Howard Hopes to Take Tigers Deep Into Postseason Play

Being one of the country’s most-sought-after basketball players, Malina Howard is surrounded by hype. She is also surrounded by a supportive family, talented players and a coaching staff that knows just how valuable she is to the Twinsburg girls’ basketball program.

The soft-spoken Howard is one of the main reasons the Tigers are unbeaten this season and ranked second among all of Ohio’s Division I teams. Her 19.5 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks per game tell only part of the story – her on-court composure and leadership traits tell another.

“Malina’s leadership skills have gone through the roof,” said Twinsburg head coach Julie Solis. “She comes to work hard every day and her confidence has really grown.”

Howard, a 6' 5'' junior post player ranked among the nation’s top 20 college recruits by ESPN, used her size and basketball instinct to lead the USA Basketball U-18 team to the FIBA Americas championship in Colorado Springs over the summer. She shot an amazing .625 from the floor and had 12 points in the title game, an 81-38 blowout of Brazil. Her performance in the tournament only added to her already impressive resume.

“I think that helped me to grow up a lot,” said Howard of the USA Basketball event. “It helped with my skills and conditioning and it was a lot of fun to play on that team.”

“That was a great opportunity for her,” said Solis. “She traveled away from home and I think it helped her mental approach to the game.”

Howard and the Tigers went 23-2 last year, losing only to Division II state champion Hathaway Brown and eventual Division I state champ Canton McKinley in the regional finals. This year, McKinley and Twinsburg are ranked one-two in the polls.

Howard, a finalist for Miss Ohio Basketball last year, has seen just about every type of defense this season, from zones to box and one to double and triple teams. She has also been defended by some of the top players both in and out of the state as the Tigers have downed talented teams from Kentucky and South Carolina as well as Northeast and Southern Ohio.

“She’s very strong but some people don’t realize she’s got a great stroke from the perimeter,” said Solis, who first watched Howard play during an eighth-grade game. “I don’t think there’s anyone who can get around her on the block and she’s had some quality people play against her this season. She’s pretty fun to watch.”

Howard’s play has drawn the attention of several major programs from across the country. One recent game had 10 scouts from Division I schools in the bleachers. “She’s had people looking at her for a long time,” said Solis.

Those schools know that Howard is also an excellent student. And she has a loyal cheering section comprised of parents Melodi and Ron and sisters Marisa, Dara and Danielle.

Howard had a huge night in a 75-52 rout of a strong Hudson team Saturday night as she scored 39 points, 29 of which came in the second half of play. The win boosted Twinsburg to 16-0 overall on the season.

Howard and her teammates know that much is expected of the Tigers as the post-season approaches. She also knows her team has a rare opportunity to be playing for the ultimate trophy come March.

“We just have to play the best we can each time we go on the court,” she says. “Everybody on our team knows their roles really well and we know what we’re capable of. This team is very devoted.”

Howard has made an immediate impact on Twinsburg girls’ basketball. If she and her teammates can keep the eye of the Tiger, they just might be playing on the home court of another highly ranked team in Columbus next month.