The News Tribune’s girls state player of the year, Kamiakin’s Oumou Toure, made the grade on and off the court
Kamiakin High School’s Oumou Toure is a natural with advanced numbers.
She did it in basketball for the Braves, leaving as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 2,282 points — an average of 22.1 points per game — while leading them to four top-five finishes at the Class 3A state tournament.
Off the court? Well, that precedent was set a long time ago. She comes from a family of engineers.
“She is incredibly smart, but she does not always bring that into conversation. I mean, why would she have to?” said Alexa Hazel, who like Toure, started in Kamiakin’s backcourt for four seasons.
“We have respect for her as an athlete and as an academic.”
A Butler University signee, Toure is The News Tribune’s 2019 state girls basketball player of the year.
“You are talking about a great human, a great student — and a great player,” Kamiakin coach Lane Schumacher said.
To listen how she sees the world — how she analyzes problems — Toure is certainly the human version of a scientific calculator.
Both of her parents, Bourama Toure and Aissata Sidibe, are senior associate professors at Columbia Basin College in Pasco. Her father’s background is in mathematics, her mother’s is in physics.
Toure’s two older sisters went down a path that she plans to follow by playing college basketball while learning engineering.
Khadidja Toure is the oldest. She was a point guard at Oregon State University for two seasons before finishing her career at East Carolina. She serves as a consulting professional for innovative software at SAP Leonardo in Pennsylvania.
Sira Toure signed with Weber State out of high school, but closed out her career as a shooting guard at Auburn University last year (2014-18). She now works as a system engineer for Boeing in Alabama.
“I had somebody to look up to in my house, and not just someone on TV. Most girls don’t have that,” said Toure, who will graduate from Kamiakin this spring with an associate’s degree from CBC before heading off to Butler in Indiana.
“I have someone to talk to about certain situations … like (after losses), just to see where my head was at.”
As much of a presence as she was on the court, Toure was a quiet leader for the Braves — one that set the tone with actions, not her words.
“Her attitude was felt on the court,” Hazel said. “She was there to work. She was there to get the job done. She was there to win.”
THE NEWS TRIBUNE’S 2018-19 ALL-STATE GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Oumou Toure, Kamiakin
Guard, 5-11, sr.
Butler signee led Kamiakin to four top-five finishes at the 3A state tournament — including winning a third-place trophy this season, which is the Braves’ best finish since 1996. Will leave as the program’s all-time leading scorer with 2,282 career points after averaging 22.1 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.5 steals and 2.5 assists her final season. Two-time TNT all-state pick.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Alyssa Goins, La Salle
27-0 record this season, 1A state champions
Has been at La Salle for 12 seasons, and now has two undefeated state titles to show for it after the Lightning down state favorite — and defending champion — Lynden Christian for the 1A championship this season. Her first group in 2008 won an undefeated title in 2B. Two of the program’s three titles in history have come under Goins.
FIRST TEAM
Keeli Burton-Oliver, Eastlake
Forward, 6-3, jr.
Crafty around the basket with the ability to step outside and shoot 3-pointers, and sure-handed rebounder, the Arizona State signee solidified her stature as a Division I recruit by pacing Eastlake to its first 4A state title in program history. Averaged 20.1 points and 13.8 rebounds for the Wolves.
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Dalayah Daniels, Garfield
Guard/forward, 6-3, jr.
Considered the No. 13 player in the nation in the 2020 class by ESPN, the Division I recruit — who will have her pick of Pac-12 schools, and many others — is certainly one of the most versatile players in the state. Led Garfield to 3A state trophies each of the past two seasons, including a runner-up finish her sophomore year. Averaged 21 points, 14 rebounds and 5 blocks per game this season.
Jordyn Jenkins, Kentridge
Forward, 6-2, jr.
Should be a highly sought-after Division I recruit by the time she’s done at Kentridge — where she’s paced the Chargers to three top-four finishes at the 4A state tournament in her first three years, including a third-place run this season. Force in the paint averaged 21.5 points and 9.2 rebounds, and shot 64 percent from the floor.
Brynna Maxwell, Gig Harbor
Guard, 6-0, sr.
Utah signee has been the engine for the Tides the past four seasons — including leading them to a 3A state title as a junior — and leaves the program with nearly every record, including 1,968 career points. Averaged 26.8 points, 9 rebounds, 3.9 steals and 3 assists as an all-around threat for Gig Harbor, while shooting 51 percent from the field and a stunning 44 percent from 3-point range.
Hailey Van Lith, Cashmere
Guard, 5-9, jr.
Ranked third in the nation in the 2020 class by ESPN, the crafty point guard carried Cashmere to its third top-three finish in three seasons at the 1A tournament. Averaged 32 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.6 steals per game. Will have her pick of Division I schools when she wraps up her high school career next season. Two-time TNT all-state pick.
SECOND TEAM
G Aspyn Adams, Mount Spokane, 5-9, sr.
F Beyonce Bea, Washougal, 6-2, sr.
F Jacinta Buckley, Lewis and Clark, 6-0, sr.
G Mia Hughes, Woodinville, 5-10, soph.
F Brooke Walling, Prairie, 6-2, sr.
lsmith@thenewstribune.com
This story was originally published March 11, 2019 at 9:22 AM with the headline "The News Tribune’s girls state player of the year, Kamiakin’s Oumou Toure, made the grade on and off the court."