Amid the energetic cheers from the crowd reverberating through the gym, senior and girls varsity basketball captain Maggie Lam makes her 3-point shot, marking a significant milestone in her career by scoring her 1000th point during the Newark Memorial Optimist Club Tournament against Arroyo Grande High School. Lam reached this milestone in the championship game, making it a memorable end to the 3-day tournament and the team’s season.
“Scoring my 1000th point felt kind of surreal,” Lam said. “ I went from barely taking any shots freshman year to now hitting 1000 points in my senior year.”
Approaching the game like any other, Lam was unaware that she was going to hit her 1000th point. Despite facing a tough and athletic opponent, the team played exceptionally well, turning the match into one of their best performances of the season.
In basketball, reaching a 1000-point milestone signifies not only being a leading scorer on the team but also maintaining consistent performance over four years. The last Lynbrook player to achieve this milestone did so three years ago, and Lam is the second player under the current coach to have reached this benchmark.
“I think I’m really lucky that I’ve been able to play all four years on varsity to have all these points accumulate and reach my 1000-point milestone,” Lam said.
To honor Lam’s accomplishment, the team organized a 1000-point celebration, presenting her with a customized basketball before their home game against Homestead High School on Jan. 26. Lam’s friends were also invited to join and show their support for the surprise event.
“I’m really proud and happy for her for reaching 1000 points,” junior and varsity basketball player Sarah Wei said. “I knew it was bound to happen in her high school career at some point because of how hard she plays. I was excited to be there with her when she hit 1000.”
Lam’s basketball journey began in her fourth grade, as she followed in her older brother’s footsteps. She joined her first local team and later moved on to higher-level teams during middle school, where she had more intense training sessions. As a part of travel teams, she competed in national competitions where she played in the Amateur Athletic Union and the Asian League. Competing with different teams allowed Lam to recognize different players’ strengths, which better prepared her for school seasons.
In school, Lam usually plays different positions, ranging from point guard to shooting guard, forward or center. Lynbrook’s team is highly interchangeable, with multiple players capable of handling different positions, allowing them to score in different ways and practice different strategies.
“Maggie is a well-rounded player who is able to play any position well,” senior and varsity basketball player Lily Fang said. “She is our most valuable player who’s able to score double digits almost every game as well as communicate effectively on defense.”
For Lam, the mental aspect is the toughest part of the game due to its unpredictability. Staying focused and giving her best effort is crucial, especially during times when the team isn’t performing well, as the game’s outcome can shift unexpectedly.
“I always have to try to play through all my frustrations and make sure I’m not bringing the energy down for the team,” Lam said. “So, especially this year, I’ve been trying to encourage my team whenever they make mistakes.”
Lam understands the team’s strengths and weaknesses. She pays attention to how the players are doing, as she must lead them back into the game. Having played with the same teammates for most of high school, Lam can easily recognize patterns of different players to help them adjust.
“She keeps the team focused in games but also creates a fun environment to be in,” Wei said. “In practices, if our newer players forget a play, she’s there to help them to their spots and is always ready to lead the team.”
As Lam heads off to college, she plans to continue competing in club basketball.
“I definitely want to keep playing basketball,” Lam said. “Not only is it an active sport, but I’ve also made so many friends through my journey, and I think it’s a really important part of who I am.”
