Peninsula guard Lovrovich signs with Boise State women’s basketball

Senior guard Linsey Lovrovich’s senior season of basketball may be up in the air, but she can rest comfortably knowing her college plans set in concrete.

Last week, the Peninsula High School girls basketball star signed her National Letter of Intent to play college basketball at Boise State University, during the NCAA’s non-football early signing period, which began Wednesday, Nov. 11.

Despite never having been on campus in person, Lovrovich was convinced that she should spend her post-high school career there from the good things she heard about the program. It also happened to be the only offer she received to play in college.

“I’ve only heard good things about [Boise State], so it’s like ‘why not?’,” she said. “I’m super excited for this opportunity and super thankful for everybody like [AAU coach Al Aldridge] and the coaches (at Boise State). They’re super nice, they text me to check in how I’m doing… It’s a good feeling.”

Since the summer, Lovrovich is getting her playing time for the Columbia Cascades AAU basketball team. She is under the tutelage of Al Aldridge, a Washington State Hall of Fame basketball coach.

In fact, it was Aldridge’s help that Lovrovich was able to get her name out there to the college coaches via highlight reels and emails.

“I didn’t play AAU last year, and [Aldridge] is a huge reason why I got this scholarship,” she said. “He asked us to send in a list of which colleges we wanted to go to just as a possibility, and Boise was one I wanted to go to. He emailed them and pretty much sold them by communicating with them.”

On the court, Lovrovich is largely seen as a challenge for other coaches to try to game plan around since she can play both sides of the ball really well.

Offensively, she is an unselfish player. Lovrovich can dish the ball around to her teammates and score four points in one half, then take over the game in the second half and put up 20 points.

And on defense, she has the ability to shut down the opposing team’s best player. Because of her length and athleticism, she can take away the overhead pass from the other team and take it back for an easy score for the Seahawks.

“She can shoot from the outside, she can get to the basket pretty much at any time,” said head coach Mike Schick. “We have to tell her/remind her to just get it and go. She can get a defensive layup from underneath the hoop and beat all other nine girls for a layup. Her speed’s there, we have a lot of plays for her that set up other girls.”

Among her teammates, Lovrovich is very well respected and loved. Her teammates flock to her, they all hang out more often than not at her house. She is always at team workouts putting in the effort to get better, and that rubs off on her teammates as well.

Lovrovich is one of the team captains this upcoming season along with Piper Bauer. Being two of the more seasoned veterans, the two make up the heart of the team. However, the two could not be more different as leaders.

“I call her more the “silent leader” or lead by example. She doesn’t like to tell people what to do,” Schick said. “I try to get her to the point so I can move [Bauer] to the shooting guard a little bit more, but she doesn’t like to call out plays because she doesn’t want to tell the other girls what to do. [Bauer] is more like the floor genereal.”

Schick believes that Lovrovich will be a good fit for the Broncos when she suits up for them. He and his coaching staff got her to this point, now the college coaches will push her even further to unlock more potential.

It is a challenge that Lovrovich has proven she is willing to take on, as she will absolutely step her game up in a more competitive environment.

“I was extremely proud, as I am with all the kids that wind up signing. It’s always a big moment,” Schick said. “I think [Boise State] will be a good fit, the style of ball they play will suit her well. I’m excited to see when she is around those high level Division 1 kids, how she steps her game up even more. Because the more she is pushed, the more she rises to the occasion.”

Even though her senior season status is unknown at this point, Lovrovich is still putting in the work to keep herself ready for whichever new season comes her way.

“[I’m looking forward to] the better competition, just the chance to play with all the new girls at the next level,” she said. “It’s just very different but I’m excited.”

Lovrovich and the Seahawks are still tentatively scheduled to begin practice Dec. 28, with games to follow suit.

This story was originally published November 17, 2020 at 6:00 AM.