As the new season for UC High’s Girls Basketball shoots into action, new faces and talent arise. Transferring to UC High from Olympian High School in her freshman year and Victory Christian Academy in her sophomore year, Junior Kami DeMara is an outstanding and strong player, joining the Varsity Team. Starting at the age of 6, DeMara has proved numerous times that she is a strong and a fast learner. Although she switched schools due to coaching, she has remained at a varsity level, which is not an easy task.
Head Coach Romie Apostol said, “Kami’s strength is her basketball IQ. She knows how to play on and off the ball. Although she is new to our program, she has adapted quickly, fitting seamlessly into the team.” Transferring to a new school, as well as joining a new team, may seem like a daunting task for some. However, DeMara has seemed to handle it with ease.
DeMara said, “A way I deal with setbacks is I usually have to take a step back from the situation and reanalyze it in a calm manner.” DeMara prepares for games by listening to music, doing her hair, and even drinking a protein shake to get her in a good mindset. She said that one of her achievements she’s most proud of in basketball is making varsity her freshman year at her school prior to UC High, and has been on varsity ever since.
Senior Tino Feremenga said that DeMara is a very reliable and confident player during games, which is a key skill to have. “Although she is a junior, she is nothing short of an amazing player. She has amazing techniques and is such a confident player. She also has a willingness to learn and grow wpithin games, and can easily adapt when learning new skills,” said Apostol.
Kami’s positivity is also something that many players, as well as coaches, take particular note of. Apostol said, “Her positivity on and off the court shines, whether it is during a game or during practice. She’s willing to accept constructive criticism and teach her teammates to build their basketball IQ. Off the court, the jokes and laughs the team shares come from her positive attitude.”
As for her basketball IQ, “It’s soaring through the sky,” said Apostol. “Kami hit 6 three pointers in a game against Scripps Ranch. Also, she showed her defensive prowess against Mira Mesa, logging in 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 deflections, and 2 blocks.” Feremenga said,“Kami is one of our top scorers on the team and is a great player, and man can she get those three-pointers.”
Apostol said, “I hope to continue to work together as a team and build chemistry, and the ultimate goal is to win the League again and a CIF Championship.” As for Kami, she said that she hopes to continue to play in high school and potentially gain a scholarship to be able to play basketball in college.
DeMara said that a school she hopes to play at is Loyola Marymount University, although she would appreciate any offer. A particular player she looks up to is Juju Watkins. As for goals in her senior year, she hopes to reach a 1000 point mark, keep working hard, and keep getting offers from schools.
In short, Kami is more than a valuable player. Her leadership and positivity make her a very important and approachable player. She always stays focused on and off the court, and she is always willing to help her teammates out in order to succeed as one.