Top Scorer Cheney’s Anna Getz Racks Up The Points Despite Desire To Bolster Teammates’ Play

Anna Getz never really cared to shoot the basketball.

Cheney’s point guard said she’s more comfortable feeding and letting her teammates do the scoring.

Yet, over a four-year career in which her teams have won 82 of the 98 basketball games in which she’s played, Getz has made her share of Blackhawk baskets.

Her points, including this year’s Border League leading effort, total 1,501, an impressive 15.3 composite average. Cheney has qualified for three straight state tournaments and for this year’s first-ever regional playoff that began Tuesday night.

“I’d rather just be the point guard, to tell the truth,” said the 5-foot-8 senior. “But I have to score for us to be successful.”

That wasn’t always the case. She joined an experienced varsity team as a wide-eyed freshman with just one responsibility: Bring the ball up court.

“She’s a great ball handler, always has been,” said her coach, Marty Jessett. “That was the kind of person we needed with that group.

“No one could bring the ball up court, so she wound up with the ball in her hand.”

Getz would make sure the veterans, including high-scoring seniors Erin Soliday and 6-foot-3 Jenny Hoots, got their shots.

“I’d just hike the ball up to Jenny and she’d score,” said Getz.

The Blackhawks won 25 consecutive games that year before losing in the semifinals and placing sixth after Getz went down with a knee injury.

With five seniors graduated from the state placers, the role of scorer fell more and more on Getz.

Cheney again won league and district to qualify for state her sophomore year.

Last year she led Frontier League scorers overall with a 20.2 average in 24 games. Cheney won its third district title and qualified for state once more.

“It’s come to the point where we almost expect to go,” said Getz.

This season, in the newly formed Border League that included Idaho schools, Getz averaged a league-leading 17.5 points per game, including 37 against Border champion Lake City early in the year.

But the team’s bid for a fourth straight district title was thwarted last Friday by East Valley.

“EV did a good job and prepared well,” said Getz. “There’s no second chance. It’s now or never from here.”

She rebounded with games of 28 and 21 points as Cheney advanced in Friday’s regional against WV-Yakima.

Getz began playing basketball in the fourth grade, joining a recreational team with a friend. She honed her game against two older brothers, Dan and Jeremy.

“I enjoyed playing the game every day with them,” she said.

By the time she got to high school, she was ready for varsity. Four years later the Getz era is about to end.

“We haven’t played a game without her, except a couple when she was injured, for four years,” said Jessett. “She will be missed greatly.”

That realization is only now sinking in on the Blackhawks’ scoring and team leader.

Getz said she must improve her quickness to continue her career in college. But the memories of her superb high school career will linger.

“It’s sad that it’s going to be over,” Getz admitted. “But I think I’m ready to move on. I’m ready for a new challenge, I guess.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo