Some might have noticed a change to the girls basketball team this season, but it’s a familiar face who is making that change.
After playing for SHS until the end of her sophomore year, current senior Kassie McMasters transferred to Decatur Central for basketball because she had moved and because some of her teammates from AAU, a travel basketball team, played for Decatur Central.
Her highest scoring game at Decatur Central was against Mt. Vernon, when she led the team in scoring with 19 points and led the Hawks to a win over the Marauders by a score of 57-32.
Even though she encountered success at Decatur Central, averaging 9.3 points per game in 20 games, she still missed her former teammates from SHS.
She ended up moving back to SHS at the end of her junior year because she was ready to play with her friends for one more year.
“I missed my friends and teammates who I grew up with,” McMasters said. “I wanted to finish my year out with them.”
Another reason McMasters came back was because she wanted to play alongside her sister, sophomore Mariah McMasters, and experience things with her sister that she hasn’t before for her senior season.
However, her presence has also been felt by her teammates, who have seen this affect the team’s mentality.
“I definitely think our energy is a lot better,” senior Sophia Nguyen said. “Kassie’s voice is just like everything, her presence just makes it better.”
Girls head basketball coach Larry Williams has seen her as a leader even in his first season of coaching at SHS.
“Kassie is a phenomenal leader,” Williams said. “She’s a really good player, and I’m just happy to have her on my team.”
Williams says that McMasters is the point guard and does it all for the team. According to Max Preps, she leads the team in six of the 12 main statistics and has helped lead the Lady Cards to a 4-4 record, as of Dec. 4.
McMasters has played with some of her teammates since middle school and is excited to be back on the team with them.
“I’ve been really close with most of them,” McMasters said. “I’ve played basketball with them since eighth grade, so it’s like we’re pretty close, but we’re getting back to it.”
Along with McMasters, her teammates are also excited that she has transferred back.
“I was very excited when I found that she was coming back,” Nguyen said. “It would be better for the team, but it would also be very nice to have my best friend back at school with me.”