McKay High School Girls' Basketball has struggled in the last few years. Many of the girls that play on the team lack experience in skill sets. Financially, it's difficult to send a child to costly basketball camps. Private lessons can cost anywhere from $30.00 to $60.00 an hour. Dysfunctional-family situations can make it difficult for a child to get introduced to basketball at an early age. Transportation is a challenge -- some kids walk miles just to get to practice. A lot of kids in N.E. Salem do not have the support and encouragement they need to be fully developed as a basketball player by the time they come in as a freshman.
Salem Hoops Project has been an encouraging factor. This program, held at McKay High School, provides free basketball skill-set training for grades K - 12. The attendance is growing and many kids are getting an early start on skill development while having fun in a safe place. Considering all of this, the area still needs more. McKay needs more kids like, Leva Mike.
Leva Mike wears number 11. The 5' 4" junior says she's worn that number since her sixth-grade year -- there's no significance to it. She is the daughter of Howard and Rachel. She has two sisters, Breeanna and Patricia, and one brother, Lawrence -- they all have a passion for basketball.
Leva grew up in Dallas, Oregon, in a middle-income neighborhood. At age five, she was inspired to play basketball through watching her dad. Her dad would play in many basketball tournaments. She would shoot hoops on the side baskets. It was a regular occurrence to hang around her dad at work where there was a gym available. She was always learning how to dribble or shoot the basketball.
She attended grades K - 3 at Lyle Elementary School, grades 4 - 5 at Whitworth Elementary, and also LaCreole Middle School -- all in Dallas, Oregon. Leva has a quiet personality, and once she gets to know someone she'll joke around a bit. She's the type of person that always wants to do the right thing. The well-mannered and soft-spoken young lady is always thinking as well. Her work ethic is inspiring.
"School was hard for me in Dallas, I didn't have many friends -- I felt like I didn't fit in. My daily routine was getting up early and shooting baskets outside until it was time to go to school. I always made an effort to stay out of trouble. After school, I'd go home and do my homework and then I'd go outside again and shoot more baskets," Leva said.
Leva started playing organized basketball in the fifth grade. In Dallas, they had open tryouts for a Dallas tournament team -- every year for each grade level. The team would play at The Hoop, in Eugene, Portland, and other places. Leva was always one of the best players. The parent support was amazing. Anytime she was on the basketball court she would forget about the uncomfortable situations at school.
Leva was alone most of the time. Sometimes she would sit by herself in the lunchroom. In grade school things were tolerable. In middle school, kids made fun of her and her introvert personality. Kids joined different groups and she lost some of the friends from her grade-school days. School days started causing her a lot of unhappiness and emotional stress.
"Every day after school I'd come home with worries and headaches. In elementary school it wasn't so bad, because kids didn't judge me so much. In middle school things got worse for me. My parents could tell that I wasn't happy at that school -- they were concerned. I loved getting in the gym. It cleared my mind -- it gave me a lift," Leva said.
Dallas High School has a dominate population of Caucasian students with few Hispanics and Native Americans in the mix. While many people would argue that there's no kind of discrimination in schools, the reality is, that different cultures and ethnic types do create static.
Leva's counseling was basketball, she played on a Dallas tournament team every year and was one of the top three-point shooters. During the summers she would continue playing on tournament teams -- basketball was year-round for her, she loved it that much.
While dealing with discomfort at her school she always looked forward to the summers to play more basketball. The summer after eighth-grade year, she was playing at the Hoopla 3-ON-3 Tournament in Salem, Oregon. She was hit pretty hard by a bigger girl. Leva went flying to the curb and landed on her left shoulder. The pain was excruciating and some of the girls were telling her, "You're okay, shake it off." She was lying on the hot pave with sweat pouring down her face and could not move her shoulder. Days after she healed a bit, she started playing again. She knew something wasn't right with the entire area where the clavicle (collar bone) was located.
After seeing the doctor and trying a few things that could possibly heal it, nothing worked. She had an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) done and the results showed torn tendons that were supposed to be attached to support the clavicle. Surgery had to be done immediately to repair the tendons, otherwise the tears could have caused permanent damage to other vital body parts.
Leva was out for several months while she healed. She attended physical-therapy sessions as she recovered slowly. She was experiencing some of her darkest hours and her family was right next to her supporting her with whatever she needed. Her battle of getting back to good health and getting in the gym again was resilient. Leva was a fighter and recovered from this horrific injury. She was finally back to full strength.
"I wanted to do everything I could to heal right. They told me that if I didn't have surgery, my collar bone could pop out of my skin. That really scared me," Leva said.
