Pictured: Massapequa High School senior Briana Neary recently scored her 1,000th career point as a member of the varsity basketball team.
Photos courtesy of the Massapequa School District
It was a moment she will never forget. With her loved ones cheering from the stands, Massapequa High School senior Briana Neary scored her 1,000th career point as a member of the varsity basketball team.
The milestone happened on Feb. 6 in a home game against Freeport, coincidentally the same school she scored her first points against as a freshman. Briana has been a four-year member of the varsity team and managed to reach and surpass the 1,000-point mark despite her ninth grade season being shortened by the pandemic.
It was the fourth quarter of the game when she scored the 1,000th point, and her teammates immediately rushed onto the court to celebrate.
“I had a huge support system there in my family and friends,” Briana said. “I was so lucky to have that moment.”
Briana has been playing basketball since she was 4 years old and joined the CYO program at St. Rose of Lima Church, with her father as coach. She played with CYO through eighth grade, as well as two years for Berner Middle School before making the jump to varsity. As a junior, she was the Conference Player of the Year, has been an All-County athlete twice and this year was among Newsday’s Top 100 girls basketball players. This year will also be Briana’s third trip to the playoffs.
“I love the excitement after a win or after a good play,” she said. “I love the energy and fast play. I love the connection with my teammates.”
Briana’s teammates and coaches celebrated her milestone following the Feb. 6 game against Freeport.
Even though she excels at basketball, she will actually continue her athletic career in college as a soccer player. Briana has also been a standout for the Chiefs girls soccer team, winning the Mike Clark Award as Nassau County’s most valuable player and was nominated as an All-American Athlete. She has committed to play for Siena College, where she will major in biology.
Briana admits that choosing between basketball and soccer for her collegiate career was one of the toughest decisions she’s had to make, but looks forward to the next chapter.
At Massapequa High School, Briana is a member of the Best Buddies Club, and does community service work with the National Honor Society and National Spanish Honor Society. She said her time in high school has been greatly enhanced by positive relationships with her teachers, coaches and friends, as well as the support from her family.
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