Later, she knocked their socks off. “The first time we met her we didn’t know her background and thought, ‘What a heck of a kid,’ ” recalled Panthers head coach Tooey Loy. “On our applications, you do an essay about yourself, why you want to come here. She laid out kind of her whole life story and we went, ‘Wow, no wonder we thought she was such a great kid.’
“We think we’ve got a true diamond in the rough that’s going to bloom not only as a person, but as a basketball player,” Loy added. “She’s one of those you’re just going to pull for for four years.”
Four years ago, college was the last thing on Parker’s mind. Yet last week, she signed her National Letter of Intent to join the Panthers from the Southwest Guilford media center, making her stay in High Point last longer than she ever imagined.
Two years ago, Parker’s mother – Verna – decided to move from Atlanta to the Triad to be closer to family. Cheyenne has a 33-year-old brother named Yusef who lives here.
“I wasn’t happy about it at first,” Cheyenne said. “Then I got here and I was more than happy – I’m doing so much better. I started my high school years really rough – take a look at my transcripts and you’ll see!”
She made the offer with a smile, but it was no laughing matter when new Cowgirls coach Jessica Bryan got word that a 6-foot-3 player had arrived.
It turned out that Parker would not be eligible the first semester of her junior year, but Bryan and officials at Southwest went to work getting Parker back on track.
“The first question I asked her was, ‘Do you want to play college basketball? You could, but this next two years you’re going to have to work extremely hard both academically and on the court,’ ” Bryan said. “It’s been a complete turnaround – all As and Bs. She’s a totally different kid.”
Parker failed to dominate last winter with Southwest, averaging nine points, six rebounds and two blocks per game as she worked her way late into the lineup because of the eligibility issue.
Loy recalled seeing her play and he jotted down the name – being 6-3 will get you that – but plenty of question marks surrounded Parker’s game last year. Then came a summer with Greensboro’s Lady Phoenix Elite travel-ball team. Delaney Rudd’s program got Parker some serious exposure, and Parker delivered with serious improvement in all areas of her game.
“I saw her the first weekend at N.C. State’s AAU Tournament in the July recruiting period,” Loy said. “I didn’t recognize her at first – she had matured, she was catching everything, finishing. She must have had 10 points, five rebounds and four blocks in five minutes. I’m looking through going, ‘Who is this kid?’ ”
Other coaches noticed first. Parker said interest came from places such as Maryland, Virginia Commonwealth, Towson State and Long Beach, which offered her an intriguing chance to head to California.
“My phone just started ringing off the hook,” Parker said. “It was just exciting to have so many people interested in me.”
Finally – and reluctantly – she decided to make the short trip to visit HPU even though it was too close to home.
Turns out it was too close to perfect to turn down.
“I just fell in love with the campus – the classrooms, the gym, student living,” Parker said. “And the coaching staff is just amazing people.”
Two days after her visit, she committed. And after signing Thursday, Parker added a message to her voicemail telling would-be suitors, “I have offered a commitment to High Point, thank you for calling.”
Loy said Parker’s reaction to the school – especially from local students – is typical.
“They know where High Point University is, but if they haven’t stepped on campus the last two years, they don’t know what it’s all about,” Loy explained of the staff’s basic recruiting pitch: “Come take a look at it and see if you can find a better place with the education and the amenities you can get here.”
The basketball could be awfully good, too. Loy called Parker a player with “ACC/SEC athletic ability: We’re really fired up about the possibilities there.”
Imagine the possibilities – none of which existed a few short years ago.
“I’m excited she’s staying in the area so I can watch her play and grow as a collegiate player,” Bryan said. “She’s a 3.0 student now and she’s getting it done on the court.”
Parker plans to become an English teacher and coach one day, but hopes first to play professionally overseas. A few more years in High Point could make that dream come true, as well.
Verna certainly doesn’t mind having Cheyenne close.
“She’s really excited, and proud of me, too,” Parker said.
With good reason.
shanf@hpe.com | 888-3526
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