South Meck star didn’t quit. Now she’s a state record holder and Division I signee.
Two weeks ago, South Mecklenburg High’s Shariah Gaddy, one of the best girls’ basketball players in North Carolina, broke a 20-year-old state record for 3-point shooting.
It wasn’t that long ago that Gaddy admits she couldn’t shoot at all. Actually, it was not that long ago that Gaddy, frustrated by her playing ability, was nearly ready to stop playing altogether.
“I thought I wasn’t that good,” Gaddy said. “I’m like, ‘Why am I even playing?’ I never stopped, but I didn’t want to put in any work outside of middle school basketball.”
About 18 months after that, trainer Randall Clark of Out Work Everyone Basketball, got a call from Gaddy’s mother. Her daughter was ready to work again. Playing summer basketball with a team called the Phoenix had lit a fire again under Gaddy.
“My teammates were so happy and gave me confidence,” she said. “They’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, you’re so good.’ And I’m like, ‘Am I? Really? Maybe I should get back (to working at this).’”
After a year at Indian Trail Porter Ridge, Gaddy transferred to South Mecklenburg before her sophomore season. And the chatter continued. Everyone said she could be special - at 5-foot-11 with a 6-3 wingspan, plus really good athleticism - if Gaddy could only add a jump shot to her repertoire.
And that was when Clark got the call from Gaddy’s mom, and that was when Gaddy began the journey to fix her shot. It wasn’t easy. It was frustrating.
“She put in a ton of work,” said Clark, who has worked with Golden State Warriors All-Star Stephen Curry, former NBA star Antawn Jamison and a bevy of current high school players. “She’s done a great job of being consistent. The most important thing I always tell her is you’ve got to be able to work when no one else is watching.”
Slowly, there were signs that work was paying off.
As a junior, Gaddy averaged 11.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and two steals on a team that finished 25-5. This season - after a rigorous summer with Clark - Gaddy has raised her scoring to 17.5 points to go with 6.5 rebounds, 2.2 steals, 2.2 blocks and 2.0 assists per game.
Gaddy attempted 24 3-pointers last season. She’s made 43 in her senior year, hitting 36 percent of her attempts. Earlier this month, she made 10 3-point shots - in a half - against Berry High School.
That broke a 20-year-old state record of nine makes in one half set by West Charlotte’s Javarus Abraham.
Gaddy, who signed with Division I Presbyterian, finished with 35 points and 15 rebounds.
“Shariah has definitely improved so much over the past three years,” South Mecklenburg coach Cristie Mitchell said. “Randall’s definitely changed her shot and given her the confidence she needs going into next year. She’s just now breaking the surface of how good she can be.”
Gaddy said she’s glad she stuck with the game, even when she was ready to give up.
“It’s kind of unbelievable sometimes,” she said. “Even looking back to last year, I would never have thought I would’ve gotten this far over a summer.
“But hard work really does pay off.”
CMS conference championships
Friday, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will name conference tournament champions.
I-Meck 4A (at Hopewell)
Boys
North Mecklenburg (22-3) vs. West Charlotte (20-6), 7:30
Girls
Vance (24-2) vs. Mallard Creek (21-4), 6
SoMeck 7 4A (at Providence)
Boys
Ardrey Kell (20-5) vs. Olympic (20-4), 8
Girls
Ardrey Kell (21-5) vs. Berry Academy (12-12), 6:30
Southwestern 4A (at Myers Park)
Boys
Independence (20-6) vs. Myers Park (19-7), 7:30
Girls
Butler (24-2) vs. Hickory Ridge (22-3), 6
This story was originally published February 21, 2019 at 2:37 PM.
