Chasing 1,000: Lucy Porter closing in on career milestone

Maumee senior Lucy Porter has scored 993 career points through Thursday, Jan. 9. She could eclipse 1,000 points in a Saturday, Jan. 11, matchup at Defiance.

Editor’s note: Lucy Porter scored 27 points in two games against Genoa, putting her seven points away from 1,000 career points entering Saturday’s game at Defiance.

By JEREMY SCHNEIDER

IMA SPORTS

Only three girls basketball players in Maumee history have eclipsed 1,000 points for their career.

By the end of this weekend, that exclusive club could welcome one more member.

Maumee senior Lucy Porter ended last week with 966 career points. At her current scoring average, that puts the milestone in reach during either Thursday’s home game against Genoa or Saturday’s trip to Defiance.

When a high school athlete reaches a career milestone, it can signify many things.

For Porter, it will be the representation of her tireless work at the game and her love for the sport.

“One of my biggest personal goals going into high school was hitting 1,000 points; I thought that was a huge milestone and knowing there were only three other great players from Maumee who have done so has made me want to make an impact on Maumee girls basketball,” Porter said

Joining the 1,000-point club will be the second milestone Porter reaches this season. She already passed the 500 rebounds mark for her career.

“I honestly never thought about the rebounding mark, it’s just always something I’ve loved to do even more than scoring,” she said. “I was undersized as a freshman so going in and getting boards was a way for me to make a mark.

“Obviously as I got older and stronger I knew my rebounding game could get even better so I worked on that a lot in the offseason. It’s not really something players think about working on but rebounding is a stat we look at a lot on film to get a gist of a team.”

Maumee coach Rafael Soler called Porter “a special person, on and off the court.” 

“She deserves all of the accolades and records because she has worked so hard for them,” Soler said. “I am lucky to be a part of her career and so glad that she is able to reach these milestones. These things obviously mean a lot to her, but I know that some of the goals we have as a team mean more to her.

“This is a big week for us as a team and also for Lucy cementing her legacy as an all-time great Maumee Panther.”

Porter is closing out her Maumee career with her best yet. She’s averaging 17.2 points and 10.1 rebounds, along with 5.3 steals and 3.0 assists. She’s shooting 31.4 percent from 3-point distance and 75 percent from the free throw line.

Maybe most importantly to her, though, the Panthers are 8-4 overall and 6-3 in the Northern Buckeye Conference, in third place behind Genoa and Oak Harbor.

“I’m so so grateful to have earned such an accomplishment and would not have done it without my teammates, past and present,” Porter said. “Both of these are great accomplishments, but I couldn’t do so without the constant support from the people around me. Maumee is a special place and I hope to leave just a little bit of impact after I graduate.”

Photo courtesy of Pride of the Panthers

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