Tuesday afternoon North Bullitt senior guard Katie Downey “probably shot 60 percent in practice,” according to Eagles coach David Marion.
Yet “she’s the one who stayed after, because she wasn’t satisfied,” Marion said.
That type of dedication and work ethic have helped Downey become one of the top players in the Sixth Region.
Last season the 5-foot-6 Downey – who has played on varsity since she was in sixth grade – averaged 15.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game while shooting 79.1 percent from the free throw line and 38.4 percent from 3-point range for North Bullitt, which went 21-10, won its fourth consecutive 23rd District title and advanced to the region semifinals for the second straight season.
Downey, who was an honorable-mention selection on The Courier-Journal’s All-State team, also helped the Eagles to their first-ever Louisville Invitational Tournament and their first LIT win. This season she hopes to lead North Bullitt, which opens its season Dec. 1 at Assumption, to its first-ever region title.
How, and when, did you get started playing basketball?
When I was 2 years old my dad had me start dribbling a basketball. Then, when I was four I started playing for the parks & rec. league in Bullitt County. Through elementary school I played for the parks & rec., and then I started middle school basketball at Zoneton. Then sixth grade year I also got pulled up to play varsity basketball, and I’ve been playing varsity basketball ever since.
Your brother Chris, who played at North Bullitt, has had a big influence on you, right?
We would always play outside when I was younger. … Actually, I just beat him (in one-on-one) for the first time this year, on his birthday. It was awesome! It’s been one of my goals ever since I was a little kid. I just freaked out. He’s been asking for a rematch ever since.
You signed with Bellarmine earlier this month, why BU?
I went and visited last year and when I stepped on campus I loved everything about it, the coaches, the team. … Plus I have a big family and we’re all pretty close, so it helped that it’s only 15 minutes away.
What will you study there?
I’m looking into sports administration, or strength and training – something to do with sports.
What’s the goal for this season?
Definitely win another district championship and try to get over the hump against Bullitt East because they’ve had like a 20-year winning streak against us.
What have been of some of the highlights of your career so far?
My seventh grade year when I got my first start on the varsity, and winning district championships the last four years, and that game against Butler (last season in the LIT), because it really showed us we could compete against anybody.
Speaking of that Butler game, you had a four-point play with 4.3 seconds left in regulation to send it into overtime. Can you tell me about that?
That was definitely one of the biggest highlights. I felt famous that night. Some lady came up to me after the game and said, ‘You’re going to play in the WNBA one day.’ I went down with cramps in overtime, I get them as big as softballs, my dad had to carry me off the court they were so bad.
What is something distinctive about you?
Well I’ve had the same hairstyle since I was little. I guess I don’t like change. But that’s how people know me, if you say, ‘Do you know Katie Downey?’ they probably say, ‘The girl with the bangs.’
KATIE DOWNEY UP CLOSE
School: North Bullitt
Year: Senior
Sport: Basketball
Student-athlete: Katie, whose favorite classes so far this year are Psychology and Chemistry, has a 4.0 GPA. In addition to being a seven-year member of the varsity basketball team, she is also a member of the National Honor Society and the Student Council.
Family: Katie, 17, lives with her mom, Kim, and dad, Wayne. She also has an older brother, Chris, 26; and an older sister, Cassy, 27.
North Bullitt coach David Marion: The fact that Katie is a good basketball player is really just a bonus. She’s a great student, a good teammate, family oriented, just an all-around good kid. She’s the hardest working player on our team. … She’s just one of those people that’s going to be good at anything she does.