Cate Reese

Cate Reese
No. 25 – Kangoeroes Mechelen
PositionForward
LeagueBelgian Women's Basketball League
EuroCup Women
Personal information
Born (1999-11-05) November 5, 1999 (age 25)
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Career information
High schoolCypress Woods
(Cypress, Texas)
CollegeArizona (2018–2023)
WNBA draft2023: undrafted
Playing career2023–present
Career history
2023Gold Coast Rollers
2023–presentKangoeroes Mechelen
Career highlights and awards

Catherine Reese (born November 5, 1999) is an American professional basketball player for Kangoeroes Mechelen of the Belgian Women's Basketball League. She played college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats. A four-time All-Pac-12 selection, Reese helped the Wildcats advance to the national championship game as a junior and win the Women's National Invitational Tournament as a freshman. She attended Cypress Woods High School in Cypress, Texas, where she was rated a five-star recruit by ESPN and named a McDonald's All-American, and joined Arizona as the highest-rated recruit in program history.

Early life and high school career

Catherine Reese was born prematurely and was kept in an intensive care unit for three weeks because her lungs were not developed enough. She began playing basketball at age seven. Reese attended Cypress Woods High School in Cypress, Texas and became a starter in her freshman season in 2014 under coach Virginia Flores.[1] As a freshman, she averaged 12.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game,[2] helping her team win the Class 6A state title, its first state championship.[1][3] In her sophomore season, Reese averaged 20.8 points and 12.8 rebounds per game, and was named District 17-6A Most Valuable Player (MVP).[4] That year, she joined the Texas Elite Amateur Athletic Union program. As a junior, she averaged 22.3 points and 13.2 rebounds per game.[1] In her senior season, Reese averaged 30.6 points and 15.3 rebounds per game, earning District 17-6A MVP honors. She competed in the McDonald's All-American Game, where she recorded eight points and five rebounds.[5] She left as a three-time Class 6A all-state selection by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches,[6] and as Cypress Woods' all-time leader in points and rebounds.[7]

Recruiting

Reese was considered a five-star recruit and the number 12 player in the 2018 class by ESPN.[8] She announced her commitment to play college basketball for Arizona over scholarship offers from Baylor and South Carolina, among other NCAA Division I programs.[9] Reese became the highest-ranked recruit in Arizona history.[10] She was drawn to the program due to her trust in head coach Adia Barnes and because her sister, Ali, would attend the school.[9]

College career

In her freshman season at Arizona, Reese developed a reputation for her toughness and competitiveness, which helped her succeed despite being undersized for her position.[11] On November 9, 2018, she made her debut, recording a season-high 21 points and 10 rebounds in a 71–46 win against Idaho State.[12] Reese would score 21 points two more times that season.[6] On December 5, she posted 20 points and 18 rebounds in a 100–51 victory over Montana. Reese grabbed the most rebounds in a game by an Arizona freshman since Shawntinice Polk in 2002.[13] She helped her team win the 2019 Women's National Invitation Tournament and was named to the all-tournament team.[14] As a freshman, Reese averaged 11.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, leading all Pac-12 freshmen in both categories, and was selected to the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team.[15][16]

Reese became a more versatile player in her sophomore season and particularly improved her three-point shooting.[15] At the 2020 Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinals, she recorded a season-high 30 points and six rebounds in an 86–73 win over California.[17] As a sophomore, Reese averaged 13.6 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, and received All-Pac-12 recognition.[18] On December 6, 2020, she scored a junior season-high 25 points in a 78–77 victory against USC.[19] On February 8, 2021, Reese scored 25 points again and shot 11-of-14 from the field in a 79–59 win over Oregon.[20] She helped Arizona reach its first national championship game. As a junior, Reese averaged 10.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, making the All-Pac-12 Team for a second straight season.[21] As a senior, she became Arizona's offensive leader with the departure of Aari McDonald.[22] On January 9, 2022, Reese scored a season-high 29 points in a 76–67 loss to USC.[23] She dislocated her shoulder against Washington State on February 20.[24] Reese returned on March 19 for the first round of the 2022 NCAA tournament, wearing a shoulder brace, and scored 16 points in a 72–67 win over UNLV.[25] She averaged 14.3 points and six rebounds per game, leading her team in both categories, and earned her third straight All-Pac-12 selection.[6] After the season, Reese underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum and torn tendons from her shoulder dislocation.[26] She opted to return to Arizona for a fifth season of eligibility, granted by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[27] On February 5, 2023, Reese scored a career-high 33 points in an 81–75 double-overtime win over USC.[28] As a fifth-year player, she averaged 13.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, becoming the second four-time All-Pac-12 selection in program history.[29]

Professional career

After going undrafted in the 2023 WNBA draft, Reese signed with the Gold Coast Rollers of the NBL1 North in Australia.[30] She averaged 22.9 points and 8.4 rebounds per game in 11 appearances. On July 2, 2023, she signed with Kangoeroes Mechelen of the Belgian Women's Basketball League.[31]

Career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game  RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game  BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game
 TO  Turnovers per game  FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 Bold  Career best ° League leader

College

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2018–19 Arizona 37 37 25.6 .493 .300 .798 6.8 .6 .8 .8 2.0 11.8
2019–20 Arizona 31 31 29.2 .491 .353 .802 7.5 .5 1.1 .6 1.7 13.6
2020–21 Arizona 27 27 24.5 .465 .406 .722 5.1 .6 1.0 .3 1.7 11.8
2021–22 Arizona 26 26 26.4 .451 .257 .716 6.0 1.1 .9 .3 1.8 14.3
2022–23 Arizona 32 32 28.4 .459 .211 .740 5.8 1.0 .8 .5 1.6 13.2
Career 153 153 26.8 47.3 29.3 75.6 6.3 0.8 0.9 0.5 1.8 12.8
Statistics retrieved from Sports-Reference.[32]

|} Source[6]

