SINCE STEPPING ONTO THE COURT IN 2020, AYLA MCDOWELL HAS HELPED TURN CYPRESS SPRINGS GIRLS’ HOOPS INTO A POWERHOUSE.
The 6-foot-2 guard is coming off a season in which she led the Panthers in points, blocks, and rebounds, en route to an appearance in the Regional Tournament. This performance would earn McDowell her second consecutive District 16-6A MVP selection.
Her goals for her junior year are fairly simple.
“My mindset for this season is to keep our success going,” she McDowell. “I want to get District MVP again, and as a team, I want us to get to State. I honestly think this team is capable of advancing that far and we can win it.”
McDowell is as talented as they come, given how she can effortlessly switch from the guard and post positions throughout the season.
“I think my biggest strength is my versatility,” she said. “I can play inside and outside, which makes me a difficult person to guard. If I’m up against a post player, I can maneuver around them. If I got a smaller guard on me, I can post up. That ability is extremely useful for me.”
It might not come as a surprise that her ingenuity can be seen off the court as well.
“I like to think I’m an engineering-type of person. I love creating things,” McDowell said. “One day, that’s a field I could go into. Some of the cooler things I’ve made were these cutting boards I built last year in my manufacturing class. It took some time, but you can make some interesting designs and sell them for a nice profit.”
Many athletes will often look to their family or peers for motivation. However, not everyone can say that they were mentored by a former professional like McDowell.
“One of my biggest inspirations was Marie Ferdinand,” she said. “She played in the WNBA, and she always pushed me to compete when I was younger. She taught me how to shoot, and once I started to fall in love with the game, I knew that was what I wanted to do when I got older. I’ve known her for a long time, and we still talk to this day. She’s always by my side and I really appreciate her.”
If McDowell keeps at her current pace, she could reach that same level of success one day. It’s only a matter of time.