Each time Jasmine Hommes walks the halls at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse, she is surrounded by the story her family has already written at Montana State.
In the 1990s, the Hommes sisters of Manhattan Christian became stars for the Bobcat women’s basketball team. Brooke Hommes helped Montana State hang a Big Sky Conference championship banner. Blythe Hommes is one of the greatest women’s basketball players ever at MSU.
[restrict paid=”true”]Jasmine Hommes is reminded of the prestige of those who preceded her each time she walks throughout her home arena. The banner hangs from the ceiling above the court and a plaque commemorating Blythe’s All-America nod in 1997 graces the trophy case.
“I do feel a sense of pride for what my family has accomplished here,” Jasmime Hommes said last week as her team prepared for its final home games at the Brick of her senior season. “Those trophies are based off of hard work and all my family members, we pride ourselves in hard work. Seeing those things in the Fieldhouse is symbolic of that.
Brooke was a freshman on Montana State’s Big Sky Conference championship team in 1993. The four-time Academic All-Big Sky selection was a part of the last MSU women’s team to host the Big Sky Tournament and a first-team All-Big Sky selection as Brooke Svendsen as a junior in 1995.
In the hall between the training room and the arena floor at the Brick is MSU’s basketball trophy case. In it resides the various decorations earned by Blythe (Hommes) Hintz, Brooke’s younger sister and herself a Manhattan Christian product. Blythe scored 1,265 points, the 12th-most ever by a Bobcat. Her 742 rebounds are sixth-most in MSU history. After earning Big Sky Conference MVP honors as a senior in 1997, she was named a Kodak All-American, the last MSU player to earn such recognition. She averaged 18.9 points and 9.4 rebounds as a senior, among the top single-season averages at MSU.
Despite the decorated careers of her aunts, Jasmine has never felt she walks in her family’s shadow.
“I never felt any pressure, which is the great thing about my family,” Hommes said. “Each individual needs to make a name for themselves and all their accomplishments, everyone is proud of it and no one is greater than the other.”
Through an unwaveringly steady personality and an even more consistent mid-range jump shot, Jasmine Hommes has carved out a legacy of her own at Montana State. The 6-foot-1 senior is closing in on her third straight season as Montana State’s leading scorer and her third All-Big Sky selection. Last season, she was among the Big Sky’s leading scorers at 16.9 points per game and this season, her 15.3 points per game are fifth in the league despite MSU’s offensive diversity.
Earlier this season, Hommes became the 21st Bobcat to reach 1,000 career points. Her 1,389 points rank eighth in program history with at least three games remaining in her senior season.
Each accolade Hommes has achieved has been accompanied by unmistakable grace. She rarely shows emotion on the hardwood, instead choosing to let her smooth triple threat positioning, her effortless footwork and her silky high release do the talking.
“Her demeanor is the key to her success,” Montana State 11th-year head coach Tricia Binford said. “With the position she’s in, she’s the focal point on every scouting report, whether it’s a double team or the best post defender or someone who is going to be physical with you, take you out of your game. Her ability to not be distracted and rattled by those things is because of her personality and that’s made her such a tremendous player for us.”
Hommes grew up in Lynden, Washington, a community with a strong Dutch influence similar to Churchill, Montana. She attended Lynden Christian, a school similar to Manhattan Christian, the high school alma mater of Brooke, Blythe and Jasmine’s father, Craig.
Growing up in a faith-based Christian community surrounded by her sizeable family had a great influence on Hommes’ steady demeanor and the lens in which she views the world. Growing up in a basketball family taught her the humility her faith tried to reinforce.
“I’m reminded daily that I am nothing without God,” Hommes said. “It was an amazing thing to grow up with that. Sports can teach you a lot about your faith. It challenges you. It’s also a great place to be a light to people around you, to show the qualities of Christ that are in you that you must share with others, to share God’s light with all those around you.”
Hommes became a star at Lynden Christian, leading her Lyncs to a 72-12 record and four straight Class A state tournament appearances. By her junior year, she earned Bellingham Herald Player of the Year honors. She had light Pac 12 interest and heavy interest from Boise State, Montana State, Montana, Eastern Washington and Portland State.
