Soccer came first. College basketball is where Brooke Setmire wants to go next.
Playing basketball for her middle school changed how she felt about the game. Representing her school meant something to her. Now the Big Walnut guard is bringing that commitment to SLAAM, with a clear idea of the player she wants to become.
The 5’7” point guard and shooting guard from Sunbury, Ohio, is part of the Class of 2028. She likes getting into the paint, finishing creatively, and finding teammates waiting on the arc.
“I like creating for me and my teammates,” she said.
She describes herself as scrappy on defense and vocal with her teammates. On offense, she wants to keep improving her ball handling and “reading the second line of defense.” Getting past the first defender creates an opening. Recognizing the help behind that defender helps her decide whether to finish or make the pass.
She also values being someone her teammates can count on to stay calm and “hold the team together.”
“Brooke embodies every trait you want a basketball player to have; intensely competitive, unselfish, and a love for the game that shines through her work ethic,” said her SLAAM coach, Dillon Penix.
“When talking to her she cares most about being a productive and reliable teammate so I know this is who she is as a person,” he said.
Setmire works with a trainer and gets into the gym for shots, but her dad is the person she returns to when asked who has had the biggest impact.
Having her dad down the hall is “a breath of fresh air,” she said. They can talk through a game, watch film, or work on her handles in the garage. She appreciates his honesty, even when the feedback is tough.
“It definitely has shaped me into the player that I am,” she said.
He makes time for the drives, training sessions, and camps. On difficult days, when she questions whether she is good enough, he helps her see that the college goal is still something she can work toward. She recognizes how much he puts aside to help her pursue it.
Her life at Big Walnut includes soccer, basketball, and a full school schedule. Setmire reports a 4.2 GPA, two years of scholar-athlete recognition and honor roll, and involvement in Spanish honors club. She is also part of yearbook.
And her teammates know something else about her: she has the week’s meals figured out.
“I love nutrition,” she said. “That’s like something I’m very passionate about.”
She enjoys baking, making sourdough, and preparing food for the week. Eating the same meals consistently has become a running joke on both her school teams. For Brooke, it is something she enjoys and a way to think about how she fuels herself for two sports.
At SLAAM, she will play under Coach Dillon Penix. She wants to develop her game, earn opportunities to play college basketball, and be part of a close team where she can ask questions and turn to her coach.
“I’m looking for like a family-style team,” she said.
She knows what that kind of support has meant at home. Now she wants to build those relationships with a new team, bringing her communication, defensive effort, and willingness to create for others. College basketball is the ambition. Playing well together at SLAAM is the work in front of her.