High school senior Johnny Tompkins reaches 1,000 career points
Johnny Tompkins hit 1,000 career points Sunday, Jan. 4. Photos by Bobby Grady
Tompkins drives to the basket.
Tompkins did more than play offense, she played strong defense during the game as well.
Tompkins scores two of her 10 points.
Tompkins shoots.
Tompkins drives to score her 1,000th point.
The crowd erupted with cheers.
Tompkins is greeted by her coach.
From left, Guy Tompkins, Johnny Tompkins and Maggie Ferguson.
Johnny Tompkins hit 1,000 career points Sunday, Jan. 4. Photos by Bobby Grady
Tompkins drives to the basket.
Tompkins did more than play offense, she played strong defense during the game as well.
Tompkins scores two of her 10 points.
Tompkins shoots.
Tompkins drives to score her 1,000th point.
The crowd erupted with cheers.
Tompkins is greeted by her coach.
From left, Guy Tompkins, Johnny Tompkins and Maggie Ferguson.
After a steal at mid-court, Johnny Tompkins drove to the basket with defenders trailing behind and sunk a layup, giving her 1,000 career points in high school basketball.
“I was happy — extremely happy,” Tompkins said. “It was like a finally then I was content because there was a little bit of a lid on the basket for me today.”
Coming into the season, Tompkins, a Wareham High School senior, was 75 points shy of 1,000, an achievement few high school basketball players reach. It wasn’t until halfway through her junior year did she realize the goal was attainable.
She entered the Vikings’ Sunday, Jan. 4 game, their fifth of the year, against Fairhaven High School just 10 points shy of 1,000, which she reached in the third quarter of the Vikings’ 38 to 19 win.
And despite being “100%” nervous for the game, she came into the game with support from her teammates and coaches to score.
“I tend to be a selfless player so it was really locking in and realizing ‘maybe I do need to score a little bit more,’” she said.
Tompkins described herself as a “pass-first” player, meaning she often looks to get her teammates the ball which she said allowed her to score easier.
“The fact that my teammates are always in the position I need them to be allows me to dish it to them and opens up my play a lot more,” she said. “It’s very gratifying to see my teammates score and I’m excited for them then when I score they’re like ‘yeah she deserves it.’”
In the crowd watching Thompkins were her parents Maggie Ferguson and Guy Tompkins who both said they were very proud of what their daughter has been able to accomplish.
“We’re very proud because she has had to work hard for each point,” Ferguson said. “She’s had a lot of injuries and faced a lot of adversity and she’s always overcome it with a positive attitude.”
Guy Tompkins added he’s especially proud of the way she plays basketball.
“It’s pretty impressive that a pass-first player can reach 1,000 points,” he said.
Moving forward this season, Johnny Tompkins said she is focused on continuing to play well and hopefully help grow the team so other girls can reach the 1,000 point milestone.
"I want more names on that poster that we have back home and I just want these girls to like as much as I do," she said.
