Oakes, Kaela

Kaela Oakes was a star two sport athlete for Basha High in the late 2000's. A three year starter at point guard on the basketball team, Oakes was a strong defender and precise passer. Her best statistical season was during her junior year, when she averaged 10.8 points per game, 3.6 rebounds per game, 5.4 assists per game, and 2.3 steals per game. She was named 1st team All-Region, All-Region defenseive team, and All-State honorable mention. Her senior season was nearly as good; she posted 9.1 points per game, 3.5 rebounds per game, 4.6 assists per game, and 3.1 steals per game. She was once again honorable mention All-State as well as 1st team All-Region, 1st team All-Region defensively, All-Academic team (Oakes posted a 4.4 GPA her senior year), and Region MVP.
In addition to her sucess on the hardwood, Oakes doubled as a track star. A competitior in the heptathlon, Oakes was a member of Basha's 100 point club in 2006. She was named Team MVP that year. She was named to the All-Academic in 2008 and once again was named Team MVP. Oakes finished her career as the record holder in the 100m (12.20s) and 200m (25.56s) sprints.
Oakes elected to play basketball at Idaho State after her Basha career concluded. A three year starter for the Bengals, she became a valuable offensive weapon for the team. While her passing skills remained sharp, Oakes blossomed into a top scorer for Idaho State. She finished her career with 1,155 points. She was named to the Big Sky All-Academic team every year she started. She was an All-Conference honorable mention her sophomore year, before breaking out her junior season. Oakes was named All-Big Sky first team and Team MVP. She helped lead Idaho State to the NCAA postseason, and was given a spot on the Big Sky All-Tournament team for her performance. She finished her senior season on the All-Big Sky second team and was a Senior CLASS Award Finalist. An award handed out to one Division I athlete, the CLASS Award recognizes "community, classroom, character, and competiiton" (seniorclassaward.com). Oakes's nomination speaks volumes about her well-rounded character. A talented basketball player, she majored in Idaho State's nursing school. The demanding coursework and time commitment of DI athletics may have overwhelmed most people, but not Oakes. Instead, she excelled, improving on the court every year and making strides in the classroom.