AKRON – Don’t write Tippecanoe Valley girls basketball coach Chris Kindig off as biased when he says Anne Secrest is the best player he’s seen this year. Sure, Kindig has a front row seat each time Secrest takes the floor, but the simple truth is Valley’s standout sophomore is having the kind of season most players only dream of. After bursting onto the scene last year, averaging a double-double as a freshman, the versatile 6-footer is even better in her second prep campaign. In leading the Lady Vikings to a 19-2 overall record, including a 7-0 mark in the Three Rivers Conference, Secrest is averaging 16.6 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. She makes 65 percent of her attempts from the field and shoots 75 percent from the free throw line. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Secrest also leads Valley in assists (2.5), steals (3.5) and – of course – blocks (2.9) per game. In the Lady Vikings’ regular season finale, a 50-42 win at Culver Academies, Secrest’s stat line read like this – 18 points, 16 rebounds, 7 steals, 4 assists and 3 blocks. So yeah, Kindig really isn’t biased at all ... Secrest is just that good. And for the second consecutive year, Secrest has been named the Times-Union Area Player of the Year “She’s a special player,” said Kindig, who said NCAA Division I schools Toledo and IPFW have shown interest in Secrest, while North Carolina has invited her to a camp. “If you had 10 Anne Secrests you’d win state every year.” Kindig is happy to have one. “She’s everything you need,” he said. “She can score. She’s an eager rebounder. She plays defense. She knows how to find open teammates. And she can run the floor.” Secrest, the daughter of Mike and Mary Ann Secrest, said she began playing basketball at home with her brothers and first played on the school team in 3rd grade. “I love basketball,” said Secrest, who describes herself as someone who loves to laugh and have fun, while her attitude on the court is very business-like. “I don’t have one set school, but I want to play in the Big Ten. That’s a goal I’m working toward. And I want to be a college coach someday.” Before Secrest can play in college, she has a prep career to finish ... a prep career that is certainly off to a great start. After leading Valley to a 13-7 record last season, which included a 5-2 mark in the TRC, Secrest has helped take Valley to a higher level this year. Valley has lost just two games this season, a triple-overtime thriller with Plymouth and a heartbreaker to NorthWood. The Lady Vikings could get a chance to avenge the loss to NorthWood, providing they open sectional play Tuesday with a win over Fairfield. She doesn’t want to look ahead, but Secrest wants another crack at NorthWood, and to lead the Lady Vikings to their first sectional title since 2007. “I really want some revenge,” said Secrest, who tallied 17 points and 11 boards in Valley’s 61-55 loss to the Lady Panthers on Jan. 13. “They’re definitely a good team, and they’re one of the top teams in the sectional. I’m excited about the sectional, and I hope we get that opportunity.” If they do, one can bet Secrest played a hand in it. “She’s one of our hardest workers,” Kindig said of Secrest. “She’s very good in the classroom. Her teammates look up to her, and she’s a great role model for younger players. She’s just a special player. She gets embarrassed by attention, she’s very humble, but she deserves any award that comes her way.”
