Holy Innocents’ had high hopes for freshman Erika Cassell as she entered her first year of high school basketball.

The 6-foot-2 center has certainly lived up to her promise, leading the team with about 13 points and 10 rebounds a game as the Lady Bears headed into Friday’s Class A private school state semifinal game with Southwest Atlanta Christian.

Cassell has especially stepped up her game in the postseason, scoring 13 points and grabbing 16 rebounds in a 64-40 first-round victory over Hebron Christian Feb. 22 and getting 16 points and 12 boards in a 58-43 quarterfinal win over Atlanta International last Tuesday.

She has led the way for Holy Innocents’ with her scoring and rebounding all season. Among her biggest games was a 26-point, 16-rebound performance in a 66-49 victory over Greenforest Christian Feb. 8 and a 12-point, 18-rebound effort in a 56-40 loss to Class AA powerhouse Wesleyan Dec. 14.

“She is one of the best freshman basketball players in all of Georgia,” Holy Innocents’ coach Tony Watkins said. “She has an uncanny ability to find the ball off of the rim and can rebound as well as any kid I have ever coached. She is a great defender down low and just has a ton of natural ability. As long as she stays driven, the sky is the limit for her.”