[00:00:15] Speaker A: Hello. Welcome to the Roundhouse Podcast with Paul Sullentrop of Wichita State University Strategic Communications. Thanks very much for listening. This is the third in our series of newcomers for the Wichita State women's basketball team. We have two guests today, Jayla Harding and Cheyenne Banks. Jayla is a 5 foot 8 graduate transfer guard. She played at Wichita Southeast High School. She comes to WSU from New Mexico State where she averaged 8.8 points over her two seasons there. She made 35.7% of her three pointers. And the first question is going to be she made 61 of 171 three pointers two years in a row. How did you do that?
[00:00:54] Speaker B: Consistency. It's all about consistency when you're a three point shooter.
[00:00:57] Speaker A: Were you aware of this late in your sophomore year?
[00:01:00] Speaker B: I was. I checked my stats, just kind of seeing the numbers where I'm at and yeah, I was like, oh, wow, I'm pretty close from the first year.
[00:01:07] Speaker A: Did you have to say, I'm not going to take any more when I got to 171 or how's that work?
[00:01:12] Speaker B: We actually played more games the second year, so I was able to catch up to the first year.
[00:01:17] Speaker A: Okay, that is quite the statistical oddity to make the exact same number and take the exact same number of three pointers two years in a row. Jayla will wear number four.
Cheyenne Banks is a six foot four graduate transfer forward. She is from McLeod, Oklahoma. She played the past two seasons at Central Arkansas where she averaged four points and 4.2 rebounds. She will wear number 42.
These two played against each other four times in junior college. Jayla at Butler County, Cheyenne at Coffeyville Community College. Who, what was, what was the record in these meetings?
[00:01:50] Speaker B: What was the record?
It was always. We always lost at Coffeeville.
[00:01:55] Speaker C: Yeah. And it was, it was a hard place to play at Butler too.
[00:01:58] Speaker B: So, yeah, it was a big rivalry.
[00:02:00] Speaker C: Oh my goodness. Playing in Yalls gym was so nerve wracking. Yalls fans were.
[00:02:04] Speaker B: Yeah, it's a big crowd there.
[00:02:05] Speaker A: The power plant.
[00:02:06] Speaker B: Yes, yes.
[00:02:08] Speaker A: I've heard the stories. I've been to a game or two there. So was that part of coming to Wichita State that you knew each other? Did you discuss coming here at all?
[00:02:16] Speaker B: No, no, we just talked about it. Yeah, we just talked about it before we came up here.
[00:02:20] Speaker A: Okay, very good. All right.
Jayla, favorite WNBA or NBA player.
[00:02:26] Speaker B: So wnba. I'm a shooting guard, so I really like Caitlin Clark, Van Liffe, a lot of the shooters. I grew up watching Skylar Diggins from Notre Dame and She's been a big inspiration for me playing basketball and NBA wise, I've always been a LeBron James fan ever since I was young. And of course, Steph Curry, the goat of shooting.
[00:02:43] Speaker A: So, yeah, he is quite the shooter. So you wear number four because.
[00:02:46] Speaker B: Because of Skylar Diggins from Notre Dame. Yeah.
[00:02:49] Speaker A: Okay. Good role model.
Tell us about choosing Wichita State. Jlo, what got you here?
[00:02:54] Speaker B: I just wanted to be back in my hometown. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to come be a Shocker. I grew up watching the Shockers play, being a big fan. So, yeah, I'm excited to be back home.
[00:03:04] Speaker A: And so you are following in the footsteps of Treasure Job and Taylor Jamison? Is that part?
Do you know them?
[00:03:10] Speaker B: Yes, that is part of it. I talked to Taylor a lot before I came here. And then also I know Jamila Bonner. She was my coach back at Southeast and she played here, was a great player here.
[00:03:20] Speaker A: She was, yeah. She had a really nice career here.
[00:03:22] Speaker B: Yes. Yeah.
[00:03:22] Speaker A: Okay, Very good.
So, Jayla, you are the. Are you the only hometown person on this team now, this year? Yes. Are you in charge of recommending restaurants? Are you in charge of guiding people around our city?
[00:03:35] Speaker B: I'm sure I will be soon enough.
