OMAR NEGRIN / THE REPORTER
Ganette Chism has been a scoring machine for the Lady Sharks this season.
The tenacious freshman scored 32 points in a game against Hillsborough Community College on Dec. 15. She is leading the team in scoring, averaging 19.6 points per game and is also contributes 4.8 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game for the Lady Sharks, who are 13-8.
“After reviewing her style of play and the potential, I knew she would be a good fit in our system,” said Lady Sharks head coach Susan Summons. “And if she really embraced the role given to her, she could really explode, and that’s exactly what she has done.”
The 5-foot-9-inch guard was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, where she attended Simeon High School. Chism played varsity basketball her junior and senior years averaging 8.3 points and 3.5 assists per game.
Chism first found her love for basketball in her own backyard. She recalls watching her older brother, RJ Rochelle, playing with his friends recreationally. It made her want to join in.
“The first time I asked my brother to let me play with them he told me no,” Chism said. “He wouldn’t let me play with them so I went and learned on my own.”
Chism knew as soon as she began playing on a team in the fourth grade that basketball would be her top priority.
“Once I joined the team I was doing real good,” Chism said. “I was excelling at it so I kept doing it.”
Despite enjoying her time in Miami with the Lady Sharks, Chism misses Chicago and her close-knit family.
“Being so far from home, I’m adjusting to everything,” Chism said. “I talk to my family everyday. I facetime my mom all day, sometimes she even calls me when I’m in class.”
But when Chism, who intends to become a physical therapist for a professional sports team when her basketball career is over, is on the court, all is well.
“She’s very passionate about the game, you can tell,” said sophomore forward Cheah Rael-Whitsitt. “She still has some growing to do, but once she gets there she’s going to be a great player.”
The Lady Sharks’ next game will be on the road, versus Palm Beach State College on Jan.30 at 5 p.m.