Leva's brother, Lawrence and sister Patricia, are much younger. Breeanna is two years older and her best friend. The sisters worked out together many hours and they complimented each other in many things. Breeanna was doing well in Dallas and had friends in high school. Leva was the contrast, she didn't have many friends and was struggling with the kids there. In 2015 she was about to become a freshman and in her mind she was assuming that she would get a tryout for the varsity squad.
Leva had a teammate during the middle-school years. She called her, "my right hand". They played well together and were both of the same skill level. The disappointment came when her teammate received that varsity tryout and Leva didn't. Breeanna was doing well in basketball, but was put on the JV team. Leva was put on the JV2 team.
From that point on things just escalated to a higher level and Leva was showing too many signs of depression with her school situation. Her parents' concern escalated. They knew a change had to be made to help their daughter escape this emotional turmoil. What parent in the right mind would not want to help their child?
Leva's mom and dad graduated from McKay High School, they had an idea to relocate their entire family to NE Salem and have their two daughters play for the McKay Lady Scots. The plan was to move in with their grandma until they could find a house to rent.
"My sister, Breeanna, was my best friend. She was fine with us moving out of Dallas. I think my whole family knew that I was having trouble coping at that school. Breeanna was willing to change up things with her basketball career. She didn't like the way I felt and the way I was treated there, so she was willing to move for me. I love my sister," Leva said.
So it was all set and the entire family moved to the NE Salem area to start a new life at McKay High School with over 2,000 students verses Dallas High School of 1,000 students.
2015 - McKay crowd welcomes, Leva Mike. Photo by Kent Brewer
"It was crazy! We moved in with my grandma. We had nine people living in a small house with one restroom. We eventually found a house to rent, and we're now looking for a house to someday own," Leva said with a smile.
Leva noticed right away how much bigger McKay was, and how nice she was treated and warmly welcomed. Head Coach Lee Horton saw the talent in both the Mike girls that had transferred from Dallas High School. It was a breath of fresh air and an acquisition of two players that McKay needed badly to help the team.
Leva admits there were many adjustments. She was coming in to a team that had a losing record with girls that weren't motivated to work year-round. It was the total opposite from Dallas where the girls would work year-round to improve their skills, and then have a winning record.
"I made the varsity team as a freshman at McKay, whereas in Dallas I was thinking maybe I would be on varsity my sophomore year. Our practices at McKay were not the same. In Dallas we ran a lot more. If we didn't do it right, we'd do it again. At McKay, my first practice, we didn't do much running at all, just worked on plays," Leva said.
Leva was dealing with awkwardness for a few weeks, but she was adapting well along with her sister, Breeanna. Let's just say some of the upper-class girls didn't realize how much work she had put in prior to arriving at McKay. Her freshman year she was one of the go-to players for scoring along with her sister. Coach Horton talked to Leva about being a captain her sophomore year. She made an impact her freshman year and got the coach's attention
"After my freshman season was over, our coach said we were not having any summer-league games. We were doing skill development instead. I had always played games in the summer -- I missed that. The only problem was that Breeanna and I were the only ones showing up for skill development. Coach Horton worked with us that spring and early summer. The girls at McKay were not as motivated as the girls in Dallas. It was definitely a huge adjustment for Breeanna and me," Leva said.
That summer of 2016, Leva discovered Salem Hoops Project. Free basketball clinics at McKay. Matt Espinoza (Coach Noza), who is the boys' assistant coach, created this skill-set training program -- a non-profit organization. Leva started getting some skill-set training from Noza. She was hooked and started learning a lot. Working with Coach Horton and then working with Coach Noza was a tremendous help to her.
2016 - Leva drives to the hoop verses South Salem. Photo by Kent Brewer
"I like what Coach Noza is doing with Salem Hoops Project. He's starting kids out at an early age so they have those skills developed by the time they get to high school -- McKay really needs this. Noza has taught me so much about footwork, shooting, and dribbling skills. He demonstrates everything well, so it's easy for me to learn. I also run a lot while having fun working on different drills," Leva said.
In Dallas during her middle-school days, Leva's favorite trainer and coach was John Tichenor. He had an accident that disabled him from walking. He continued his basketball passion through working with kids. Leva speaks highly of him.
"I like working with Coach Noza, I'm probably in the best shape of my life because of him. He reminds me of John Tichenor and how I enjoyed working with him," Leva said.
