Cicero-North Syracuse star looks to create her own path
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (BVM) — Heading into her final basketball season at Cicero-North Syracuse High School (C-NS), senior Jessica Cook has already left a lasting impression at the program.
Helping lead the Northstars to a sectional title this past season, Cook has come a long way since her first season on the Northstars鈥� varsity squad in the eighth grade.
鈥淚n eighth grade I was very immature, I didn鈥檛 understand my role on the team,鈥� Cook said. 鈥淚 kind of just was going with the flow, trying to see where I was supposed to fit. I think in the ninth grade, I kind of understood what I was, but I wasn鈥檛 in the best shape. I didn’t understand what I was doing. Right around 10th grade, and I鈥檝e heard this from a lot of people, my mentality changed and I knew basketball was not just a sport or a hobby, [basketball] was going to get me places and I knew there was a way to make it a job, while also loving what I was doing. In 10th grade, I became a little more mature with it.
鈥淚 understood that if I put this amount of work in, I鈥檓 going to get much more results and I knew if I kept putting more work in and loved what I was doing, it was just going to equal a greater result in the end. I think 10th grade was right around when I understood that and started understanding that I could be a leader, as well as a player.鈥�
The hard work would pay off as Cook averaged 20.8 points per game and 12.6 rebounds in her junior season, helping lead the Northstars to a 17-6 record. Along with the career year, Cook would go on to break the 1,000-point mark, a goal she had in her mind from an early point.
鈥淭hat moment was extremely special because I knew that was my goal,鈥� Cook said. 鈥淲hen I was a young kid on varsity, I think my total for that season was 150 points and I only played half the season. My dad and I sat down and we鈥檙e like, 鈥榳hat do you want to achieve on varsity?鈥� When I watched a few other players grow up through the program, I saw they hit that goal and I was like that鈥檚 something I would really love to do. So from the beginning of my varsity experience I knew I wanted to hit my 1,000 points and hitting that milestone was really special, especially because I had tons of family there and it was in front of a big audience and I think it was against my rival school. It was a really nice moment.鈥�
The junior鈥檚 special season would continue as the Northstars would go on to win the Class AA sectional championship. Cook finished with 20 points and earned MVP honors for her effort against Baldwinsville in the title game.聽
Already one the best players in school history, Cook is used to hearing her name brought up with C-NS alum and basketball star, Breanna Stewart. Although she appreciates the recognition, Cook wants to carve out her own path through basketball.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a really cool thing to be in that group of names like Breanna Stewart, Beth Mowins, Amani Free and then like me,鈥� Cook said when asked about replicating Breanna Stewart鈥檚 success at the program. 鈥淚t’s really nice to be in that group and part of that great player circle, but I don鈥檛 think I want to be like [Breanna] in the fact that she did her thing and I want to do my thing. I do know over the years I鈥檝e been compared to her, but I think I want to be my own person and I obviously have my own goals.聽
鈥沦丑e is this next-level, high-quality person, player, all-around great athlete. I think I wanted to emulate her dedication and her talent, but I didn’t want to emulate how she got there, and her success, and who she was. I wanted to be myself and I like that I broke away and wasn鈥檛 exactly her. I definitely know that I have been compared to her and a lot of people say,聽 鈥榓re you the next Breanna Stewart?鈥� I don’t love hearing that, but it does tell me that people notice me and I鈥檓 doing a good thing in my program.鈥�
Part of Cook鈥檚 current and future path in basketball is playing at the next level. After receiving many Division I offers, the C-NS star decided on a program she wasn鈥檛 totally expecting, Toledo.
鈥淔or a long time I had had my eye on another school in Ohio and I thought I was dead-set there,鈥� Cook said. 鈥淲hen one of the coaches from a school that I had been previously talking to [Assistant Coach Mark Stephens] moved to Toledo, he told me to come visit. He wanted me to come and see what it鈥檚 about, but I went in there hoping I wouldn鈥檛 like it as sad as that is to say. But I stepped on campus and I felt really at home…. I love the school, I love the atmosphere.聽
鈥淚 left there and I told my mom, 鈥榙ang it, I really didn鈥檛 want to like this place,鈥� but it ended up being where I knew I wanted to go for months and then I guess a lot of my teammates were committing and it wasn’t really rushing me, but it just made me feel like something could happen and I didn’t want to lose that place. My coach told me, 鈥榠f every offer were to disappear, which one would you be the most upset about,鈥� and I knew it was Toledo for the longest time and I think that was the next day I committed, I just felt ready.鈥�
With an unexpected end to her season due to COVID-19, Cook鈥檚 mindset has changed heading into her final year. The C-NS senior has many goals heading into her final season, like hitting 2,000 career points and making the first-team All-CNY. With many challenges facing high school sports, Cook looks forward to just getting back out there with her teammates again.
鈥淪enior year is going to feel like it鈥檚 going to go by in the blink of an eye, especially because I know that at the end of it, I get to go to the college that I鈥檝e chosen,鈥� Cook said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an interesting feeling knowing that nothing is guaranteed, and nothing is ever guaranteed, but this year鈥檚 really solidified that belief that like, if you don’t give everything in every game, you never know when it’s going to be your last.
鈥淲e walked off our court for sectional championships鈥� and that Thursday we got the call and we were done and nobody knew that was the end of it. So, I guess I’m just playing every game like it’s my last because at this point it could be.鈥�
