Burk, Cabrera earn Athletes of the Week

District games are important to players, coaches, fans and just about anyone. Basketball teams are fully immersed in these tough district matchups while other sports like soccer are closing in fast.

This past week, the Newcastle varsity basketball games went 3-1 in four matchups. The Ladycats went 2-0 with wins over Aspermont and Graford while the Bobcats won against the Hornets but fell to the Jackrabbits.

For their performances this past week, senior Mya Cabrera and junior Ben Burk earned selections as The Graham Leader’s Athletes of the Week.

Mya Cabrera, forward/center, Ladycats basketball

As a senior on the Ladycats basketball team, Cabrera is looked at as a leader in everything she does. She sets an example for the younger athletes as they watch the success she’s had and is having for this team.

Cabrera provides a lot of height for this Newcastle team as she regularly posts up on offense and is charged with guarding the paint on defense. While she possesses an elite ability to score at the rim, she also features a nice jump shot that can allow her to stretch the defense when necessary.

During Newcastle’s most recent matchup against Graford, Cabrera was again one of the leaders in this hotly contested district game. She helped her team to a huge win by scoring 17 points, good for second most on the team, and collecting nine rebounds, a team-high.

She scored inside and outside, as she punished the Graford defenders inside the key but also scored in the mid-range with her jumper. She got the free throw line seven times and converted all seven. In the game she also pitched in two assists and two deflections on defense.

“Mya is a great leader on our basketball team,” head coach Ryan Dollar said. “She is a great presence in the paint defensively. Mya rebounds the ball well and has the ability to contest lots of shots. Mya also has a sweet touch from the perimeter and can stretch the defense for us.”

As one of the highest-ranked teams in Class 1A, the Ladycats will continue to look to Cabrera for her abilities and leadership the rest of the season. Newcastle is hoping for a long postseason run and Cabrera has a chance to be a major part of that.

Ben Burk, forward, Bobcats basketball

The Bobcats basketball team has a unique group of players. They’ve got senior leaders, freshmen just getting their feet wet and a number of sophomores. Burk is the only junior on the squad this year but he contributes on a nightly basis.

Burk is one of the taller, bigger players on the team so he’s often asked to rebound the ball and find open shots in the key. His game has improved each year he’s been in the program and it’s making a difference during Newcastle’s season this year.

In the matchup against Graford, one in which the Bobcats took a hard-fought loss against a top-ranked team, Burk made his presence known on both sides of the ball. He collected a few rebounds against a solid rebounding team in Graford, and he showed an ability to knock down some jump shots.

Throughout district play, Burk is averaging about 8 points per game and hauling in about six rebounds a game. Those are incredibly strong numbers for a player going up against strong opponents night in and night out.

“Ben is our only junior on the team. He really is an outstanding student, in the classroom and on the court. He strives to give his best at whatever he does,” head coach James King said. “His determination to grow his game has really paid off this season. He is a big part of the success that we have had on the court this year.”

Burk will look to finish out the season strong and then he’ll step into an even more prominent leadership role next year as a senior. But right now, he’s getting it done on and off the court and making a difference wherever he goes.