After her sophomore year at McKay High School, Leva had become one of the best three-point-shooting guards in the GVC (Greater Valley Conference). She averaged 10.3 points per game and her game high was 23 points. In 2016-2017 she was voted GVC Honorable Mention. She has played against players like Katie McWilliams (at OSU now) and Evina Westbrook (at Tennessee now).
"Leva has a love for the game that makes her willing to do anything to get better. She never misses an opportunity to get in the gym and work on her game. In the past few years she has become a more efficient ball handler and more consistent shooter. I'm excited for her future," Coach Noza said.
Despite the fact that Mckay was winning few games, Leva was having fun and felt like she fit in with the students at McKay. Sometimes, winning isn't everything. Sure, it feels great to win games. It should be a team goal. What's truly more important is learning, working hard as a team, improving every game, and having fun. For Leva, it was in her best interest to transfer out of Dallas High School -- it worked out for her, her family, and McKay girls basketball.
"Leva is clearly our leader -- team captain as a sophomore. Although not vocal, she leads by example. Leva continuously works hard to become a better basketball player. She is also and outstanding student-athlete," Head Coach Lee Horton III said.
Leva and her sister, Breeanna, played together for two years at McKay -- 2015 and 2016. They brought experience and scoring to the Lady Scots. Somehow they picked up a nickname, "Splash Sisters". When the basketball hits nothing but net, it sounds like a splash.
2016 - Leva, Patricia, and Breeanna. Photo by David Espinoza
"My sister was the best. We knew what each other's moves were. We played well together. Sometimes it was good that we could read each other in practice. It forced us to create new moves. I'm definitely going to miss B," Leva said.
While Breeanna will be playing at Chemeketa Community College this season (2017 - 2018), Leva will have another transfer coming in that will help the McKay Lady Scots. This will replace Breeanna's skills in attacking the hoop. Anita Lao will be joining the team, she's a solid player and will be able to contribute immediately.
"Leva is a very special sister with a lot of love for the game. It was my pleasure being able to experience playing along her side," Breeanna Mike said.
Leva's hard work over the last two years has resonated the help to rebuild the Lady Scots. She leads by example displaying her hard work at skill development. If the gym's open, she's normally there ready to work. She has been attending all of the open gyms and is normally the only girl working with the boys. She volunteers regularly at Salem Hoops Project along with her teammate, Cheyenne Almond, and stays to workout during the grades 6 - 12 sessions. Leva has extended her skill development year-round working with Coach Noza when the gym is available.
2017 - Leva volunteering at Salem Hoops Project. Photo by David Espinoza
In addition to Anita Lao, the girls' team will have some solid players with a foundation to pick up some wins this season ... Diana Cruz; Bella Allanis; Danica Chremnov; Bailey Bryant; Justine Coburn; Cheyenne Almond; Autumn Allen, and Araya Allen.
"A lot of the girls on our team work hard during the season, but the minute the season is over, well, they drop the ball. I want to do my best to encourage them to show up when the gym is open during the fall, winter, spring, or summer. Salem Hoops Project has clinics year-round," Leva said.
Leva has two years left at McKay High School. Academically she's doing great maintaining a 3.3 GPA. Her focus is doing her homework at home and not at school. Leva plans to help her team excel beyond what anyone might expect.
Leva has overcame several major obstacles. She never gives up on her team or the game she loves. She is happy to call McKay High School her new home and is grateful for the nice people she has met. The coaches and trainers that have worked with Leva are all very proud of her. Best of luck to Leva and the Mckay Lady Scots this season!
If you have a child interested in basketball and is from the NE Salem area, please check out www.salemhoopsproject.org ... register your child and receive an email about basketball-clinic schedules.
Leva, what is your favorite subject in school?
I like math and art.
Favorite basketball moment?
I was in the 7th grade and I was playing on an 8th-grade team. We were losing by 12 points with time running out. We came down and ran the same play three times in a row and I hit a 3-point shot each time. The next time we had the ball, we ran the same play for the fourth time, and I hit a big three! We were tied. Unfortunately, a girl came down on me during the shot and I hyperextended my knee. The game was tied and my teammate, Addie, took the free throw for me. Addie made the free throw and we won!
Short-term goals?
Win some games with my teammates, and then I want to make first team all-league.
Long-term goals?
I want to play college basketball, maybe at Chemeketa where my sister is playing. I want to study sports medicine. I like helping people. When I injured my shoulder I watched the physical therapists do their job. Their occupation inspired me to want to help injured athletes.
Favorite team?
I like the Louisville Cardinals, especially when sisters Jude and Shoni Schimmel played there. I didn't miss any of their games on TV. Shoni now plays in the WNBA and Jude plays overseas.