Casmir “Cash” Chavis, a 6-foot-2 sophomore guard from Minneapolis (MN) DeLaSalle is one of the state’s top players in the Class of 2024.
Chavis scored 21 points in the Islanders’ 61-58 loss to #1 ranked Class AAA Totino-Grace in the Breakdown Big 12 Classic and had ten in their 61-58 loss to Minneapolis South in the Breakdown Tip-Off Classic, losing to the Tigers at the buzzer after a made three-pointer.
GopherHole recently caught up with Chavis to learn more about recruitment and upcoming sophomore season.
GopherHole: You have two close games in the two Breakdown events. How much do you think playing these tough games early in the season is going to help you guys for conference play and the postseason?
Cash Chavis: Getting this good competition right now is good for us. Getting these losses is good. It is going to prepare us for the section road against South St. Paul and St. Thomas and all that. It is just getting us prepared, basically.
GopherHole: You had a good
AAU season. How much do you think that has helped your confidence leading into your sophomore season?
Cash Chavis: AAU taught me to be more explosive and take more shots for myself, because in AAU, I used to be passive and my coach told me to be more explosive, so that is really helping me in this game.
GopherHole: I know that you are only a sophomore, but do you feel like as a guard that you are expected to be a little bit more of a leader? Do you like that role, even though you are a young player on the team?
Cash Chavis: Yes, just like last week, I got moved to point guard. Stepping up, so it’s just been like a week I’ve been point guard, so I’m just ready for the big role, I guess.
GopherHole: Do you like that being in charge and having the ball in your hands?
Cash Chavis: Yes. It is good. It is a better opportunity for me to get my teammates involved and look for myself, too.
GopherHole: What things are you really working on to continue to improve yourself as a basketball player?
Cash Chavis: Shooting. Defense. My defense on the help side and passing the ball more, like getting my teammates open.
GopherHole: I know that you are so young, only being a sophomore, but are starting to hear from some schools?
Cash Chavis: Technically, I really don’t know.
GopherHole: The goal is to play Division I basketball. What would that mean to you?
Cash Chavis: It’s a good opportunity for my family, because nobody really came out of my family and went to college, so it would just be a good opportunity for me.
GopherHole: You would be the first one?
Cash Chavis: Technically, yes. My grandfather.
GopherHole: Do you come from an athletic family?
Cash Chavis: No brothers or sisters, but my uncle, he played basketball and my grandpa. My uncle played at Osseo and my grandpa played at Marquette.
GopherHole: Is that where you get the love of basketball from them a little bit?
Cash Chavis: My uncle, basically.
GopherHole: Do you watch a lot of basketball, college or pro basketball?
Cash Chavis: Yes. I mainly watch Jalen Green and stuff like that.
GopherHole: What do you like about him?
Cash Chavis: Just how explosive he is. How he can get to the basket whenever he wants.
GopherHole: When you watch basketball, do you mostly focus on guards, like yourself or do you watch everybody?
Cash Chavis: I try to watch everybody, because my coach told me in college, they aren’t just going to play you at one position. They are going to have you all over, so I try to watch everybody and mix it up.
GopherHole: De LaSalle is always known as being a good defensive team. Coaches love guys who can play on both sides of the court. Do you think that is something that helps you as well at the next level, because defense in ingrained in you?
Cash Chavis: Yes. We go over defense in practice like a lot. That is our main thing we do at DeLaSalle, so I’m just ready increase my defense on the defense level,
GopherHole: Have you even had a chance to go to any college games in person yet?
Cash Chavis: No. I haven’t.