The famous baseball poem about a fictional Casey, details how the mighty long ball hitter would swing and miss on the third strike. Conversely, the Newark Memorial Cougars have a go to player on the basketball hard court in Casey Norris who is more dependable than the famed Mudville slugger.
At 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds, Norris has been on varsity since his freshman year and has been a varsity starter since his sophomore year. During his freshman year, Norris was a key part of the rotation and made an immediate impression by scoring 20 points in his first game against a strong Sacramento High team.
As a sophomore last year, the Cougars were able to be runner-ups in the state Division I title game. The Cougars went 30-5 as Norris was the only non-senior starter on the team. As a combination guard for the 2012 class, Norris averaged 12.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game as the Cougars went 22-7 this past season. The Cougars were defeated by Castro Valley in the NCS playoffs. Norris broke his left hand two weeks before the season but was still able to return early in the season and still be effective for the Cougars.
Norris is a multi-dimensional player who can be a contributor on both the defensive and offensive ends. He can slash to the basket but finish with finesse. He has quick anticipation and basketball smarts to be a defensive presence. And he has a blue collar mentality on the boards. He compares his game to local stars Jason Kidd and Steve Nash because Norris can catch and shoot quickly from perimeter while he has good court vision to advance the ball with sharp, strong passes. To the spectator in the bleachers, Norris does resemble the former Florida Gator Jason Williams in both appearance and playing style.
Newark Memorial Coach Craig Ashmore says, "Casey's strengths include his shooting, hard work, ball handling, and passing. Currently, he is a low to mid major division 1 player. I think he is mature beyond his years. He is a team leader by example and truly a joy to have on our team. I love that he continues to work on his game and is a positive influence on our younger players. I am looking forward to his senior year when he and the Cougars will have great success."
During the offseason, Norris is constantly working on his game that includes his ball handling and shooting. But playing basketball has been a lifelong passion. From 2nd to 8th grade, Norris played in the CYO league for his Holy Spirit middle school team that won the Oakland Diocese championship two times. He has also played for the Bay Area Buck club team during his 6th and 7th grade. More recently, he played for the Oakland Soldiers during his 8th, 9th, and 10th grades while this summer he will be joining the Lakeshow team.
Norris has been attracting attention from several colleges. At this point, he did not want to disclose the colleges that are in contact with him. However, he is working hard to make sure that he is attractive from both an academic and basketball perspective. He currently has a 3.60 GPA and an academically qualifying SAT score. He would like to attend a school with the best opportunity to contribute for a successful program. He wants to play for a solid coaching staff that appreciates all aspects of a player's game as it relates to the team concept.
Norris considers himself to be a tireless worker. Aside from breaking his left hand this past season, he also fractured his arm during his freshman year. As a result, he knows the commitment and effort to be a healthy and effective player. Norris also was a strong performer on the football field and in the swimming pool. Before high school, Norris had successful stints with the Glenmoore Stingray swim team (East Bay Swim League) and the FFL Rams of the Fremont Football League.
Norris has already set his goals for his senior year at Newark to include Gridley Invitational Champion, a strong showing at the Torrey Pines Tournament, MVAL league champion, NCS D2 champion, NorCal D2 champion, and CIF state D2 champion. Expect Casey to be clutch at the bat for his Cougars on the hardwood in Newark next season. And then watch for this Cougar to be called up to the big leagues in the NCAA in 2012.
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