[00:03:37] Speaker C: I'll definitely, definitely hit you up.
[00:03:39] Speaker A: Yeah, definitely do responsibility.
Jayla, you were valedictorian at Southeast High. What was the key to being a good student? What advice would you give a college student, high school student, about getting good grades?
[00:03:53] Speaker B: My parents growing up, they always preached academics come first. Academics are going to get you so far in life.
I actually want to be a physician assistant after I graduate. So I knew academics were going to be super important for that. And advice I would give is just, I don't know, just be a good student. Buckle down, study hard. You're always going to have your academics. You're always going to have your degree. At the end of the day, the.
[00:04:16] Speaker A: Ball stops bouncing at some point is what coaches like to say. Okay, your brother is Jerick Harding. Which people who follow the city league would know that name? He played at Southeast. Also career scoring leader at Weber State ahead of a guy named Damian Lillard. Jerick was the 2016 Kansas Gatorade player of the Year. So you grew up in an athletic and a basketball family. How did that influence you and get you to where you are?
[00:04:40] Speaker B: Yeah, basketball was all I was around growing up. We were outside in the driveway every day putting up shots. I was out there with my brother playing one on one. He's much older than me, but I still gave Him a little run for his money.
But, yeah, I'm so proud of my brother. He's been so successful in his career and, you know, I just want to follow in his footsteps.
[00:04:58] Speaker A: When a fan comes to a game next season in Koch arena and they leave after the game, what do you want them to be saying about Jayla Harding? What impression do you want to leave on them?
[00:05:08] Speaker B: She works hard. She leaves it all out there on the floor. She's a phenomenal shooter. She's exciting to watch. Yeah, I want them to remember me.
[00:05:15] Speaker A: If you weren't playing basketball, is there another sport you would be playing?
[00:05:18] Speaker B: Volleyball. I played volleyball for 11 years and then actually chose basketball over volleyball.
[00:05:24] Speaker A: What position in volleyball?
[00:05:25] Speaker B: I was a setter.
[00:05:26] Speaker A: A setter. Okay. Important position.
[00:05:27] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:05:28] Speaker A: So when did basketball become your sport? When did you fall in love with basketball?
[00:05:33] Speaker B: Probably, I would say around middle school. I played basketball since I was 7 years old, and I actually played volleyball before that, but grew up watching my brother and I just kind of gravitated towards basketball.
[00:05:43] Speaker A: Who's the best basketball player you've played against? High school, summer college?
Who's the best opposition you've been on the court with, besides your brother?
[00:05:53] Speaker B: Yeah, that's the only.
I mean, everybody I played with has their things that they're so tough. I played against Taylor in high school. She's a really tough player. So I enjoy playing against her in high school.
[00:06:03] Speaker A: Had some great teams at Wichita Heights when she was there, no doubt. Let's say Wichita Southeast. Says, Jayla, we want you to come back and talk to our athletes about this whole college thing, about being recruited, about getting good grades, finding the right place. What advice would you have for a youngster?
[00:06:20] Speaker B: Just trust your work. Your work means everything.
You know, the offers and everything. It'll come. Just dedicate yourself to your sport and just keep pushing yourself.
[00:06:30] Speaker A: Cheyenne, favorite WNBA or NBA player. Who do you like to watch?
[00:06:35] Speaker C: I really like to watch. Sylvia Fowles. I really like. I just think I like the way that she carries herself. I think that's something that I look into and just any player, I think same thing with Steven Adams and the NBA. I really like Steven Adams. I like the way he carries himself. Liked him when he was at okc.
Just a big man who had a big heart and was there for his teammates.
[00:06:54] Speaker A: And you are a Thunder fan?
[00:06:56] Speaker C: Yes, sir.
[00:06:56] Speaker A: What did you enjoy about watching those.
[00:06:58] Speaker C: Guys play right now? I mean, they're all so young, and I think just the way that they've all come together, like with the common Goal and just have really made a run for everything. I mean, they're really successful right now. I think that's probably what I like about them the most.
[00:07:11] Speaker A: Do you play defense as hard as Alex Caruso or.
[00:07:14] Speaker C: Ooh, he's a tough one. He's a tough one. I definitely, definitely hope to this year especially.
[00:07:20] Speaker A: They have some excellent defenders. Kayson, Wallace, Lou Dort. They have some guys that really get after it. Do you hunt for fouls like Shai Gilgeous Alexander does?
[00:07:30] Speaker C: No, I don't think quite as much. No.
[00:07:33] Speaker B: MVP.
[00:07:34] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:07:35] Speaker A: He's a talented, talented guy. You're wearing number 42. Is there a backstory with wearing 40?
[00:07:42] Speaker C: Well, I came up with it when I was young, so the logic behind it was my dad was number 64 when he played football and basketball before the whole numbers thing kind of changed.
And so just took the 42, because four plus two is six. And, you know, I got the four in there, so it was good logic when I was younger, you know.
[00:07:58] Speaker A: Makes sense. Good tribute to Dad. I bet he appreciates that. If you weren't playing basketball, is there another sport you would be playing?
[00:08:05] Speaker C: I really loved soccer. I know six four. You know, six' four soccer player is not the most typical one, but I definitely loved soccer when I was younger.
[00:08:13] Speaker A: What position did you play?
[00:08:15] Speaker C: I think I was defense and goalie. Yeah.
[00:08:17] Speaker A: Okay. When did basketball become your favorite sport?
[00:08:22] Speaker C: I think I want to say middle school, too, actually, because that's when I got into, like, AAU and things like that. And I made some really good, like, lifelong friends doing that.
I actually wasn't allowed to play basketball because of my dad, so he had me do cheerleading. So that was pretty. That was pretty fun, you know? And then I got tired of that, so I actually took the megaphone from somebody at some game and actually yelled, I hate cheerleading.
And so after that, didn't play.
[00:08:48] Speaker A: Dad took that as a clue.
[00:08:49] Speaker C: Yeah, he was just like, okay, maybe we need to put her into some sports. Some spiral sports.
[00:08:52] Speaker A: Interesting story.
So when you're not playing or practicing, you like to garden.
Tell us about that part of your life.
[00:09:00] Speaker C: Well, I got it from my grandma. She actually passed away last March. And so it was just really. It was just something that I always shared with her, like, growing up. My mom likes to do it, too. So.
[00:09:09] Speaker A: Yeah.
Is this vegetables or is it flowers? What do you like?
[00:09:14] Speaker C: I do want to get into vegetables, but it's definitely flowers. I have two orchids right now. Now a Monstera, which is like a cheese plant. It's like a big leaf with holes in it.
But yeah, that's what I have in my apartment right now. I have more plants at home, but yeah.
[00:09:27] Speaker A: Do you have a book, a movie, a TV show that you would recommend for the people to pick up on?
[00:09:32] Speaker C: This is an old one, but I started watching Gilmore Girls a couple of days ago. Yeah, it's actually, it's actually pretty interesting. Been binge watching that with my little.
[00:09:40] Speaker A: Sister, so very good.
Okay, your high school invites you back, says Cheyenne. We'd like you to mentor some of our young youngsters. What advice do you give them about getting through college?
[00:09:53] Speaker C: I think just don't overthink it. I think that's the biggest thing that I kind of dealt with. It's just like, okay, well what if I'm not successful in this part of this aspect or this aspect? I think just going in there and knowing that you're doing your best is going to take you the furthest rather than just comparison is a killer of joy, is what I like to think about. So yeah, okay.
[00:10:12] Speaker A: Cheyenne Banks and Jaylah Harding two more of the newcomers Wichita State Women's Basketball Team thank you very much for your time.
[00:10:33] Speaker D: Great insight as always. Thanks for listening to the Roundhouse podcast courtesy of Wichita State University Strategic Communications.
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[00:10:49] Speaker E: Down to a three two pitch with two men on. Two outs in the ninth, the stretch by Tyler Green. Here it comes. Chuck him out. A no hitter for Tyler Green.
A strike three call on the outside corner and Tyler Green has pitched the fourth no hitter in Wichita State history, the second in as many years as he joined fellow classmate Charlie Jindrome as the author of a Wichita State no hitter and in the process struck out a career high 13, including all three outs in the ninth inning.
Tyler Green completes a no hitter and Wichita State defeats New Mexico 12 to nothing.
