St. Bernard senior Caleb Versher averages 15.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game (Amanda Scurlock/L.A. Sentinel)

As a team captain, St. Bernard senior Caleb Versher is helping the Vikings boy’s basketball team have a contending season. Versher prides himself on executing any role on the team.

“I try to call myself “whatever-you-need” type of guard,” Versher said. “I don’t like to limit myself, I like to go every night believing that I can do everything.”

As of Monday, Versher scored a season-high of 27 points against Inglewood High School in December. In November, he signed to be a student-athlete at UC Riverside.

“Great coaching staff, great community, it’s a home for me,” Versher said. “I thank God for putting me in a position to sign so early.”

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Versher comes from a family of basketball players, his uncle Rod Palmer is an assistant coach for the UCLA men’s basketball team. His aunt is Violet Palmer, the first female referee in NBA history.

The AAU teams Pro Skills Basketball and Los Angeles Blue Chip Academy of Basketball taught Versher the fundamentals at a young age.

“Without them and without their early foundation, I don’t know where I would be right now,” Versher said.

The lessons and skills that he learned prepared him for competing with the Compton Magic. He earned the opportunity to compete in Cabo San Lucas in Mexico.

“You get to see how basketball is played out there, different cultures, how some of the rules are changed,” Versher said. “How passionate the fans are out there. It was also kind of humbling for me too.”

As a freshman, Versher helped the Vikings win a CIF Southern Section championship and reach the CIF State Division I Regional Semifinals.

“That’s what I’m looking forward to the most this year is trying to get back to the top because I know what it feels like,” Versher said. “A lot of the people on my team don’t and I want them to feel how I felt my freshman year.”

Being a student athlete shows off the capabilities of an individual and can inspire others, according to Versher.

“It pushes you to be better because without grades, you can’t perform on the court,” he said. “It’s kind of fun for me to go as hard as I can in everything that I do … I can apply myself and I try to make my teammates better.”

Versher enjoys taking his theatre class; he is an anchor on their biweekly talk show. This helps him with his interpersonal skills.

“I’m the first face when you turn the channel on,” he said. “I’m in front of microphones everyday, talking.”

With the St. Bernard boy’s basketball team, he has been also able to give back to the community. In November, he volunteered at a toy giveaway and helped host a food bank for a homeless shelter.

“Since I’ve been here we’ve tried to do something every single year,” Versher said. “That gives me purpose, that keeps me going and I love seeing people happy.”