By Brody Goucher Posted December 16, 2015
Payton Naveran is one of Lowry’s best basketball players and everything that young athletes should look up to.
Naveran has played four years of varsity basketball and won a state championship with the team. She has dedicated all of her extracurricular time to basketball, she doesn’t play any other sports and she has been playing basketball since she can remember.
“I’ve been playing basketball forever, even when I was just a little kid. I had a Tykes basketball hoop in my basement that I would play on,” said Naveran.
Basketball has had a major impact on Naveran’s life, it has pushed her to succeed off the court and has been something that she could always fall back on.
“Basketball makes me strive to do better…whether it’s with grades or really anything, and I’m always looking forward to playing the sport and the upcoming season.
Naveran’s family has been a big influence in her life as well; everyone in her family was an athlete.
“My mother actually walked onto UNR’s basketball team but ended up breaking her arm a couple of months into it, so she didn’t get to play that much. Both my parents were very athletic growing up and my dad coached me a lot throughout my childhood. They have always been very supportive of my choices and have always come to my games and pushed me to be better,” said Naveran.
While Naveran says that she doesn’t have a particular player that she models her game, she credits her coaches with shaping the player she is today.
“Chelsea [Cabatbat] and Vince [Mendiola], have definitely sculpted me into the player that I am. They have a certain way that they want us to play offense and defense, which I try to learn from,” said Naveran.
Naveran has big expectations for this year’s team, she is one of the only five seniors on the Bucks this year and plays a big leadership role on the team. Make sure to catch Naveran playing this year as she and her teammates try to make it to the state tournament once again.
