Jacqueria Gunter is in a unique position when it comes to selecting a college to attend. The Columbus High senior has a grade point average of 4.37 and is known to be “wicked good” on the basketball court. As a stellar student athlete, Gunter is fielding various collegiate offers for both academic and athletic scholarships. Eventually, she will have to decide which one is right for her.
“Right now, I am just waiting to see about a few schools. I have one good offer because of my academics but I am sending out some more applications,” says Gunter, 17.
The 5’5” point guard for the Lady Blue Devils is being modest about her popularity among college recruiters. According to her coach, Joe Cherrone, Gunter is heavily touted by some pretty prestigious four-year institutions.
“She is a very smart young lady. Very smart. That makes her very attractive to colleges who are looking for athletes who can make the grades to stay in their programs,” says Cherrone.
Gunter attended Richards Middle School where she was a member of the school’s International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme. Academics have long been a priority for her even as she participated in four sports at the middle school. It was while attending Richards and participating in IB that Gunter learned two important lessons. The first, academics are top priority, and second, balancing academics with athletics is possible.
To that end, Gunter chose to attend Columbus High School to further her education. She is pretty clear about her reasoning behind that decision.
“I love basketball but I didn’t select a high school to play basketball. I wanted to get the best education for me. Basketball is temporary. My education will last all of my life,” she says.
Basketball may be temporary in Gunter’s eyes but it has been very dominant in her life thus far. The talented athlete can trace her attraction to the sport back to her childhood. Her mother, Tracey Gunter, played basketball at Kendrick High School. Due to her love of the game, she bought her younger daughter a pint-sized, toy hoop that was placed at Tracey’s hair salon to keep Jacqueria entertained while her mother worked.
“I would go to the shop after school or on weekends and play with that plastic goal for hours. I guess that is where I first learned how to play,” says Gunter with a smile.
From those humble beginnings, Gunter moved into playing basketball at the A.J. McClung YMCA. Of the four sports she mastered at Richards Middle School, basketball was her favorite. She has pretty much been a point guard or shooting guard for most of her time spent on the court.
Listening to the articulate and intelligent young woman discuss basketball, there is a sense that the sport just comes naturally to her. Gunter talks about shooting, dribbling and court techniques just as easily as relating what her day has been like for her. Her confidence and maturity in her abilities comes across without taking on an air of superiority. It is plainly obvious Gunter is not just a basketball player but a basketball athlete.
At times, however, Gunter is her own worst critic. She admits to letting her miscues on the court follow her home.
“My mom says I have a habit of being critical of myself. I can be pretty hard when I critique my game,” she says, laughing.
Because she has a competitive and passionate spirit when it comes to the game, Gunter is diligently working on three parts of her court performance: shooting, dribbling, and decision-making during games.
“Sometimes I have been hesitant about taking the shot. I think, ‘Do I take the shot or pass it up?’ and I know it’s just not as good as I would like it to be when it comes to making that decision. In dribbling, I am right-handed but I need to be more confident in my left hand and have more control with my speed,” she explains.
The Lady Blue Devils point guard scored 428 points last season as a junior, averaging 14.3 points per game. She was a little behind that average before the Christmas break but her coach anticipates Gunter will break the 1000 points scored mark before the end of her 2014 season.
“She is not a vocal player, but she tries her best to lead by example. She is always positive and she gets along great with her teammates,” Cherrone says of his senior shooter.
Cherrone’s team was 20-10 on the season last year and he is counting on Gunter to help lead the Lady Blue Devils to an even better record for the 2013-2014 season. With a total of 84 assists last year, Gunter is truly a team player. Her coach thinks her shooting and speed on the court set her apart from other athletes.
“Her athletic ability helps her excel in ways other players cannot. With her talent and dedication, I have no doubt she will be a success at the next level,” he says.
When Gunter makes the final decision about her college destination, she plans to major in criminal justice, perhaps with a minor in psychology. She says her family has a history of being involved in law enforcement which is her father’s long-time career. That part of her future is pretty much established and until her season is finished, Gunter is not too worried about college plans. Her focus is much closer to home and involves her team.
“I just want us to get to be better individually and as a team. And, definitely, to win the state championship,” she says, smiling.
Getting to know Jacqueria:
Family: Mother, Tracey Gunter; Father, James Gunter; one sister
Pets: German shepherd dog, Prince
Favorite food: Peach Cobbler
Favorite place to eat: Grandmother’s house on holidays
Favorite sports team (college or professional): Chicago Bulls
Person she most admires: Her mom
Favorite movie: Love and Basketball
Best television show to watch: Scandal
Sport you wish you could play but don’t: Softball
One thing most people don’t know about you: I am in chorus at school.
Favorite pastime: Hanging out with friends and volunteering to work with kids
Person she would like to spend a day with: Kendrick Lamar
Music she listens to: R&B, hip hop
Best thing about attending Columbus High School: It gives you an open mind. There is a lot diversity here.
Player Spotlight (female)/Columbus Valley/February2014
Jacqueria Gunter
Columbus High School
Columbus, Georgia
By Beth Welch
Photos by Jerry Christenson
Senior has priorities in right order when it comes to academics and sports
