ended her junior season. She was averaging 31 points per game and leading
the state in scoring when her injury occurred. Jodi would make an appearance at the
USA Basketball Developmental Camp during the summer of 2004, then played more
minutes during the 2004 Nike Camp in July.
Jodi is the daughter of Jon and Penny Howell. Jon is in his 22nd season as head
coach of the Alexandria Tigers. Penny was a three-time basketball all-state
selection growing up in the state of South Carolina.
Jodi Howell verballed to Purdue during an official visit on November 1, 2003.
Bob Richards at the 2003 Nike Camp..."Going by jersey numbers tends to help
keep us honest. Not knowing the names of the players allows us to detach much
of the hype surrounding most players. When people ask if knowing a player first
hand before a camp influences my evaluation, I'd like to say "no", as these
evals are a moment in time at the Nike Camp. However, in Howell's case, I know
her limitations from her knee injury. So this evaluation will have a little bit
of a slant to it, as it was hard to not analyze how the knee was influencing
her game. So in that sense, I admit a bias of familiarity with Howell's injury.
The first thing very noticable is how the knee has effected her lateral
movements. Last year's Nike performance showed a very tough defender even
against elite, one-on-one guards. This year matched up at times against maybe
the nation's most athletic point prospect, Arriaran, it was obvious she didn't
possess the lateral quickness to turn out the same type of performance. Her
knee kept her time in each game to a very few minutes, and she would make the
best of it by making a couple of steals and dishing a couple assists. As the
camp progressed, she became more active on the knee. While her defense is not
back to the pre-injury level, her shooting is exactly what we are used to
seeing from Howell. Still a killer with a pull-up jumper in stride, and showed
no ill effects from the knee when she peeled off a tight screen and nailed a
long field goal. Her release is as quick as any at the camp, and her shot is
conducive to short rebounds. If they miss. Spent time guarding players from
the point position to small forward." (August 8, 2004, Old Gold Free Press)
Bob Sienicki at the 2003 Nike Camp..."Consummate team player with deadly
shot from any distance & extremely quick release. Very smart player who
understands the game exceptionally well. (August 8, 2004, Old Gold Free
Press)
Capri Small at the 2003 Nike Camp..."There will be lots written about Jodi on
this site, both as a result of her performance in camp and in the future. Jodi
was the only player to wear kneepads, a suggestion of the tenacity and energy
she puts into every play. Howell's inexperience was evident at times, but her
potential could never be questioned. You could count on two fingers the number
of kids at Nike who consistently played tough defense, and Jodi was one of them
- she was the only player I saw the entire camp who drew a charge. There are
two aspects of her game that may not have been mentioned by the others. Jodi
has excellent court sense and seems to think a pass ahead. Many times she'd
deliver the ball to where a players was going, seemingly before the other player
knew she was going there. The second aspect is Jodi's combination of extremely
fast shot release with good shot selection. An extremely rare, and for that
reason, desirable combination. I join the chorus of Boiler supporters who
would love to see Jodi in gold and black during her college career."
(July 30, 2003, Old Gold Free Press)
Bob Richards at the 2003 Nike Camp..."A silent assassin on the court.
Impressive package of talent for a junior-to-be and a very high basketball
IQ, likely helped by the fact she is the daughter of a coach. Played mostly
at shooting guard, which will be her college position. The absolute quickest
release at the camp. Blistering motion and highly accurate. Was very impressed
to see her run the floor, and on two occasions, pull up from a dead run and
hit a short 12 footer instead of ending the plays in a wreck with another
guard underneath the basket. Ahead of her peers on defense, and did as good
of a job as anyone defending a great one-on-one player in Alexis Hornbuckle."
(July 30, 2003, Old Gold Free Press)
OldGoldFreePress.com is organized & maintained by a group of college sports reporters with the help of Purdue sports fans everywhere. OldGoldFreePress.com is an independent and unofficial Purdue (+ Big Ten Conference/NCAA) sports news site that is not affiliated with Purdue University, the Big Ten Conference, the NCAA and/or any university athletic program.
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