If you have ever stepped inside the K.L. King Gymnasium at Granby Memorial High School, the most eye-catching details are the countless maroon and gold banners decorating the dark wood walls. From the 1973 field hockey banner that commemorates the first state championship in school history to recent titles and individual awards, the tall walls of the gym can be likened to a museum.
While teams usually have to wait until the end of the season before any titles are awarded, Granby girls basketball senior captain Alyssa Bordonaro has already earned her place on the wall.
On Friday, Jan. 5, days before the first snowfall of 2024 arrived with true New England force, senior captain Alyssa Bordonaro, jersey number 25, entered what she assumed was just another game of the regular season. Unbeknownst to her, she stood just a few points away from her 1,000th career Varsity point: A feat only achieved by four prior basketball players at GMHS, and only one of whom is a girl. By the second quarter, she became the fifth person whose name will appear on the 1,000-point scorers’ list in Granby.
“I had a few hints,” Bordonaro laughed during a halftime interview on the GMHS Sports YouTube live stream when asked if she knew of the milestone ahead. In spite of her suspicions, however, nothing could prepare her for the celebration with her teammates that followed what initially seemed to be just another one of her signature left-handed layups.
“I’m just extremely grateful, I never thought I would get to it,” Bordonaro replied after scoring the all-important bucket. While not someone who enjoys the spotlight, she added behind an excited grin, “I’m very honored to be able to get it, and I couldn’t do it without my teammates, my coach to push me, and my family.”
And then, just like that, it was back to business. Bordonaro, who will attend Clark University and play basketball there, proceeded to finish the game with 16 points in a sizable win over Stafford. The win propelled Granby to its fourth win in a row at that point in the season, and the team improved to 6-2 to match the threshold needed to qualify for the state tournament.