Fowler only has eyes for championships

ACCOLADES are not something Alex Fowler aspires for. But she cannot help herself – they just keep finding their way to her mantle.

The Townsville basketball star was selected in the Freshman Team of the Year after her phenomenal exploits with the Portland Pilots’ West Coast Conference championship side.

Fowler’s selection follows her sweep of the All-australian NCAA awards, where she claimed player of the year, freshman of the year and defensive player of the year honours.

However all that is secondary for the 18-year-old.

After the coronavirus pandemic robbed the Pilots of an NCAA Tournament charge, all she wants is another shot at the American title.

“There’s so many great players in NCAA and to get them (the awards) was such a privilege,” Fowler said.

“(But) the selections, all this individual stuff aren’t really my goals.

“I love playing with my Portland team, my Portland family – I don’t look at the individual awards, I’m looking for championships.”

Time off the court has only worsened Fowler’s itch to get back to competition.

But until border restrictions due to COVID-19 are eased, she and fellow Townsville-based Pilot Haylee Andrews are kept to in-house training.

Fowler said she never expected to get as much out of the season as she did and when she returns to the US, it will be a matter of proving her freshman year was not a flash in the pan.

“At the moment the conference and all the schools are trying to figure out how to get the international students around,” Fowler said.

“Hopefully we get back in the middle of June.

“Being in isolation, being away from everyone, it does suck. But Haylee and I have been finding ways to continue working out – we can’t wait to get on the court.”