With precision and quick movements, senior Alice Wu sprints to the net to shoot a layup. The ball effortlessly falls through the net, and the bleachers erupt in cheers as Wu scores her 1000th point, marking the result of years of hard work and dedication. As a point guard, Wu has been an instrumental part of the varsity girls basketball team over the past four years. As she rounds off her final year as a varsity team captain, this milestone is a testament to the dedication, determination and perseverance Wu has shown both on and off the court.
Wu began playing basketball in elementary school after being encouraged by her parents, who wanted her to have an athletic outlet. This passion grew during her middle school years, when she joined the Miller Middle School basketball team in sixth grade. During COVID-19, she continued practicing, often visiting a nearby park to shoot, dribbling at home and training with other players and her coaches through Zoom.
“With basketball, I was immediately hooked,” Wu said. “I was naturally good, had a great experience playing on a team and had fun becoming friends with my teammates.”
At Lynbrook, she joined the varsity girls basketball team in her freshman year, as a point guard. Over the years, as she continued practicing, bonded with her teammates and became a captain, basketball has been a way of helping her grow in overall confidence in her skills as a player on the court and her ability to be a mentor and leader.
“When I first joined the team, I was not as comfortable with my abilities, and I didn’t talk much,” Wu said. “Now, I’m much more collaborative. Basketball is about communication and working with your team, so being a part of the team has helped me.”
As a freshman, Wu made sure to use practices and games to showcase her talent. She worked hard to get more and more playing time, eventually playing a full game before the end of her first season.
During her time on Lynbrook’s basketball team, Wu experienced multiple setbacks due to injuries. In her freshman year, she suffered an ankle injury that had held her back from gaining experience on the court.
“I’ve known Alice since sixth grade,” senior and co-captain Sarah Wei said. “I think her ability to maneuver through so many people, play through injuries and her overall effort in basketball is really admirable.”
To avoid her injury returning as a potential problem during her last season, she wore an ankle brace during games and practices as an extra precaution. Despite this minor difficulty, Wu remembers her high school basketball journey as one full of team bonding and fun. Some of her favorite memories from the team include team dinners, an annual Christmas party at their coach’s house and the multitude of tournaments the team has competed in.
During the 2024-25 season, with her 1000th point on its way, Wu focused on maintaining the hard work she had put into the sport throughout her high school career. During the milestone game, she treated it as any other.
“I just went up for a layup,” Wu said. “After it went in, I realized it was my 1000th point. But I kept playing. It felt like any other point.”
Despite Wu’s calm reaction during the game, the achievement was marked by joyful congratulations from friends, teammates and family. In a short ceremony following the game, Wu was awarded a customized basketball with her name, number and graduating year on it. The celebration was carried on to the next day, when the team celebrated with cupcakes during their practice.
“It felt good to be recognized for my achievement, even though I’m not someone who likes too much attention,” Wu said.
As the season’s close readily approaches, Wu continues to put her all into the game, determined to make the most of her final games as a Viking. In the future, Wu hopes to continue playing basketball in college, either on the school’s team or through other tracks such as clubs and intramural sports.
“I love the sport,” Wu said. “It gives me something to look forward to and I can’t imagine how boring it would be to just study without being able to hoop. In college, I hope to keep improving my game and having fun with it.”
