Taylorsville High School is home to many cultures and ethnic backgrounds. The girls basketball team is made up of players with a variety of backgrounds. This includes team leaders Destiny Harrison, a junior who is a member of the Navajo tribe, and junior Kwagee Nayic.

Harrison is not only proud of her Indigenous ethnicity, but she loves being a part of the Taylorsville family. She said the girls basketball team, in particular, is a tight-knit group on and off the court. 

Harrison started playing basketball in the third grade. She said her family has always enjoyed the sport, so it was easy for her to continue the legacy started by relatives. She credits her coaches for helping her develop a love for the game and hone her skills. 

“Basketball has become a huge part of the Navajo culture,” she said. “For my family, basketball runs deep, with many of my family sharing the same passion for basketball as I do. I started playing AAU under the guidance of my coaches Tyler and Kehana Burgess with the Salt Lake Retro team. They taught me a lot about the game of basketball.”

For Harrison, playing the game gives her “a sense of calm and happiness.” In addition, Harrison’s sister Alyssa has been a major influence in her life and as a player. 

“She began her journey the same way I did, and now she is playing at the next level,” Harrison said. “She has inspired me to work hard, because with hard work comes progress.”

The Warriors had some ups and downs early on, but Harrison has been a steady player. Through four games, Taylorsville was 1-3, with a 51-46 victory over Murray on Dec. 3. Up to this point, she was pacing the team in scoring with 14.3 points an outing. She had 21 points against both Murray and at Stansbury (Dec. 6). She is also second on the team with three assists a game. 

For the Warriors, Harrison provides a spark at both ends of the court. She is also mentally tough and maintains a good mindset, regardless of how the game is going. 

“One of my main strengths as a player is my ability to move quickly around the court and effectively communicate with my teammates,” she said. “I contribute a lot of energy to the team and always aim to maintain a positive attitude during games. I’m currently focusing on controlling the pace and flow of the game. I try to view each match as a challenge rather than just seeing the opponent as a team we can easily beat.”

Harrison is also an avid golfer and is looking forward to the season this spring. As for now, she’s doing her best to improve her play and the team as a whole. 

“My personal and team goals focus on improving our communication and ensuring that our plays are executed smoothly,” she said. 

Meanwhile, Nayic is second behind Harrison in scoring, averaging 6.8 points a contest. She also averages 3.3 rebounds an outing. She, too, started playing competitively as a third grader. 

She loves the family-like atmosphere at Taylorsville and how much everyone in the school roots for one another. 

“The best thing about playing for Taylorsville is the support system from the students and staff,” she said. “One thing I love about this team is even though we might get frustrated at each other on the court, we always have each other’s back at the end of the day.”

Whether things are going well or poorly, Nayic always puts forth her best effort. She said her attitude and drive are two of her biggest attributes. She also works hard to lift up teammates when they’re down or struggling. 

“My strength as a player is determination,” she said. “Even though I might not get everything right, I know I will eventually. Something I bring to the team is kindness. I’m very strong on being kind to everyone, because your kindness can make other players who are in a bad mood get motivated.”

This season, Nayic wants to become a better ball handler. She is also open to playing other positions and helping the team in any way her coach, Justin Hadlock, needs. She also wants to continue to shake off losses and disappointments and look forward to the next opportunity. 

It can be difficult to play at a high level throughout the year. The season is long and will inevitably have peaks and valleys. Still, consistency is something Nayic wants as a player. 

“Goals I have for myself is being consistent and playing to the fullest,” she said. “The goal for my team is weathering the storm to enter the season with an understanding of what is to come.”

With still a year of high school to go, Nayic is already starting to think about her plans after she graduates from Taylorsville. She hopes to get a chance to play at the next level, though her goal is to go out of state. 

“My plans after high school are to play college—preferably not in Utah—and study sports medicine,” she said. 

Together, Harrison and Nayic are imposing forces for the Warriors as they continue through the non-region slate. Region 4 action for the two girls and their teammates will tip off Jan. 10 at home against Hunter. The final regular-season game will be Feb. 13 at West Jordan. The Class 5A state tournament follows. λ