It’s uncommon for a high school basketball player to score 1,000 points in their career, but Putnam County girls basketball senior Kamyra Aikens reached that lofty milestone last week against Laney.
Aikens sunk a free throw to reach 1,000 career points in a 70-58 region win over the Lady Wildcats. She became the first Lady War Eagle to accomplish the feat since Jashanti Simmons in 2018-19, who went on to play college ball at Georgia Highlands, Georgia Southwestern, and Troy.
Aikens told The Eatonton Messenger that she didn’t even know when she accomplished the feat.
“I didn’t know it happened in the moment,” she said. “It was unexpected. It felt good to get it.”
Aikens said she didn’t want to stop and be recognized after hitting the shot.
“I felt as if I accomplished something that I had been chasing throughout my high school career,” Aikens said. “It’s something to be remembered by … but I wanted to keep playing and wanted to win.”
Putnam County assistant girls basketball coach David Levester has been coaching Aikens for the past few seasons and was proud she got to score her 1,000th point before the end of her senior year.
“I’m extremely proud of Kamyra. (I’ve been) watching her grow up since her freshman year,” Levester said. “I’ve seen a lot of growth. Not just as a player, but as a person and a leader as well. Her confidence on and off the court has grown, so I am very proud to have been a part of that.”
Aikens scored a team-high 26 points as Putnam County completed its season sweep of Laney. Currently, Aikens is the team’s second-leading scorer, averaging over 16 points per game this year.
The 5-foot-7 guard has been a spark for the Lady War Eagles, who are 15-4 overall and 5-3 in region play entering this week.
Last season, Putnam County struggled, going 6-22 overall and 2-12 in region play. However, with players such as Aikens leading the program, the Lady War Eagles are getting better as a whole.
Aikens was the team’s leading scorer last season, but this year, freshman Journey Waller has stepped up. Regardless, Aikens said she doesn’t mind sharing the spotlight as long as the team gets “better and better.”
“I feel like my game has improved a lot more. Like it’s way better than last year,” Aikens said. “But as a team, though, we’re working better together. Our chemistry on the court is better this year.”
Aikens thinks this year’s team has a chance at making some noise in the region tournament and possibly can make a run in the state playoffs. The program hasn’t reached the postseason in three years.
The Lady War Eagles have a tough road ahead, with matchups against No. 6 Thomson and Westside- Augusta this week.
“It’s going well. I like (how we’re playing) this year,” Aikens said. “I feel like we can go further than we did last year or any other season. We just need to keep playing how we’re playing right now.”