On January 20, 2023, junior Jesse Burris scored his 1,000th high school career point after nailing a deep left wing three-pointer against Big Walnut.
“I am extremely excited and impressed with myself,” Burris said. “It was a huge accomplishment that I’ve been working towards for the whole time I’ve been at Hayes. It took special effort, focus, and execution on and off the court to get there. It’s a relief that I have achieved that goal.”
Burris had 24 points along with 11 rebounds as the Pacers beat the Golden Eagles 67-45 in an OCC Conference game.
“I have had the privilege of coaching some very talented players in my coaching career,” Hayes head coach Adam Vincenzo said. “The one thing they all have in common is the amount of work they put into becoming great. [Burris] deserves an accolade like this and to have his name mentioned with some of the greats to come through Delaware is special to see.”
Burris joins a small group of Hayes basketball players who have reached this accomplishment.
“It simply makes me proud when coaching a player who achieves the goals they set out for the team and themselves,” Vincenzo said. “Most people do not see the amount of hours that go into those goals behind the scenes. Jesse has put a lot of time into developing into the player he is. I am very proud of him.”
Burris has played varsity every year of his high school career, and has had many teammates by his side, one being Jake Lowman, a junior who has played alongside Burris for the last few years.
“I see Jesse continuing to get better and eventually reaching 1,500 points,” Lowman said. “I can even see Jesse becoming the leading scorer at Delaware Hayes.”
Burris already has a few D1 offers, and looks to overthrow Mike Wells’ scoring title with 1,527 career points. He also hopes to make an impact within the community of Delaware.
“One goal I have for myself throughout the rest of my high school career is to become the all-time leading scorer in Hayes history,” Burris said. “It’ll take special talent and championship habits to get there. I also want to be able to impact the community of Delaware with my play, inspire the next generation, and allow myself as a resource for the up-and-comers, whether that be my knowledge on or off the court.”