Portsmouth High School Junior Daysha Reid recently celebrated scoring her 1,000th point with the girl’s basketball team during a home game in January. Reid has been playing basketball since she was very young and started learning from the Portsmouth Girls Basketball Coach Amy Hughes when she was in the fourth grade.
“Basketball runs in my family. My dad was a really good athlete. I wasn’t taking it seriously though until I got with Amy. I like it because it’s like a family type of sport. We all have our own bond and it’s really fun,” she said.
When Reid was old enough, she joined the high school team in the ninth grade.
“When I joined in my freshman year, I knew I had to work harder because there were people older than me and in higher grades who are more developed. So I tried to work harder because I knew I wanted to play at this next level,” she said.
After only three years, Reid scored her 1,000th point during a home game against Ironton on Jan. 29, 2024.
“I was surprised because I didn’t know,” she said. “I made the three and I heard the buzzer go off and everybody was screaming. I went over to the table and they told me, and I was really surprised. I didn’t know I was going to get it this year. If anything, I thought I would get it next year.”
Reid credits Coach Hughes and Assistant Coach Mike “Pappy” Hughes for helping her to develop her skills. She admits that she thought Coach Hughes was being too hard on her during her freshman year, but now she realizes she was only pushing her to be the very best she could be.
“She pushed me to be a better person, on and off the court,” Reid said.
The season has been really good for the team, and for Reid who is looking forward to playing as a senior next year. She plans to spend her summer training to get better and be prepared when the next season begins.
For more information about Portsmouth City Schools, visit them online at www.portsmouthtrojans.net, or follow the school’s page on Facebook.