Cassidy Hardin has to do a little bit of everything for the Center Grove girls basketball team.
At 5-foot-9, the junior is among the tallest players on a team full of undersized guards. As a result, she’s often pressed into duty defending opposing post players.
Hardin also leads the Trojans in scoring (14.7 points per game), rebounds (6.2 per game), steals and blocked shots.
Two years from now, she’ll be able to focus primarily on her strong suit — shooting the basketball. Over the Thanksgiving holiday, Hardin gave a verbal commitment to play basketball at Purdue University starting in the 2018-19 season.
“(Purdue coach Sharon Versyp) definitely let me know that as a shooter, which is what I am, that she would utilize me at that spot,” Hardin stated. “High school is a lot different, because I kind of have to do more, but she’s definitely made it clear that I’ll be the shooter when I get up there.
“It’ll definitely be easier getting into a rhythm with my shooting when that’s all I have to worry about, so I’m definitely looking forward to that.”
Hardin chose the Boilermakers over Vanderbilt, among other schools.
“I’m really close with both coaching staffs, but it came down to Purdue’s closer and my family can come watch me play. It was the right fit for me.”
Though she could have let the recruiting process play out a bit longer, Hardin felt as though she was ready to pull the trigger on her decision.
By doing so, she’s eliminated a good year or so of additional headaches, and she can just go about the business of playing basketball.
“I just feel like recruiting and all this stuff is a lot of stress,” Hardin said, “and I kind of knew in my gut that that was where I wanted to be — and so I figured just get something off my plate, and now I can just go play the next two years with no stress.
“I’m really looking forward to not having to worry about it.”
