Beyond the Playbook: Ava Haus’ scoring ability shines for Saints
Just two seasons ago, CSS women’s basketball were winners of just one game. At the .500 mark so far this season, much of that has come from a new Northland star.
“I have two older siblings, so I’d watch them play, and I’d say eighth grade year is when I really started to be like, yeah, I could be good. I could be really good,” said Freshman guard Ava Haus.
Just a freshman, Haus sits in second of the MIAC in points scored, and averages just under 17 points per game.
This past weekend was her coming out party though.
“My team has so much confidence in me, and I think that’s really translated to this game specifically,” said Haus, referencing her 37 point outburst on Saturday. “After my rough start, I was like, nope, next page, move on. I just got to come out here and do my best. I was really locked in and focused.”
A 37 point effort from Haus was quite the performance, and everything the saints have been looking for.
“For us to have a dynamic guard that has a mentality that she wants to improve and get better and really from a proven track record of winning, it’s really, really special for us,” said Jason Schmitz, CSS’ women’s basketball head coach.
Haus is a true floor general, and makes those around her better.
“I kind of like to think that she’s a little bit mature beyond her actual class being a first year kid,” said Schmitz. “Sometimes you don’t quite expect them to find their voice right away early on, and we could tell early on as a coaching staff, she was somebody that we wanted to be able to find her voice a little bit more, wanted to use her voice. It’s really kind of showed here recently.”
At the end of the day, its confidence that goes the longest for a player like Haus.
“We don’t really believe in titles necessarily to lead,” said Schmitz. “I don’t care what class you are, we just need you to go out and perform, and if you have something to say, say it.”
“Just with my coaches, they have a lot of confidence in me, and they let me know that,” said Haus. “I think that helps me perform better, just knowing that they have my back, too, and they have all the confidence in me.”