The game was far from over, but that did not stop the girls varsity basketball team from storming the court. On Jan. 11, in a game against McLean High School, senior Daphne Lerner scored the 1,000th point of her CESJDS basketball career, an impressive and rare accomplishment in the Lion’s basketball program and even in the Potomac Valley Athletic Conference (PVAC).

Only one JDS player, alumnus Daniel Kravitz (‘14) was able to do so in the six years that director of athletics Mike Riley has been at the school, and Riley can only remember other teams having players score 1,000 points four or five times in that span.

Although Lerner was aware that she was nearing 1,000 points, she made sure that her attention was on the
game itself.

“My focus is usually for the team,” Lerner said. “I would rather be a team player than just worry about the individual stats. So if it happened it happened. If it didn’t, it would happen later.”

Lerner credits the many teammates and coaches she has had over the years for her accomplishment, but Becky Silberman, who coached the girls varsity basketball until last year, especially stands out. According to Lerner, the two years that Silberman coached her were the most successful years for both Lerner individually and for the team as a whole.

Co-captain and fellow senior Evie Kraner has been playing basketball with Lerner since the two were in middle school and said that Lerner significantly elevates the team’s level of play.

“Daphne just provides a great character for the team,” Kraner said. “She’s really motivational and she knows a lot about basketball so she is always able to help out other players … she is incredible to play with because she is so quick and always gets steals and incredible breakaway layups.”

Not only is Lerner one of the best players on the JDS team, but, according to Kraner and Riley, she is one of the best in the PVAC. Riley has pushed for Lerner to be voted the Most Valuable Player in the conference for the past two seasons, and Lerner won the award during the 2013-2014 season.

Basketball has not come easily for Lerner. At only five feet tall, Lerner is on the shorter side for girls varsity basketball players. She has had to work extra hard on her ball handling and jump shots in order to make up for her height.

Lerner has led the team to many victories in the past, making multiple deep playoff runs and winning the PVAC championship during the 2013-2014 season. Riley hopes that Lerner’s skill and leadership will continue to help the team throughout this season.

“With the leadership of our seniors, I think the team is getting a little better each week,” Riley said.

Although Lerner is averaging 18.5 points per game, she admits there have been some “bumps in the road” throughout the current season due to the team’s inexperience together. The team currently has 8 wins and
3 losses, but both captains have confidence in the team’s future.

“We’ve lost a few games, but I don’t think there’s any team in league that we can’t beat if we all focus and play our best,” Kraner said.

This is Lerner’s last year playing JDS basketball and most likely her last year ever playing for a varsity team. While Lerner could likely play Division III basketball in college, she only wants to play basketball at the club level in order to get a more “traditional college experience.”