Hi-Line Athlete Profile: Cadence Graham, Belt youth basketball

As the daughter of Belt boys basketball head coach Jeff Graham, a native of Chester and a former MSU-Northern Light, 12-year old Cadence Graham looks to carry on the family legacy. This week at the Armory Gymnasium on the Montana State University-Northern campus, Graham and other middle schoolers from across the state gathered for the Skylights summer basketball camp. Graham hopes to use her time at the camp in order to improve as a player and make her father proud.

"My dad has always been there for me, teaching me, taking me to the gym and just everyday practicing," Graham said. "He's always been there for me and he's just a role model."

Along with her father the head coach, Graham's mother is also into basketball, which meant the game became a part of her life from an early age. She would travel with her father's team and cheer them on. She also helped her father's team by serving as the water person, filming them or keeping score. Her experience with her father's team helped her fall in love with the sport.

Since becoming a basketball player herself, Graham has grown to love the game even more because it allows her to meet new people. She especially enjoys the Skylights summer camp because she gets the chance to meet even more people.

"In summer ball, it's so fun because you get to play people that you didn't get to play during the season," Graham said.

Graham has been attending the Skylights summer camp for the past few years now. At the camp, she has been coached by the likes of Chris Mouat, the MSU-N women's basketball coach. Graham has enjoyed her experiences at the camp and believes Mouat and the other coaches are helping her become a better player.

"The coaches here are awesome and they're really helpful. If you make a mistake, they're always helping you get better," Graham said.

As a basketball player, Graham has discovered that her playing style is shooting from the outside. Despite her small size, she is not afraid to drive to the basket for the score if she thinks she has a good matchup.

Over the past few days, Graham has been training to hone her skills at the summer camp. In between her drills and scrimmages at the camp, the Havre Daily News got the chance to ask her a few questions.

HDN: What other hobbies do you have outside of basketball?

Graham: "I like doing art. Art's a huge thing. Our art teacher is really cool and she's taught me to love it. I do cross country and volleyball and it's awesome because with cross country, I always get into shape to go for basketball."

HDN: What kind of artwork do you like to do?

Graham: "I don't like doing paintings as much. I like just drawing people. This year, I drew a picture for my teacher for her daughter's birthday and it turned out really good and then I drew an elephant this year. I had to use different shades of each other and it turned out really nice too."

HDN: What has the experience been like being a multi-sport athlete?

Graham: "It's really hard work to balance it out but I'm usually on top of things, trying to get my school work done first before I go and do stuff like go run. I always read before bed too because I don't like missing things."

HDN: Do you have a favorite basketball player that you try to emulate?

Graham: "Michael Jordan definitely. He's so awesome. My dad always compares people to him. How he works hard everyday and does everything as hard as he can."

HDN: Do you have a favorite basketball memory?

Graham: "I remember one time, I was playing as a third grader playing against sixth and seventh graders and I remember I took a charge and I broke my wrist."