Glenns Ferry basketball: Cassi Garza profile

In early April, I interviewed Cassi Garza of Glenns Ferry. She had one of the most interesting stories to tell. Below is the article that will appear in the team's girls basketball yearbook.

Cassi Garza:

Pivotal decision to be part of the team

resulted in long-lasting memories

By Bruce Smith

Matchup

            It’s easy to be impressed by Cassi Garza.

            She said her primary goal in high school was academics. She was one of the smartest kids in Glenns Ferry. Her goal was to study pre-med in college, and ended up earning a scholarship to the University of Idaho.
            However, there was an athletic part of her, too.
            In the summers, she was a lifeguard at the Glenns Ferry pool. She was studious, but also liked to stay active. One of the biggest decisions she made in her high-school career took place on a cold day in November.
            Garza had just finished a successful season on the school’s girls soccer team. When basketball approached, her friends asked her to be part of the team.
            At first, she compromised. She asked to be the basketball team’s scorekeeper, but it didn’t feel satisfying.
            “I realized it just wasn’t right,” she said. “After the second game, I told (coach) Kelli (McHone) I wanted to play. I had known some of the plays, but I had to learn the others very quickly.”
            The rest is history.
            McHone quickly got her a uniform, and she was a regular at practice, joining her friends again and her sister, Melissa, a freshman. McHone also found a new scorekeeper. Within two weeks, Garza started becoming another key part of the Pilots’ success.
            “I didn’t know what to expect,” Garza said. “Every game was exciting.”
            Garza had extensive playing time and ended up being able to include athletics and academics in her high-school career. She maintained her high grade-point average, and followed basketball with a fine softball season.
            She may never play competitive sports again. But, during this time, she accomplished all that she could.
            Physically, Garza didn’t stand out. She was 5-foot-5 and slender, but showed an aptitude in athletics that was as good as her academics.
            She said she developed an attitude in soccer. She only began playing as a junior and decided to go “all out.”
            “I got really intense,” she recalled. “I decided it was either all-out or nothing.”
            She also learned a lot about herself.
            “You could say I react well,” she said. “In soccer, I was the goalkeeper and I was the catcher in softball. I just adjust to the game that’s being played.”
            Her attitude was noticed immediately. In her first game, she scored six points in an important 47-36 victory over Hagerman. She played in 22 games and averaged 2.1 points per game. Her best effort was a 10-point, 5-rebound performance at Challis, when she took over for Ellee Bryant, who was hurt.
            In most games, she came off the bench and provided necessary depth.
            “We ended up needing her,” said McHone. “When she joined the team, I don’t think she expected to play as much as she did.”
            For Garza, it was a memorable year. The Pilots soccer team reached the state tournament and, for the first time in 15 years, the girls basketball team did, too.
            “I wasn’t much of a shooter, but I could rebound pretty well,” she said. “I look back on it now and it was awesome to be part of two teams that made it to state.”
            Garza had another good game in Glenns Ferry’s district tournament game. After earning the top seed from the North Division, the Pilots took on Hansen and she scored seven points in the 63-41 win.
            About the only disappointment was how it ended. She injured her ankle in Glenns Ferry’s tournament opener against Prairie and played sparingly after that.
            She still cheered vividly for her teammates and joined in the celebration following the win over Hagerman in the second round.
            “It was a fun year,” she said. “We had our goals and we ended up accomplishing what we wanted. I’ll never forget it.”