The end of the semester for most high school students is a time to gear up for the holidays, prepare for finals, and try to wrap up any last minute classwork that can help improve final grades. Students who play winter sports, such as basketball, wrestling, and soccer, have to deal with these things and the added pressures of the season as well. Yet every so often, among these potential stresses, a powerful milestone can occur, which, when achieved, can bring a special moment to a player, a coach, or a school that will be remembered for years to come. On Tuesday, December 16th, that moment occurred for Averie Steverson, Coach Steverson and the Merced High Girls Basketball program when the Bears hosted East Union at Merced High and Averie Steverson reached 1000 points as a varsity Bears player. She reached the 1,000-point milestone with a basket in the first quarter, with a little under five minutes left in the period. Steverson is the first Merced player to surpass 1,000 career points since Lexi Thompson in 2015. The achievement came during her junior season and reflects the impact she has had for the program as a three-year varsity player.
Steverson’s enthusiasm for basketball began eight years ago, and from the beginning, her coaches noticed her excellent timing when grabbing rebounds and blocking shots. “Early on, her coaches strictly had her under the basket in the post,” her father and coach Willie Steverson said. “She did extremely well there, but we always knew her game would develop into more of a ball-handling slasher who can help her team in all five positions on the court.”
Her father, Willie Steverson, who is also her current coach at Merced High, has been one of the most important mentors in her basketball journey. Averie credits him as one of the coaches that has helped her the most along the way.
Over the years, Averie has grown in many ways as a player, expanding her skills and becoming more versatile. Those early years helped shape her understanding of the game and prepare her for the fast pace and intensities of high school basketball. Since joining varsity, she has continued to grow each season, becoming a consistent contributor and dependable presence on the court. As a freshman, she led the team in points scored per game with 16.2. She followed that season up by leading the team again in points scored per game with 15.1. This year, she’s currently on pace to three-peat that achievement as she leads the team once again with 15.4. The foundational skills she has been able to build up have played a key role in her ability to reach the 1,000-point accomplishment during her junior year.
Off the court, basketball has helped Averie grow into who she is today. She shares, “Basketball has helped me develop into the person I am today by teaching me the importance of discipline, trust, teamwork, and consistency – showing up even when it’s hard.” She added that the sport has also pushed her to become a better leader, learning “how to change the way I communicate based on who I’m talking to.” Through basketball, she has learned to handle both success and failure, helping her remain humble while staying motivated to always continue improving. Her father, Willie Steverson, agrees, sharing “She is strong in her work ethic and her faith in the Lord.”
Steverson plans to continue playing sports after high school, saying she only intends to play basketball in college if she can compete in both volleyball and basketball. “Volleyball is my main sport and first option,” she shares. Her father added that while basketball is a big part of her life, “she is a volleyball player at heart.”
Averie Steverson’s lasting mark at Merced High appears to be only just beginning. Since reaching her thousand-point milestone, she has continued her offensive dominance, averaging 15.75 points over her last four games as the Bears have gone 4-0. When the second semester begins for Merced High, league play will soon follow. Only time will tell how the Bears will do in 2026, but one thing is for sure, the Bears and Averie Steverson will be prepared for whatever comes next.
- Photos by Grace Gallegos. ↩︎
