{"id":12,"date":"2018-11-15T16:21:29","date_gmt":"2018-11-15T16:21:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/leveluphoopsaz.home.blog\/?page_id=12"},"modified":"2018-12-06T16:48:07","modified_gmt":"2018-12-06T16:48:07","slug":"the-cavinder-twins","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/onestepdeeper.com\/hoopdreams\/","title":{"rendered":"Gilbert Basketball’s Cavinder Twins Moving On, Together"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Tyler Dunn<\/em><\/p>\n

In so many ways, Haley and Hanna Cavinder are easily recognizable. Twin sisters, counting down the days until graduation. Glued to their phones, managing the intricate social network of 17-year-olds. Talking quickly, in frantic partnership. Model students, athletically gifted.<\/p>\n

That last part might be an understatement, though, in the Cavinders\u2019 case. The seniors, who star for Gilbert High School\u2019s girls basketball team, can ball.<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir style of play is upbeat, fast, aggressive, very physical,\u201d said the pair\u2019s head coach, Kyle Pedersen. \u201cThey shoot well beyond NBA [range] consistently.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pedersen said from the first time he saw them, the twins were euro-stepping through 17-and-under teams \u2014 as sixth graders.<\/p>\n

That kind of obvious skill has placed them among the Arizona high school basketball elite and onto the radars of collegiate scouts across Division I basketball for years.<\/p>\n

\"Gilbert
The Cavinders are determined to win a 6A state title this year as seniors. “I think we just take it day-by-day and know that each practice is going to contribute to a championship,” Hanna said. (Photo by Tyler Dunn)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But scholarships are competitive, with only about 1 percent of girls basketball players going on to play for a Division I program, according to the NCAA. And not every girl with the Cavinders\u2019 talent makes it to collegiate athletics.<\/p>\n

It requires certain intangibles, a little bit of luck and \u2014 in Haley and Hanna\u2019s case \u2014 it doesn\u2019t hurt to have each other.<\/p>\n

Package Deal<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gilbert High\u2019s first game of the 2018 season was never in doubt. The Cavinder sisters poured in 53 of their team\u2019s 69 points against an overmatched Desert Mountain High School squad, but you wouldn\u2019t know it as the two stalked off the court. Haley\u2019s 13 hard-fought rebounds, Hanna\u2019s four made 3-pointers, each a distant memory as they grumbled to each other about their first-half play.<\/p>\n

Pedersen said it was hard for the girls to rein in their emotions in their early days with him \u2014 so much so, he remembers, they\u2019d tend to ignore his outstretched high-five hand when he\u2019d summon them to the bench. Now, as the unquestioned leaders of the team, Pedersen said the Cavinders have learned to channel that fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey raise the level of everybody around them,\u201d Pedersen said. \u201cThey\u2019re so competitive, they want to win . . . everybody kind of starts feeding off that too.\u201d<\/p>\n

The feistiness the girls have developed is crucial to their success. At just 5\u20196\u201d, Haley and Hanna Cavinder play with an edge because they need to; they drive into the lane with force because they need to.<\/p>\n

\"Haley
Haley Cavinder dribbles in transition between two Desert Mountain defenders. Haley led her team in assists last year with about seven assists per game. (Photo by Tyler Dunn)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Size is an unavoidable factor in basketball, though, and the jump from high school to college is enormous. For some top-level schools, no amount of competitiveness will make 5\u20196\u201d palatable. For even more schools, offering two prized scholarships to players so undersized would be far too risky.<\/p>\n

Some schools expressed interest in Haley Cavinder, who ESPN rates as the 27th best senior point guard in the country, over her sister, who ranks 71st. At least one school, the sisters said, asked Hanna to sit out her first year as a redshirt.<\/p>\n

But for the Cavinders, that wasn\u2019t an option. They\u2019d play, and start, alongside one another. It\u2019s what they\u2019d always done.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve always played basketball together,\u201d Haley Cavinder said. \u201cThat was always a dream of ours, just to play together.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sisters say they made that known to interested schools, and after two official visits and steady consultation with family and one another, made their decision. On Nov. 14, the Cavinders donned Fresno State hats for National Signing Day in front of a packed Gilbert High School foyer.<\/p>\n

