Photo by Brian Dulik

Twinsburg junior center Malina Howard is the SportsInk.com Athlete of the Week for Feb. 20-26. She is averaging 21.4 points and 10.6 rebounds per game for the 23-0 Tigers.

Our SportsInk.com Athlete of the Week for Feb. 20-26 is Twinburg junior basketball standout Malina Howard.

An All-Ohioan, a member of U.S. U-17 team and MVP of the Key Bank Classic, Howard has averaged 21.4 points and 10.6 rebounds this season in leading the Tigers to a third straight district title and a 23-0 mark.

"She is just so humble, so loves being part of this team and would do anything she can for one of her teammates," Twinsburg coach Julie Solis said. "Her game is really peaking as her conditioning has really helped her down the stretch this year."

Howard is 6-foot-4, mobile, dominant and one of the nation's premier juniors, being recruited by many major Division I programs. She is shooting 66 percent from the floor and is averaging 1.5 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.7 steals.

“I started taking this game pretty serious in fourth grade and this off-season I realized I had work to do on my conditioning, I feel good,” Howard said.

The Tigers are determined to make it to Columbus this year for the state semifinals.

"We always find the open player and I have realized that when I am doubled there is an open teammate nearby, we all work real well together," Howard said.

Howard has also played three years for the Twinsburg girls volleyball team and hopes to eventually get into physical therapy in college.

She has three sisters, two older (Dara and Danielle) and one younger sister (Marissa), who also plays basketball and is a freshman at Twinsburg.

Melody and Ron Howard are the parents of these girls and their terrific efforts in the interests of their children are certainly what we see in Malina.

Junior

Twinsburg High School

Girls Basketball

TV:  Anything on Disney Channel

Movie:  “Love and Basketball”

Pizza:  Pepperoni

Home Cooking:  lasagna

IPod:  John Wall

Class:  Math

Bucket List:  Sky dive