Personal life

Reese is the daughter of William and Cheryl Reese. She has two older sisters, Karen and Ali, and two older brothers, Billy and Danny.[6] Reese was a high school basketball teammate of Ali, who played for Arizona as a walk-on before medically retiring and served as a student manager for the team.[33] On April 4, 2016, as a sophomore in high school, Reese was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, the same disease that Ali has.[1][33] In February 2020, during a road trip in her sophomore season at Arizona, she was hospitalized twice due to an unsafe surge in her blood sugar levels.[34] Reese majored in business management at the University of Arizona and pursued master's degree.[35]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Villa, Walter (April 27, 2017). "With a motor and a mentor, elite basketball recruit Cate Reese moves forward with diabetes". ESPN. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  2. ^ Cook, Kevin (January 26, 2017). "Cy Woods' Cate Reese is rarely outplayed, never outworked". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  3. ^ Verdejo Jr., Angel (March 7, 2015). "Cy Woods wins 6A girls basketball title". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  4. ^ McDaniel, Jason (March 1, 2016). "Reese tops list in District 17-6A". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  5. ^ Kelapire, Ryan (March 28, 2018). "Arizona's Cate Reese shines in McDonald's All-American game". Arizona Desert Swarm. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Cate Reese – Women's Basketball". University of Arizona Athletics. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  7. ^ Brown, PJ (March 27, 2018). "UA women's five-star Cate Reese hits the court for McDonald's All-American Game". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  8. ^ "Catherine Reese 2018 High School Girls' Basketball Profile". ESPN. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  9. ^ a b Brown, PJ (June 5, 2017). "Arizona Wildcats women's basketball team lands No. 12 recruit in country". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  10. ^ Kelapire, Ryan (June 4, 2017). "Arizona women's basketball recruiting: Wildcats land 5-star forward Cate Reese". Arizona Desert Swarm. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  11. ^ Brown, PJ (March 30, 2019). "Cate Reese's evolution responsible for making Arizona a contender". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  12. ^ "Arizona Opens Season with 71-46 Win Over Idaho State". University of Arizona Athletics. November 9, 2018. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  13. ^ "Cats Score 100, Take Down Montana on School Day". University of Arizona Athletics. December 5, 2018. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  14. ^ Brown, PJ (April 16, 2019). "Here's what we learned during Arizona's spirited run to the WNIT championship". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  15. ^ a b Yapkowitz, David (March 14, 2020). "Cate Reese's upward climb with Arizona". High Post Hoops. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  16. ^ Brown, PJ (October 5, 2020). "Cate Reese's desire to be great fuels her on, off court". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  17. ^ Brown, PJ (March 6, 2020). "Cate Reese pours in 30 points as Arizona Wildcats get some revenge on Cal". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  18. ^ Savell, Jim (May 17, 2020). "NCAAW Season Recap: No. 7 Arizona Wildcats were one of the best this year". Swish Appeal. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  19. ^ "McDonald, Reese and Ware fuel Arizona's comeback win vs. USC". Arizona Desert Swarm. December 6, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  20. ^ Brown, PJ (February 9, 2021). "Arizona forward Cate Reese took Oregon's slights personally, then scored 25 points in a Wildcats win". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  21. ^ Spears, Justin (November 3, 2021). "Arizona's Sam Thomas, Cate Reese named to preseason All-Pac-12 team". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  22. ^ Lindberg, Kenny (January 17, 2022). "Faced with Adversity, Arizona Women's Basketball looks to Bounce Back". Zona Zealots. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  23. ^ "Fourth-ranked Wildcats suffer first loss of season at USC; Cate Reese scores 29". Arizona Daily Star. Associated Press. January 10, 2022. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  24. ^ Frank, Caden (February 20, 2022). "Cate Reese dislocates shoulder as No. 8 Wildcats lose in Palouse". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  25. ^ Fish, Ryan (March 20, 2022). "Pellington, Reese power Arizona past UNLV in NCAA First Round". KGUN-TV. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  26. ^ Brown, PJ (April 26, 2022). "Wildcats basketball star Cate Reese rehabbing shoulder after 'pretty traumatizing' injury, surgery". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  27. ^ "Arizona forward Cate Reese to return for her super senior season in 2022-23". Arizona Desert Swarm. October 1, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  28. ^ "Cate Reese scores career-high 33 as Cats finish off LA sweep". Arizona Daily Star. Associated Press. February 5, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  29. ^ Morales, Javier (February 28, 2023). "Cate Reese four-time All-Pac-12 selection; Shaina Pellington co-Most Improved Player". All Sports Tucson. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  30. ^ "Former Arizona star Cate Reese signs with Gold Coast Rollers in Australian NBL1". Arizona Desert Swarm. April 23, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
  31. ^ Buyse, Peter (July 2, 2023). "Cate Reese (ex Gold Coast R.) agreed terms with Kangoeroes". Australia Basket. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
  32. ^ "Cate Reese College Stats". Sports-Reference. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  33. ^ a b "Overcoming Type 1 Diabetes: Cate Reese Thrives Despite Diagnosis". University of Arizona Athletics. January 8, 2019. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  34. ^ Kelapire, Ryan (February 26, 2020). "Arizona women's basketball notebook: On Cate Reese's health scare, Sam Thomas' career night, and a first-round bye". Arizona Desert Swarm. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  35. ^ "Arizona forward Cate Reese to return for her super senior season in 2022-23". Arizona Desert Swarm. October 1, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2022.