Payton Graber sets Schalmont girls’ basketball career points record.
Tops Sabres’ record for career points in victory over Riders
Taking a glance from the top of the key, Payton Graber realized there was an opening in the lane and the Schalmont junior point guard immediately went into attack mode. A couple of dribbles later, Graber converted a layup for her third basket of the game and made history in the process.
Graber’s bucket with 1:48 remaining in the opening quarter against Ichabod Crane elevated her past Kelly Paolino Cirilla atop the school’s all-time scoring list. Graber finished with a gamehigh 22 points in leading the Sabres to a 58-39 Colonial Council victory over the Riders.
“She was hot today, for sure,” Schalmont coach Jeff Van Hoesen said. “It was a little different from the last game. She was definitely on with her shot. Payton is a phenomenal kid and deserves this record.”
“It is crazy. I would have never expected this when I started,” Graber said. “Now that it is here, it feels surreal.”
Back in 1995, Kelly Paolino graduated from Schalmont with 1,346 career points. Also a point guard, she went on to score 1,020 points playing at the University at Albany and was elected to the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in
2009.
“Kelly and I graduated together,” Van Hoesen said. “The interesting part about this is Kelly’s daughter is on the team, (eighth-grader)
Gianna Cirilla. You have Kelly’s daughter on the team the year Payton breaks it. I always talk about the history of the program and Kelly was a phenomenal basketball player . ... She was a pit bull on the court and Payton has a lot of those same traits.”
Graber and freshman forward Karissa Antoine helped stake the Sabres to a 16-4 edge after one quarter. When Graber broke the school record, time was called and Schalmont athletic director Matt Ronca handed the junior a commemorative basketball to honor the milestone. In the second quarter, Graber drained four 3-pointers as Schalmont (5-0 overall, 5-0 league) extended its lead to 36-15.
“I got it and was able to play for my team and win. That is exciting,” Graber said. “I think once that pressure was gone, it was a little easier to play.”
Graber, who began her varsity career as a seventhgrader, now has 1,364 career points.
“When she came in as a seventh-grader, we had her trying out with the JV team,” Van Hoesen said. “We were all over in the same gym and I said, ‘Let’s bring her over and see if she can make varsity.’ She went out and dominated the scrimmage as a seventh-grade kid who was 4-foot-11. I called her dad after that and said she was no question one of the best players in the program and she is
ready to start as our point guard.”
“I was a little kid. I was 4-11 and happy to be in the gym with my sister (Madison),” Graber said.
Because of the reduced number of games in this shortened season, Graber’s pursuit of 2,000 career points will be more difficult. When the junior began her varsity career, she never envisioned a scenario where she would surpass Paolino Cirilla.
“She was definitely a great player, so it is a huge honor that I was able to pass her,” Graber said. “When I started this, I never thought I would get to this point.”