She achieved her goal of being selected for the McDonald’s All-American® Game in the process by using her strength, determination, skills, and love for the game as shown in her playing. Despite being held back by the pandemic, Indya Nivar (12) has prevailed and helped put Apex Friendship High School’s Women’s Basketball on the map.
Although Nivar has a reputation for being a phenomenal basketball star, she didn’t start out with the court in mind. She pursued gymnastics at a young age, but at her parents urging, she decided to give basketball a shot. While playing, she found Nivar’s passion for shooting hoops, saying that the, “adrenaline rush, being on the court competing, and displaying the skills that I have been working on is exciting.”
Joining the Lady Patriots as a varsity player in her freshman year, Nivar began to earn her standing among her teammates and make an impact on the school’s athletic reputation. Last year, she contributed to a 14-3 record for the Lady Patriots, averaging an impressive 24 points and 8 rebounds per game on the way to a second place finish in the Southwestern Wake Athletic Conference, and the third round of the state playoffs.
On March 29, 2022, Nivar will exhibit her athletic prowess in the McDonald’s All American® Game. When selected as an All American, Nivar felt “ecstatic…to be selected out of thousands” to be a part of the exciting game. McDonald’s describes the game as a place, “where new aspirations are born and dreams are realized.” They canceled the 2020-2021 game due to COVID-19 and safety regulations, but now that the pandemic has declined, high school students will have the opportunity to shine in front of thousands as they play in the Windy City, Chicago, this year.
Deciding between Stanford, NC State, and UNC, Nivar finally committed to the Cardinals. After a tough decision, she chose Stanford because, “it allowed [her] to mold [her] biomedical engineering major into what [she] wanted to do in the future, which is to be an orthopedic surgeon and advocate for equity.” Not only does the school accommodate her being a student athlete, she also wants to play for the “legendary” coach, Tara Vandeveer.
Nivar has left her mark on AFHS, impacting the women’s basketball team for years to come. “I am so grateful for the people that aided me in my growth and those who have advocated for me to be selected.” She jumped at the chance to travel to Illinois and experience a momentous game that might change her life forever. AFHS wishes her well and will root for her as she dominates the court.
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