SPRINGDALE — Justyne Huber is going out with a bang after only one year of women's college basketball.
The former All-State player from Prairie Grove has decided to quit basketball after leading Arkansas-Fort Smith in scoring and rebounding as a freshman. She started all 25 games for the Lady Lions after starting for four years at Class 4A Prairie Grove.
Profile
Justyne Huber
SCHOOL: Arkansas-Fort Smith
CLASS: Freshman
POSITION: Center/Forward
HEIGHT: 6-1
NOTABLE: Led Arkansas-Fort Smith in scoring and rebounding as a freshman…. Named Freshman of the Year in the Heartland Conference and honorable mention all-conference… Was a four-time All-Conference, three-time All-State, and two-time NWA Media Small School Player of the Year at Prairie Grove.
Huber said she will return home for the summer before going back to UAFS as a student only in the fall. She plans to switch her major from psychology to education.
"It's the basketball. I don't want to do it any more," said Huber, who was a three-time all-state player with the Lady Tigers. "My mind is made up."
Huber (6-foot-1) had no problem adjusting to the college game in her first year at UAFS, which finished 8-17 this season. She was named the Heartland Conference Freshman of the Year and received honorable mention all-conference recognition on a team dominated by upperclassmen.
"We had to play her out of position at post a lot, and she was our most consistent player, especially for a freshman," Arkansas-Fort Smith coach Louis Whorton said in a press release. "She led us in scoring and rebounding and was second in minutes played. Anytime you can get that out of freshman, that is a sign of a pretty good player.
"She had a good year, both on the court and academically."
Huber led the Lady Lions with 11.8 points per game and scored in double-figures the final eight games of the season. She was second on the team with 15 blocks and led Athe team with seven rebounds per game.
"When I got Freshman of the Year, I was honored, of course," Huber said. "But I don't get excited too much."
Huber shot 41 percent from the field (98 for 238), 23 percent from 3-point range (13 for 56 and 78 percent from the free-throw line (98 for 125). She scored a career-high 21 points against the University of Texas of the Permian Basin and collected a career-high 14 rebounds against Oklahoma Panhandle State.
"There were some adjustments coming from high school, but it was easier than I thought it would be," Huber said.
Huber said she leaves the game with many fond memories, mostly from when she played for the Prairie Grove Lady Tigers.
"I'll never forget my freshman year when we won the state championship," Huber said. "That was a great time and a lot of fun."
Sports on 04/07/2014