Cherry: The fruit or wood of a cherry tree. Stephanie Cherry: A fiery point guard liable to make defenders look silly on the basketball court.

Third-year Hornet Stephanie Cherry might have a sweet name, but she has an even sweeter ability to find open teammates and get them the basketball for an open look. She is also packing a dangerous crossover that was unleashed multiple times Friday night against Bethany College, prompting head coach Dan Muscatell to tell Cherry to tone it down.

The multitalented junior could lead the 2005-06 Hornets to their second-straight Big Sky Conference tournament this season.

“I’m really, really pleased with Stephanie Cherry,” Muscatell said. “Stephanie is light years from where she was as a freshman and even better than she was last year. She is starting to play the point guard role like a true point guard.”

According to Muscatell, when Cherry began her playing career at Sacramento State, she was playing more like a shooting guard.

Not only is Cherry beginning to play like a true point guard, she is playing like a true teammate. In Friday night’s 89-38 blowout victory over Bethany College, Cherry led the team with a game-high eight assists. Cherry admits that the transition from shooting guard to the point has been difficult, but she knows that helping the team succeed is the most important contribution she can make.

“I think that she’s falling into the leadership role really well,” friend and teammate Ashley Cadotte said. “As a teammate you can’t really ask for anything more than what you get in Steph.”

Cherry likes her role and has accepted the challenge and responsibility of running the team’s offense.

“When Stephanie began here she had more of a shoot-first personality and that has developed into more of pass-first mentality,” Muscatell said.

Coming from Muscatell, a former point guard during his collegiate playing days at Western Washington, that praise means a lot. Muscatell is much more critical of point guards than anyone else on the floor, making Cherry’s position a tough one to be in.

“I think that (Muscatell) is harder on me only because I am a point guard and he is a former point guard. He has a certain way he likes the game played and it is my job to make sure it gets done,” Cherry said. “He says we’re supposed to be the generals on the court.”

The Hornets general might not bark out orders at her teammates, but she definitely keeps them entertained.

Showing up to practice in multicolored socks or dressing up like Lisa “Left Eye” Lopez for Hornet Hollywood Hoopfest a few weeks ago, Cherry is definitely a character.

During her freshman year, Cherry, a Fairfield native, had the second most 3-pointers on the team with 14 ?” and that was coming off the bench.

Last season she finished second on the team in both 3-pointers (31) and steals (52). Cherry’s numbers continue to improve each season, a significant accomplishment considering she rarely plays basketball during the offseason.

The journalism major hopes to one day be a ghostwriter for music artists and spends her time writing poems and songs.

“Writing is my passion,” she said.

Though she may have a penchant for writing, her skills on the court are undeniable.

With her new role as the floor general, Cherry expects to have her best season to date.

“Each season is going to be my best season,” Cherry said. “That’s just my mentality.”

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Armando Botello II can be reached at [email protected]