Blythe Hintz lives in Lynden with her husband, Brian and their four children. She has followed the Bobcats with fervor throughout her life. She knew Binford’s up-tempo style and family-oriented approach to coaching and she’s a dyed in the wool Bobcat, so she wanted Jasmine to attend her alma mater. But she emphasized to Jasmine to make the decision that was best for her.
“Blythe and Brooke told me they would love me if I went to the Bobcats and shun me if I went to the Griz (laughs),” Hommes said. “No, but of course they love me always and they told me this was my journey and I need to make this work for me.”
Hintz is glued to her computer screen each time the Bobcats play. She and the rest of their sizeable clan has provided a support system for Jasmine throughout her athletic career just like the one Blythe and Brooke experienced growing up.
“We know how hard it is to compete at that level,” Hintz said. “You have to put so much time into it and as mentally and physically draining as it can be, it’s good to have the support of people who have been through it to know that it’s worth it. When things do get going tough, family will always be there to pick you up.”
Hommes’ recruitment slowed the summer before her senior year because of torn muscles in her calf that limited her ability to perform on the club basketball circuit. But Binford and the Bobcats stayed in contact consistently.
During her visit to Bozeman, Hommes stayed with MSU standout Rachel Semansky, herself a steady post player who Hommes would back up as a freshman. Semansky told Hommes that the MSU program specialized in developing not only the player but the person. It was exactly what Hommes was searching for.
Her first season, Hommes played sparingly as Semansky’s backup. She spent time with her elder conducting Bible studies and working on post moves. By the time she was a sophomore, Semansky’s eligibility exhausted, Hommes became the focal point of MSU’s offensive attack, averaging 13.7 points per game and earned honorable mention All-Big Sky honors.
Over the past two seasons, Hommes has used her velvety mid-range jumper to pour in points. Her 20-point outing against Montana in late-February was her 18th game of at least that many in the last two seasons alone.
When Hommes arrived at Montana State four years ago, she set a list of goals. She wanted to score 1,000 points. She wanted to earn a trip to the Big Sky Tournament all four seasons. She wanted to be a captain as a senior. She hoped to cap her career with a Big Sky title and MSU’s second-ever trip to the Big Dance. Brooke’s squad in 1993 is the last Bobcat team to go to the NCAA Tournament.
Four years ago, she signed with the Bobcats along with senior point guard Lindsay Stockton, senior power forward Alexa Dawkins, fourth-year junior star reserve Peyton Ferris and oft-injured sophomore Margreet Barhoum. The class was touted as one of Binford’s best is now thriving as MSU makes a run toward its first banner in more than a decade.
“Knowing how great of a class Trish brought in, to see this core group as a whole finally accomplish what they know they are capable of accomplishing, that they stayed the course, to fight through the adversity, now no one can argue it’s paying off,” Hintz said. “I’ve watched the Bobcats my whole life and this group is something special. For me to watch it, not only as an alum but also to see my niece be a part of it too, it’s an amazing, unique season.”
Hommes’ diverse skill set coupled with her size will surely provide opportunities to continue to play basketball after this season is complete. She has already been presented with the opportunity but is not interested. She will move back to Lynden after graduation in the spring to take a position as a student teacher. She hopes to someday be a middle school math teacher and, hopefully, a coach.
“Basketball is an opportunity,” Hommes said. “It’s just not for me. There’s more to life beyond this game. My goal was to always come play college Division I basketball. I’ve put in my time, my effort and my all into that goal and I’ve accomplished it. I’m ready for something more. I’m ready to put my strengths somewhere else.”
As Montana State prepares for its final two games of the regular season — MSU plays at Northern Colorado on Wednesday night and at North Dakota on Friday afternoon — Hommes has just two goals left to check off her list. With one more win, her team will earn at least a share of the Big Sky crown. Two victories will mean Montana State’s first outright title in program history. A run through the BSC Tournament in Reno next week could mean dancing shoes for the Bobcats.
“The challenges and being able to move through those and learn from them and grow from the challenges are what I will remember,” Hommes said. “Everyone knows that being a college athlete is difficult. Being able to learn who you are and come out of college strong with a degree and knowing that you accomplished the goals you set is very rewarding. And the relationships I’ve developed, I’ll have for a lifetime. The memories I made are something I’ll hold on to forever.”
[/restrict]Photos by Brooks Nuanez. All Rights Reserved.
