Aiden Allen, Childress basketball, Jr.
On the court: Allen was a huge factor last week in helping lead the Bobcats back to the Class 3A state tournament, as Childress won three games to earn the right to go to San Antonio. Childress opened the week by edging Brownfield 60-57 in the region quarterfinal game, and Allen led the way with a game-high 24 points. That put the Bobcats in the Region I-3A semifinal against Wichita Falls City View, who Childress beat 62-49, as Allen scored 17 points. Childress then faced perennial power Brock in the region championship game, which lived up to its billing by going into overtime. Allen came up huge in the extra period, as Lamont Nickleberry, the team’s leading scorer, had fouled out. In overtime, Allen scored all five points for the Bobcats, including the eventual game-winning layup which helped Childress win 56-55 and seal the trip to the state tournament. Allen, who averages 14.7 points a game, had 19 points and was voted the region championship game MVP.
Coach Wayne Parker: “Aiden’s been playing really big for us. He’s obviously a big part of our team and he’s one of our main offensive threats. Lamont fouled out in that last game against Brock and Aiden really stepped up in in overtime. It’s just his leadership and his defensive effort. That’s really been big for us as a team this whole year. Aiden tore up his knee last year as a sophomore and only played about five games but he was on pace to be our leading scorer. Aiden’s just got a high drive to be good. He’s in the gym all the time. He shoots hundreds of shots every day and is just a regular old gym rat. Lamont penetrates and gets down into the paint quite often and kicks out to Aiden for open shots. They’re two offensive minded players and that’s really been big for us.”
Allen: “It just seemed like one of those weeks where everything was clicking. The defense slowed down, the offense was working and the shots just happened to fall. I didn’t really think I had to take over, I just thought it was time to go as far as straightening some things up on defense, box out and grab some more rebounds, trust my teammates to step up and they did. It was a relief lifted off our shoulders just being able to say we did it. Beating a team like Brock is a good achievement. We’re peaking right now and playing some dang good defense. We’re playing the best we have all year and it’s the time to do it. I had three workouts a day (to rehab his knee). My knee felt great and with the work I put in I trusted it.”
About Allen
Favorite band or musician: Luke Combs
Favorite social media platform: Instagram
Favorite athlete: Kevin Durant
Bet you didn’t know: Doesn’t play a lot of video games
Parents: Randy and Haley Allen