\"Hanna
The twins announce their decision to officially sign with Fresno State in front of their friends, family, coaches, faculty and the Gilbert High School student body. (Photo by Tyler Dunn)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve always been super close. If they were going to continue on playing basketball, I was hoping that they would go together,\u201d their mother, Katie Cavinder, said. \u201cAnd it\u2019s a short flight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Haley and Hanna Cavinder said the only disagreement they had over the recruitment process was the timing. The sisters verbally committed in April, a decision made early to ensure both Cavinders would have a spot on the Bulldogs\u2019 roster.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were a little nervous about it, just because they had a whole summer left ahead of them,\u201d Katie Cavinder said. \u201cBut once they went out there, they just had the feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Cavinder
Brooke Cavinder, 21, designed a homemade T-shirt for her sisters’ special occasion. (Photo by Lamar Smith)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sister, Sister<\/strong><\/p>\n

To speak to the Cavinder twins is to feel, faintly, that you\u2019re not entirely in on the joke. It doesn\u2019t come off as rude as much as you\u2019re bearing witness to a chemistry that isn\u2019t yours.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s in part chromosomal, to be sure. But they\u2019re also best friends, and have spent their formative years developing off of and alongside each other.<\/p>\n

Hanna is the outgoing one and enjoys her English class; Haley\u2019s a little more shy and prefers math. Haley\u2019s a natural point guard, setting up plays and orchestrating the offense. Hanna can do those things too, but is more likely to slip behind a screen and launch a deep three.<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably like Maya Moore,\u201d Haley said, comparing her sister\u2019s playing style to the WNBA All-Star and four-time champion. \u201cMaya Moore can literally do anything and I think that\u2019s what Hanna brings.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hanna doesn\u2019t skip a beat.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, I feel like, she\u2019s like,\u201d she said, shifting to her sister, \u201cyou\u2019re kind of like Sue Bird . . . you\u2019re really good at creating for others.\u201d<\/p>\n

And when they attempt to explain what it\u2019s like to play with one another, neither can adequately put it into words.<\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, it\u2019s really hard to talk about what it feels like, but it\u2019s just an awesome feeling,\u201d Haley said. \u201cShe wants to win just as bad as I want to win. I know where she is on the court. Because we play \u2014 we have that chemistry \u2014 we play every single game together.\u201d<\/p>\n

You Have a Friend Request<\/strong><\/p>\n

As much as being twins has helped the Cavinders on the court, it\u2019s also allowed them to wade through the muck of college recruitment arm-in-arm.<\/p>\n

Their exposure to that process didn\u2019t start last year, when they helped lead the Gilbert Tigers to the 6A conference semifinals.<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably freshman summer,\u201d Hanna said, thinking back to when they were originally recruited. \u201cThat\u2019s when we picked up our first offer from the University of San Diego.\u201d<\/p>\n

Except that\u2019s not the full picture, either.<\/p>\n

The sisters have been preparing to one day play college basketball ever since their middle school meeting with Coach Pedersen, their mom recalled. And as both girls aren\u2019t shy about sharing, their dad insisted they keep their social media profiles private. Coaches could be watching.<\/p>\n

In fact, coaches have been watching. Haley and Hanna say they\u2019re constantly getting follow requests from team officials they\u2019ve never met. They sluff it off as they explain what would, in just about any other context, be bizarre behavior \u2014 middle-aged strangers reaching out, monitoring every tweet or Instagram story. It\u2019s just part of being a coveted athlete in 2018.<\/p>\n

\"Haley
Haley Cavinder dribbles past her pet bulldog, Biggie. Both sisters play basketball on their outdoor court at home most nights. (Photo by Corey Kirk)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Victoria Jackson, a sports historian at Arizona State University and former Division I athlete, said it\u2019s a more invasive ordeal than ever for college recruits.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery night, my mom acted as kind of like my secretarial assistant to vet phone calls,\u201d Jackson remembered. \u201cThe rules have changed since when I was being recruited, to the point where there\u2019s even more touches and taps from coaches permissible now.\u201d<\/p>\n

