Basketball hasn’t made Chesterton freshman guard Lindsi McGuffey late for class.

At least not yet.

“It’s been very close,” she said with a laugh. “I’ve been down to 30 seconds a few times while speed-walking the hallway.”

On game days, the 5-foot-6 McGuffey arrives at school early for a shooting routine that sometimes leaves her scrambling to get to her first class on time. But the extra dedication is a significant reason why McGuffey has quickly become a fixture on the court for Chesterton (9-3) this season.

McGuffey is averaging 7.3 points, tied for second on the team with senior forward Isabelle Connors, and leads the way with 19 3-pointers. McGuffey is also shooting 73% from the free-throw line, the second-best mark on the team.

During the Trojans’ 62-23 nonconference win against Kankakee Valley on Tuesday, McGuffey hit four 3-pointers for the second time this season and finished with 15 points.

“She’s coachable, and that’s a big thing,” Chesterton coach Candy Wilson said. “It’s really difficult for a freshman to transition to the varsity level, and that’s not something I take lightly. But she’s handled it really well, and she just keeps getting better and better.”

McGuffey has also impressed her teammates with a tiresome work ethic.

“She’s a very, very hard worker,” Chesterton junior guard Kenedi Bradley said. “She’s always shooting — morning, nights, during practice, and she stays after practice and shoots. She’s very determined.”

That determination is exhibited by McGuffey’s morning routine on game days. It starts with a 6 a.m. wake-up that helps her get on the court by 6:50. She puts up 100 midrange shots and then 300 3-point shots. If she fails to make 60% to 70% of the midrange shots and 70% to 75% percent of the 3-point shots, she starts another round.

“I’m not going to leave until I reach my goal,” she said.

As a kid, McGuffey emulated college and professional players she saw on TV. She would convince her parents, Kevin and Rachel, to drive her to the nearest basketball court.

“Once I started watching more on TV and saw their skills, I wanted to be just as good as they were,” she said. “I’d watch it and then go work on it at the Y.”

McGuffey was also inspired by Bradley, who is Chesterton’s leading scorer. McGuffey attended the Trojans’ games during middle school.

“I remember watching Kenedi play when she was a freshman, and I wanted to be able to do that,” McGuffey said. “I wanted to be like her. So I really put in the work, coming in to shoot every day.”

Wilson reiterated that point several times.

“It’s not something that just happened,” Wilson said. “She really, really works at it.”

McGuffey, whose uncle Ryan has been a producer for NBC Sports Chicago, has no intention of slowing down.

“There are always things that can be better,” she said. “I’m still constantly working on my shot, making sure it’s consistent. One thing I need to get better at is ball handling. I think that would really benefit the team.”

After the season ends, McGuffey will find even more time for shootarounds. When asked if there would be a day in the offseason when she didn’t put up shots, McGuffey paused for a long time.

“Maybe on some holidays,” she said. “But that’s it.”

Dave Melton is a freelance reporter.