ATHLETE: Cassidy Peake
Year in school: Senior
Number of years on varsity: 4 years
Hemlock girls coach Scott Neumeyer answers questions on Cassidy Peake
Your thoughts about the athlete’s season so far
Cassidy had an outstanding career and had an outstanding senior season. She was the lone senior on our team who was also one of our captains. She was a tremendous role model and leader for all of the young players on our team. Simply put, Cassidy is a winner. She finished her career with a 79-18 record, three conference championships, four district titles, a regional title, and a trip to the Final Four.
Any available pertinent stats?
Cassidy only averaged 4.4 points per game, but her value can’t be measured by offensive statistics. She was a true point guard who led, defended, and set the table for the other players. I often referred to her as the Xavier Simpson of the Hemlock girls’ basketball program. She averaged 4.4 rebound per game, 4.2 assists per game, and 4.5 steals per game. She also had a 2.5 to 1 assist/turnover ratio, which is outstanding for a point guard. She finished her career as the all-time steals leader in program history. She also finished second all-time in career assists. She broke the school’s single game assist record with 12 as well as the school’s single game steals record with 13.
What’s been the keys to his/her success?
First and foremost, Cassidy is a hard worker, not only on the athletic field, but in the classroom. She has a 4.1 GPA who is not only an outstanding student in the classroom, but she’s a student of the game. She sees the floor and reads defenders extremely well. Having Cassidy at the point guard is like having a coach on the floor.
How much improvement from last year?
Cassidy does whatever it takes to make the team successful, which is why her offensive numbers don’t stand out. She knows that she has other talented teammates who can shoot the ball, so her sole focus is on getting them the ball in positions where they can be successful. Her ability to slow the game down in her head and read what is happening is outstanding. We run a pretty sophisticated defensive system, and she is the leader of it. Her ability to pressure the ballhandler and her knack for baiting them into turnovers is uncanny. She also has the ability to read passing lanes, which one of the reasons she is our program’s all-time steals leader. Her basketball IQ is off the charts.
Memorable moments you recall from this year, previous years, from athlete?
First and foremost, the steady leadership that she has brought to our team. She is everything you want in a point guard, and she will be sorely missed. As for this season, the memory that stands out to me was near the end of our quarterfinal game against Bishop Foley. Cassidy was fouled near the end of the game with the game still in doubt. She stepped to the line for a one-and-one and hit a couple of big free throws for us to help seal the win. That moment stands out because free throws are something that Cassidy’s struggled with at times throughout her career, and to see her step up in such a crucial moment and hit those free throws says a lot about her and what she’s made of. I was so proud of her.
How much as the athlete work during the offseason?
Cassidy’s work ethic is tremendous. She gives her best in everything she does. I don’t think she ever missed an offseason workout or event. She’s one of the best leaders that I’ve coached. Her maturity and poise are extremely rare for someone her age.
Is the athlete in any other sports?
She was a setter on the volleyball team. She also plays on the tennis team.
What is the team record and how is the team doing?
The team finished 14-9 (5-4 in conference). We opened the season 0-4 and then battled injuries and COVID issues for much of the season. We were able to get healthy the last week of the season and go on a nice post-season run. The team won a district and regional title, won their quarterfinal, and was set to play Grass Lake in a Division 3 semifinal at the Breslin Center before being forced to withdraw due to the COVID protocols that were in place.