Basketball player joins the 1000-point club and team heads to sectionals
Ending the regular season at 12-8 was a huge accomplishment. Tonight, the Tartans varsity girls basketball team plays Schalmont in the Class A quarterfinals. “As we head into sectionals, I want the girls to have fun, enjoy every moment, and accomplish one more goal that we set at the beginning of this season – to win a sectional game,” said SG Coach Macie Holmes.
SG senior player Karaline McCarthy said, “My goals for us are to give it everything we have and end the season on a good note.” Over the years, Karaline has become an asset to her team. She has helped them grow from just three wins in her coach’s first season to 12 wins this year.
During a game against Greenwich on February 9, Karaline achieved a major milestone of her high school career. She scored her 1,000th point despite having her freshman year cut short due to the COVID pandemic. “Starting this season, she needed 376 points to make it to 1,000. As a former player and now coach, I knew this was going to be hard but possible,” said Coach Holmes. Karaline recalls the moment she hit it, “I had gotten fouled underneath the hoop, and I knew I had one more point until I reached 1,000, so I told myself I had to make that free throw. When I saw the ball go through the hoop I was overjoyed and relieved knowing I had met the goal!”
She had worked so hard for this moment, and now it had finally arrived. When asked about the key to her success as a basketball player, Karaline credited her dedication to improving her game and her focus on the mental components of the game. She also acknowledged the bond she had formed with her team, which had helped her achieve this milestone. Karaline’s advice to younger players who aspire to reach this same milestone was to put in the hours of work that it takes.
Coach Holmes said she receives many compliments from coaches and athletic directors about Karaline’s character, which is one of the best things to hear as a coach. “One of the most noteworthy things about Kara is that what you see is what you get. She is a fantastic person off the court. She is diligent with school, helps teammates with anything, helping coaches, and one of the hardest working athletes,” said Coach Holmes, “I love seeing an athlete succeed on the court but also in their day to day life.”