TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Hernando Today

Repeat For 'Rikhan

ADVERTISEMENT

By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: May 19, 2008

Cherikhan Waddy's resume can speak for itself. Over the four years with Nature Coast Technical, her accomplishments were plentiful.

She began as a freshman that not only made the varsity roster from day one, but also cracked a starting line-up full of seniors on a team that went 26-3.

She ended up as a centerpiece of a group that earned four county championships, two district titles and three regional appearances.

The 5-foot-8 senior guard played in 109 games over her prep career, her 1,051 career point total making her the first 1,000-point scorer in school history.

Most of all, consider this: in her four years with the Lady Sharks, they went a combined 92-23 - capturing 80 percent of their games.

"My goal was just to help the team win," Waddy said. "That's all I wanted to do."

For all her individual talent and what she has meant to the area's top program, Waddy earned Hernando Today's Player of the Year honors as a junior.

Though teammate Shareka Maner and the county's scoring champion, Hernando High's April Griffey, also garnered consideration this time around, in the end Waddy took the award again.

"It's actually exciting to have Player of the Year twice," Waddy said. "It was not expected by me. Last year, that was my goal, to get Player of the Year. My cousin Shareena (White of Central) got it the year before, so that was my goal to get it the next year.

"It's exciting. I'm happy about it. I'm actually proud of myself that I got it twice."

Building a bond

As graduation fast approaches, Waddy talked wistfully about the teammates she will leave behind. Not only will she no longer see them everyday in school, she's completely leaving the state.

Last month, Waddy signed with Volunteer State Community College in Gallatin, Tenn., where she'll play under former Nature Coast Head Coach Jason Montgomery.

In 2005-06, the then-sophomore Waddy was the only returning starter from that 26-3 squad. Lauren Wajerski, another sophomore, joined her in the starting line-up along with two freshmen, Maner and Crystal Anthony.

Those three started together for the next three seasons, with Maner dominating on the inside while Waddy did her damage from the wing. Anthony ran the point, while Wajerski contributed in a variety of areas.

Jessica Eberts, a dangerous three-point threat, rounded out the line-up for two years before graduating. Senior center April Trezise replaced her this past season.

The girls developed a strong bond that carried over beyond the hardwood. Waddy recalled a time when she didn't care for Wajerski, when the two were starring at Powell Middle School and Fox Chapel respectively.

Now Waddy considers Wajerski her best friend, and has built close relationships with Maner and Anthony, as well.

"We all became close as a team, friends hanging out after school, off the court," Waddy said. "We're so close; we're all like sisters now. I'm the only one going out of state. It'll be hard to leave them behind."

Though Waddy was clearly the go-to player for the Lady Sharks, this season's 12.3 scoring average marked her career high. Perhaps that best exemplified the team's talent and versatility.

Still some might say this Nature Coast group ultimately underachieved, going 1-3 in regional play.

"We had really good teamwork at times," Waddy said. "We knew how to play as a team. When we'd play harder teams, we played so good. When we played teams that were a little inexperienced, we played like that. If we didn't do that, I think we'd be a step closer to the (state) finals."

More than a scorer

Waddy did not earn Player of the Year based on scoring alone. She often took over the ball handling duties against a strong press, and drew the toughest defensive assignments on the wing.

In addition to her scoring, he averaged 3.6 rebounds, 3.3 steals and 2.6 assists this season.

"'Rikhan, she was a do-everything type of kid," said first-year Nature Coast Head Coach Travis Lamle, an assistant the previous three seasons. "She could play the one, two or three. She's a great athlete. She allowed us to do a lot of different things when it came to pressing.

"She was a great finisher around the rim. She was one of only two kids that was really able to create for herself.

"...She was a dominant player all four years. When we didn't have her in the game, you could see the difference she made. She makes everyone else better."

It's arguable that Nature Coast's failure to advance beyond the first round of regionals this year - they lost a home quarterfinal to Kissimmee-Poinciana in overtime, 50-46 - came down to Waddy's inability to carry the team.

She proved capable of doing so in 2007, with a pair of 20-point performances in two regional contests.

However, an injured shin suffered late in the regular season combined with injuring her ankle in the district championship game clearly limited her effectiveness against Poinciana. She scored only nine points.

"I believe it would have (made a difference)," Waddy said. "I played against Poinciana, but I still wasn't moving the way I wanted to. I was pushing through the pain. I didn't want to let my team down.

"I was in a lot of pain. A sprained ankle and a messed up shin; I didn't know which one to cry about but I had to push through it."

Beyond just the raw numbers, the willingness to sacrifice for her team might best define her legacy at Nature Coast.

"My role was just to step up and be a team player, get my teammates involved and do what I had to do to help us win," Waddy said. "I think we did pretty well."

BY THE NUMBERS: CHERIKHAN WADDY
- Compiled by CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Year GP FG 3PT FTA FTM PCT TP PPG
04-05 29 43 06 61 28 46% 120 4.14
05-06 27 129 08 119 57 48% 323 12.0
06-07 29 126 09 92 52 57% 313 10.8
07-08 24 123 01 84 48 57% 295 12.3
TOTAL 109 421 24 356 185 52% 1051 9.64

Sports writer Chris Bernhardt Jr. can be reached at (352) 544-5288 or cbernhardt@hernandotoday.com

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT