Inland Empire. Colony High School. That’s less a location and is more that ground zero of a rocket, a rocket pointed toward Denver University.
It’s the coordinates of this 6-3 super strong yet deceptively nimble forward that is Cheyenne Forney, who happens to be really cool peoples to know as a person.
“Chy” as her friends call her is more than just a killer scoring and double double rebounding machine and graduating senior for Colony. She has a freaking 32 ppg average as of early December. One person scoring that THAT MANY points? Real talk!
32 ppg for a girl might be equivalent to about 55 ppg for a boy. That’s insane, crazy. No, not crazy, it’s the daily output of a girl on a mission.
Chy is rippin and runnin this season and wants to do justice to the mentoring Kobe gave her. He’d come to her Team Taurasi practice, break down mad details to help her improve. She was so sad as we all were when Kobe and all aboard his chopper passed.
Feel Chy’s words on Kob, “Kobe was a great guy, filled with lots of knowledge about the game. The story of what happened is definitely tragic. The main thing I have learned from Kobe is to keep playing hard with your heart and have that mamba mentality.”
To really know Chy, you need to know she’s following in the footsteps of her dope mom Rachel Rosario. Rachel grew up in the IE, a beast in her own right in her prep career. Then R-Rosario leveled up to be a rebounding machine at UC Riverside.
Me, E-Woods, I’d rather mix it up with barbed wire than try to snatch a board from that All American from 92’. Actually, hoop runs in the blood of all Chy’s fam. Her sister Priscilla Rooks, she played at JW North High School and Cal Poly a few years ago.
Nowadays Chy’s mom is a great high school English teacher and what C-Forney wants to consider doing after college is to be a high school math teacher.
I’ll let her explain her hoop mentality, “I was raised to be humble. You won’t find me taking trash. My mom reminds me I have God-given talent and said with this game you could have fun and be a part of something bigger than yourself.
“My mom told me. ‘You can even get a college to pay for your education like I did. To be a real baller you have to train your mind to strive for excellence.’ I respect that my mom has given me great wisdom. That has inspired me to try and help these younger kids on my prep team.
“I’m also trying to help kids as a future math teacher. I’ll share tricks to help youngsters, because math comes easy for me. If I have a trick to share and succeed, it’s all about giving encouragement to others on their journey.”
Chy really enjoys listening to Lizzo. That rapper has such an uplifting spirit and dope infused lyrics is what Chy tells me. Like Truth Hurts is Chy’s jam.
How strong is Chy? For reals, for reals? Going up against Chy in the post around the basket is like trying to push around a football sled.
Even me, E-Woods, I’m 6-5 250 lbs, I’d be lucky to stop this force of nature of I tried, especially if she employs her famous spin move on me, or gets shifty with it in transition. She can even give you a lil hesi in game and she’ll take anyone to the rack. 100.
When I watched Chy ball out for her Team Taurasi AAU squad this past summer, Chy was killin it often and in many ways.
Watch and see her prep vid, getting down for Colony as exhibit A. It mos def would convince a judge to please convict Chy of being a cold piece of work!
https://youtu.be/BA4llIooWdQ
https://youtu.be/TbCaJN4tfvY
Let’s hear Jay Padilla, Chy’s Colony High coach whom she appreciates, give a quote in what makes this mellow but vibrant girl such a treat to be around, “Cheyenne, from all her years playing for us, has been that role model. Others who are the focus in the offense might act all big headed, but not even once has she ever acted conceited.
“She was always first to lead our fundraising efforts and never was she late for a practice or a game. She’s just a super upbeat sweet person to be around and we expect big things at the next level for her. She has this spin move, from her footwork improving so much the last year, very tough for others to counter.”
You chill with Chy as I have, her smile melts you. Her playful nature is more fun than watching puppy dogs do their thing together.
Let’s feel some Lizzo lyrics that do justice to this woman-child who is selfless and dedicated to family.
“Truth hurts, needed something more exciting
Bom bom bi bom bi dum bum bay.”
Chy in her personal life likes to walk on the beach or escape with friends to watch her fav movie, Coach Carter. Chy just keeps it pushing like aye yi yi, crazy fun to roll with her. She that cool cat girl to chill with, no doubt!
Who does Chy really look up to as a baller, wish she could be like? Kemba Walker of the Celtics, that fast attack, fearless player.
Let’s hear Chy speak on it, “Kemba, he gives the people a show every time he plays. They cheer for him, that pumps him up, same with me. I draw from the back and forth flow of the fans. Every loud clap, their oooohs and awwwws, it’s a shot of adrenaline to my heart, pumping it faster.
“One of the most influential people to help me truly succeed besides my prep coach is my AAU Team Taurasi coach George Quintero. Ohhhh, all the details of the game he opened up for me. He helped me increase my confidence and skills that I acquired while with him. I only wish I had found him earlier than in my final year of travel ball.”
Want to hear something really special? I introduced my girl Chy to my girl Briana Johnson, who is that point guard supreme at the University of Denver. I’m super tight with Bri’s dad Steph and her brother Bam, and guess what?
Briana has been 100 wanting to mentor and help give advice when she welcomes Chy to Denver next year. Bri says she will treat Chy like fam, help her next year. The graduating senior is helping the incoming freshman because being good to each other is good karma.How successful might Chy be in her new D1 conference? I asked an expert who told me if she grinds, Chy could be a top 4-5 big in her league, in her freshman year no doubt! Facts, if she gets down with plyometric training to become more nimble, mobile, and flexible, the sky’s the limit.
Chy’s goal is to be a pro b-baller after college. That’s very doable, considering her talent is BIG.
Chy also likes the music of Drake so when I see her play I feel these Drake lyrics rep her game:
“Bodies start to drop, ayy, hit the floor.”
A huge influence for Chy is someone I’ve come to quickly realize is one of the dopest trainers and coaches I ever met, Brian Hooks.
He used to coach with the legendary Charles Mathews of the Moreno Valley Tar Heels, brother of my guy Phil Mathews who was an extremely successful coach in the 80’s and 90’s at Ventura Junior College which produced Ced Ceballos, Rafer Alston and our guy PG Tony Walker who balled up nice at LMU.
Point is, the blessing that Chy told me B-Hooks is for her really made me appreciate what a good guy he is. Chy will always appreciate Brian as a great person because he has cared about her ever since she was in the belly of her mama. Brian has always been by her side and has made a difference in her life.
That’s more than great training, that’s love. But Brian is not afraid to use a loud voice and strong demeanor to get after his players in training, if that’s what it takes for them to get after it. All his players seem to love him so.
Chy introduced me to Brian and as a result I’m in the middle of writing about 3-4 world class kids that get down in the lab with Chy and B-Hooks.
How great it is find B-Hooks? This signals to me, E-Woods, that I’ve found the dopest trainer since Olin Simplis. O is that gold standard trainer in LA,. B-Hooks is that gold standard of the IE and Chy Forney is his product. She’s his pride and joy as he says, “We love Chy. She works hard, listens, improves, cares about herself, others, and the game. What more can you ask?”
Even though I mention Chy’s 32 ppg in the title, what’s more important to me, E-Woods, is that Chy is the truth, as a kid, and as a baller.
I hope others go out to see and appreciate her game, her uplifting spirit. Lizzo says the truth hurts, but not as much as if you miss seeing this dope player’s game in person.