The swirl of outside attention, Jackson said, can often lead athletes to have a warped perspective on their place in the universe.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really hard to keep your eyes on the prize as a 17-year-old,\u201d Jackson said, \u201cand have the maturity to ignore all the shiny bells and whistles and focus on what\u2019s really best for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Such a life-changing decision to make, all while not knowing if you can reply to this coach\u2019s post, or who you might go to prom with, or if you\u2019re allowed to take that free T-shirt, or how to improve your SAT score.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the end of the day, you\u2019re making a decision about four to five years that has incredible implications for the future of your education, your career, your well being,\u201d Jackson said. \u201cIt\u2019s a really important decision you\u2019re making about where to go on and live and perform.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Decision<\/strong><\/p>\n

Outside of their choice to play at Fresno State, the Cavinder twins aren\u2019t committing to much else. They said they don\u2019t know what they want to major in, or what they plan to pursue after college.<\/p>\n

Ask them about professional basketball and you\u2019ll get a complicated answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to go to the WNBA. If there was an opportunity to play overseas, I\u2019d maybe take that,\u201d Haley said.<\/p>\n

Hanna followed up in agreement, saying she would love to play internationally, but isn\u2019t focused on the WNBA.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf there is a chance, I totally will take it. It is really hard to get there,\u201d Hanna said. \u201cAfter Fresno [State], if the opportunities aren\u2019t there, you just need to be ready to close that door and start a different chapter.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s slightly stunning to hear. After all, these are two of the best girls basketball players in the state. And at least in the eyes of their coach, \u201cthe sky\u2019s the limit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI 100 percent think they could play professionally. I know a lot of people who play professionally now and I think they\u2019re very close to that,\u201d Pedersen said. \u201cI think they for sure could be playing in college right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

So why not the WNBA? For one thing, the money could be better. WNBA players have long made far less than their male counterparts.<\/p>\n

Phoenix Mercury star Diana Taurasi famously bolted from the league to play in Russia for the 2015 season, where she made nearly $1.5 million, according to ESPN. The maximum salary for WNBA players that year was $115,000.<\/p>\n

Earlier this month, WNBA Players\u2019 Association President Nneka Ogwumike announced in a Players\u2019 Tribune post<\/a> the players will opt out of the current CBA at next season\u2019s end.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want young female athletes to dream about playing in a vibrant and thriving WNBA,\u201d Ogwumike wrote. \u201cI want them to dream of having it all.\u201d<\/p>\n

One reason girls might not be dreaming of professional basketball, at least not in the way boys across the country have for decades, is societal messaging, Jackson said. The ASU historian said expectations are ingrained differently based on factors like gender, from the time children are five years old.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe go pro in something other than sport,\u201d said Jackson, reciting the familiar NCAA slogan. \u201cAnd we use sport as a way to earn a college degree . . . That messaging is so much more transparent with female athletes.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Cavinders are entering a new phase of their lives. And they have plenty of questions they\u2019ll be asking of themselves over the next few years. But that\u2019s just part of being a teenager in 2018.<\/p>\n

They may play professional basketball. Or maybe they will start a business, the girls say to each other. A coffee shop, or even a hotel.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have each other,\u201d Hanna said, sharing a look with Haley. \u201cWe are going in knowing we have a sister and a best friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

Corey Kirk, Bradey King and Lamar Smith contributed to this story.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Tyler Dunn In so many ways, Haley and Hanna Cavinder are easily recognizable. Twin sisters, counting down the days until graduation. Glued to their phones, managing the intricate social network of 17-year-olds. Talking quickly, in frantic partnership. Model students, athletically gifted. That last part might be an understatement, though, in the Cavinders\u2019 case. The … Continue reading Gilbert Basketball’s Cavinder Twins Moving On, Together<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-12","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/onestepdeeper.com\/hoopdreams\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/onestepdeeper.com\/hoopdreams\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/onestepdeeper.com\/hoopdreams\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onestepdeeper.com\/hoopdreams\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onestepdeeper.com\/hoopdreams\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"https:\/\/onestepdeeper.com\/hoopdreams\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":249,"href":"https:\/\/onestepdeeper.com\/hoopdreams\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12\/revisions\/249"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/onestepdeeper.com\/hoopdreams\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}