Bowen Born Named Mr. Basketball
Norwalk guard Bowen Born Bowen Born 5'11" | PG Norwalk | 2020 State #401 Nation IA just wrapped up one of the most successful seasons in Iowa high school history. It culminated last Friday when he helped lead his team to the school's first ever state championship, and he can now add 2020 Iowa Mr. Basketball to his impressive resume. The Iowa Newspaper Association bestowed the honor upon Born at their annual meeting on Saturday.
After scoring 83 points in three games at State last week, Born finished his senior season with 983 points, which is the third highest scoring season in state history. He also scored 2,494 career points, which ranks sixth all-time.
"I've been really thankful to have some amazing teammates and people surrounding me that have helped me win an award like this," Born said. "It feels amazing to know that all the hard work you put in is being rewarded."
The type of player who isn't showy in an era filled with players obsessed with putting together highlights, and often times prioritizing that over wins, Born is proud that he has set himself apart from all that noise. "I want to be remembered as someone who did things differently. How I carry myself and how I tried to always stay level regardless of the situation. I hope that I inspire a ton of kids to play the same way I do, with a fearless, never give up attitude," Born said.
After losing in the 3A championship game last season to Oskaloosa, Born was able to help deliver Norwalk their first state title with a win over Sergeant Bluff-Luton. He said that ending his high school career with a state title was his proudest moment during a fabulous high school career. "Ending my high school career with a state title means the world to me," Born said. "It feels incredible to work and want something so bad, and then get it. To be the first team from Norwalk to ever do it was pretty special. I think it says a lot about the hard work and time this group put into it."
A highly successful player during his four-year varsity career, he was the key piece of a group of seniors that changed the culture at Norwalk. "It wasn't always easy. My freshman year we went 11-12. I don't think there has been any group of guys that all came together and bonded and worked as hard as we did to get what we achieved. (Coach Larson) is an amazing coach, but an even better person. I don't think we ever focused on winning a title. We focused on doing things that get us there, and when you do that, things pretty much take care of themselves," Born said.
He'll head off to Northern Iowa in the fall to play for Ben Jacobson, and he's excited about the opportunity. "As a Panther I want to win. My role is going to be very different, and I'm excited for the challenge. UNI had a great year this year, and I want to go and continue to contribute to their winning culture. I couldn't be more excited to work with everybody up there."
