1000+ Points!

Amaya ’24 thought she needed one more point.

It turned out that the 3-pointer she hit during the third quarter during the February 1st game at Marvelwood School landed her exactly at 1,000 points for her high school basketball career. Amaya is the third MHS player to reach the exclusive plateau. 

“It’s definitely a big accomplishment, and I didn’t think I would do it at first,” says Amaya, who wrapped up her high school career just a few weeks later with 1,067 total career points, joining Grace Guachione ’17 (1,929 points) and Julianne Liebow ’19 (1,135) in the MHS 1,000-point club. “I’m glad I was able to do it. To be able to leave something here after I graduate is a good feeling.”

Amaya’s accomplishment was formally recognized prior to the February 21 Senior Day game against The Frederick Gunn School. Amaya and senior teammates Kitty Chen and Najma Yusuf, along with managers Diana Calle, Oumou Sidibe, and Nat Williams-Jack, were recognized with flowers and kind words from teammates. After the game (a 45-25 victory!), Amaya gathered in Linn Hall with family and teammates to sign a letter of intent to attend and play for Fairleigh Dickinson University.

“Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout my basketball career: my parents, my siblings – who played basketball with me — Coach Marks-McCall and her family, my teammates, and friends,” Amaya said. “I can’t imagine going through this experience without you.”

Not surprisingly, Amaya’s journey began as a youngster, playing basketball with her parents and siblings. She has an older brother and sister, who both played in college, and a younger sister.

“I have always liked how in basketball there was a lot to do — how basketball is not just focused on one skill, and there is a lot going on all at once,” says Amaya, whose speed, quickness, ball-handling, and passing skills have typically seen her play as a guard. Prior to joining MHS as a junior, she attended Cambridge Ringe and Latin School, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Then her father met Coach Marks-McCall, who is also the MHS Director of Athletics, at a basketball showcase. Amaya was supposed to attend the showcase but was sick. Instead, she ended up visiting MHS and liked what she saw.

“I connected right away with Coach Marks-McCall and really liked the environment here,” says Amaya, who most enjoys the friendships she made through MHS and basketball. “It’s the people I have met — students, faculty, and staff. Even though we struggled some as a team, we had great bonding, especially this year, with what was really a whole new team.”

Looking ahead, Amaya is thrilled to join FDU, where she will pursue a combined biology and pre-veterinary medicine major. “I feel like it will be a good experience, and I am excited to go start my journey there, too,” she says.

Amaya’s journey has been inspirational, adds Coach Marks-McCall. “As a player, she is relentless, and her achievement has not only made us proud, but it has also set a standard,” she says. “Her success is a testament to her dedication and hard work, and Fairleigh Dickinson University is gaining a talented athlete and someone who is a leader, team player, and a game changer.”