Believe it or not, the 4A IEL Regional Tournament is around the corner.

In preparation for the Bulldogs’ biggest games of the year, the Bee will highlight one (or two) Sandpoint girls basketball players every issue in the first-ever SHS Basketball Player-a-Day series.

The countdown resumes with sophomore forward Hattie Larson.

Sometimes, consistency is a gift and a curse.

Take Hattie Larson’s sophomore season, for example. While the Bulldogs struggled without point guard Dawson Driggs, Larson stepped in as Sandpoint’s top offensive threats in the paint. Come January, double-digit scoring performances and leading the team in rebounding became the norm.

About the curse part: Larson made stat-stuffing performances so routine that it became easy to take her play for granted. She made productive nights seem so effortless.

Larson thrives within 15 feet of the basket on both ends of the floor. When she’s aggressive, Larson is one of Sandpoint’s best at finishing through contact and getting to the free-throw line. And on defense, she is Sandpoint’s most reliable rebounder, which was invaluable against taller, more experienced teams.

Her best performances of the season came in the Eagle Holiday Classic. She was one of two Bulldogs in double-figures for both games (17 points, then 11), plus she averaged 6.5 rebounds and four steals per game.

But if there’s any one takeaway from Larson’s sophomore season, then it’s realizing how high her ceiling is. If Larson refines her jumper over the next two years, then she could play her way onto a Division I team.

Game of note: vs. Prosser in the Eagle Holiday Classic

In Will Love’s words: “Hattie has really come along this season as a vocal leader for our program. She has so many talents as a basketball player. The great thing about Hattie is how hard she is working this season to unlock her potential.”