Q&A with Ellie Boni (2020)

Ellie Boni is one of the most versatile players under six feet tall in the state. She is able to score in a ton of different ways at all three levels on the floor. Boni is a 5'10 points guard who is commanding quite a bit of high major interest. She holds 10 offers and we expect that to grow as the season goes along. Boni is a key player for University High School in Spokane. University has some potential but lost a couple tough games to begin the season. How far they go depends on Boni and her leadership. Boni is a player that gets up and down the court really quickly in transition. She is a good handler of the ball and uses her speed to keep defenders off balance. One of her best moves in transition is her little pull up jumper that he likes to use five to ten feet from the basket. Boni has a deadly jumper as she doesn't need any space at all to get it off. Boni is able to get teammates involved really well as she has great court vision and is able to thread the needle with her passes. She is continually working on her defense and that might be the aspect of her game that takes her to the next level in her development. Boni is a player that in the right system in college will thrive with her playmaking ability and willingness to go at the face of her defender. We spoke and talked about goals, her strengths, recruiting, and more below! <hr /> <strong>What are you working on the most right now with your game?</strong> I’m working on getting stronger and being more consistent hitting threes. I constantly work on ball handling, speed and agility, but my main focus is to get stronger in the hole and finishing with contact.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <strong>What do you think the strengths of your game are?</strong> I believe my main strength is ball handling and taking care of the ball. Helping create open shots for teammates and my mid range is also very good. I love pushing the ball up the floor and I believe I work really well in a up tempo game.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <strong>How do you think your season both individually and team-oriented is going this far this season?</strong> Since losing six seniors from our last state run we are still figuring out our rhythm. Our team matches up really well with anyone in the state, however, and we should go far. We lost a couple hard games right out of the gates to some good teams and are really going at it in practice and working hard everyday. I consistently work on my individual game but I’m really working hard on my teams success and my leadership on and off the court. Our main focus is a state championship and I truly believe we can get there.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <strong>What are your goals this year, both team wise and individually?</strong> My goal for my team this year is winning the state title. My high school has never won a state championship and if we win, that would be a huge accomplishment for us and even for my school. Individually, I believe I still have a lot to work on and improve on. My main thing is to be the best defender. Defense is very important to me because it’s personal. I believe I can do better on defense such as anticipating the ball and rebounding. I have many more goals, but that is the main one I have.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <strong>How is your recruiting coming along?</strong><b> </b>My recruiting process is going really well. I’ve taken unofficial visits to UCLA, WSU, UW, University of Colorado, ASU and Colorado State. It’s been really fun and a journey I’ve always wanted to go on. Just keeping my options open to see what the right fit for me is. <strong>You’re a sought after recruit, how do you manage to keep yourself grounded with all the attention?</strong> My family keeps me grounded, for sure. They always say have a “attitude of gratitude”. Even though it might get overwhelming at times, I find the joy in the sport and remember the reason why I play. <strong>You have a year and a half left, what are you looking to accomplish in your remaining time in HS?</strong> The biggest accomplishment I would like to achieve is to win a state championship for my high school and to become Gatorade player of the year. Another big accomplishment I have for myself is to end all four years of high school with a 4.0 GPA. I would also like to commit to a school that feels right and best suits me as a player and person.