Joliet West’s Makayla Chism taking her turn as team leader

Throughout her high school basketball career, Joliet West’s Makayla Chism has been hiding in the background.

That’s understandable, as the Tigers had players such as Lisa Thompson – now playing at Rutgers University – Destiny McNair and Maziah Shelton to take the lead.

As she enters her senior season, though, the Tigers are her team. She is the unquestioned leader on the floor, and it’s a role and challenge that she welcomes.

“Ever since my sophomore year, we had Destiny McNair, and she was a great player,” Chism said. “Last year, we had Maziah Shelton and Brooke Schwall. Even my freshman year when I was up for a little bit, there was Lisa Thompson and Grace Walsh.

“I feel like this year is my moment, and I want to take what I learned from all those other girls about being the leader and apply it to my game.”

While the Tigers haven’t gotten off to a fast start – they were 1-5 after Monday’s loss to Joliet Central – Chism feels that the team will improve as the season goes on.

And while she may be considered the team leader, she is by no means a selfish player who is only looking out for her own statistics and glory.

“I just want to go out there and do whatever the team needs for us to be successful,” she said. “I am pretty versatile on the court, so I will do whatever the coach and team need me to do.

“I am excited about this team this year. We got off to a slow start last year, but we learned to play together and were playing a lot better at the end of the year. I think that will happen again this year.”

Chism, who played on the wing last season as Shelton and Schwall patrolled the lane, has been asked to play underneath this season. In Monday’s loss to Joliet West, she led the Tigers with 24 points and 18 rebounds, proving she can indeed play wherever she is needed on the court.

“Makayla is a unicorn,” Joliet West coach Bre Blackmon said. “She can play anywhere on the court. We’ve had her playing the ‘5′ for us, and all she does is ask, ‘What do you need me to do, Coach?’

“She is so humble and unselfish. She wants to do whatever she can to help the team win. That’s all I want out of my players, and she sets a great example for the younger players.”

The Tigers are indeed a young team, with Chism, Khiana Tyler and Samantha Casanova the only seniors. Learning under their tutelage are juniors ReNiyah Cunningham, Maya Zanzola, Jada Thompson and Natalie Clemente, as well as sophomores Gabrielle Gavin and Tamia Saunders.

“I have taken bits and pieces from all the girls that came before me,” Chism said, “and I want to put those bits and pieces into what I do. Some of that is how to be a leader, and I am really looking forward to that my senior year.

“Like, I was usually playing the ‘3′ position or on the wing most of my career, but this year I have to go down low and play the ‘5′ more often. If that is what the team needs me to do, that’s what I am going to do. I just want the team to do well.”

Blackmon sees the advantage of having Chism on the floor.

“She’s a guard and center combo that is hard for other teams to match up with,” Blackmon said. “She brings the energy every game, and the other girls feed off of that.

“They all look to her and follow her lead. The season is a marathon, not a sprint. We’ve been in this position before. We are still in the learning stages, figuring out what the best combinations are on the floor. We’ll get it figured out and have things going better by the end of the year, and Makayla is going to be a big part of that.”