E’Zaria Adams, a senior at Palm Beach Central High School, has gone where no other basketball player in school history has gone before. According to Bruce Gaffney, head coach of the girls varsity basketball team, Adams is the first basketball player — girl or boy — in school history to score more than 1,000 points in her high school career. This has made her the school’s all-time leading scorer in basketball.
Of course, with every point she scores, that record gets higher and higher, and the current season has just begun.
Adams was honored on Wednesday, Dec. 7 for her scoring exploits during a pre-game ceremony prior to Palm Beach Central’s home game against crosstown rival Wellington High School. The Broncos won the match, 70-41.
In that game, Adams was the leading scorer with 32 points. That was the Broncos’ sixth win, after opening the season with a close 67-63 loss at Palm Beach Gardens High School on Nov. 16. The Broncos (6-2) were unable to avenge that loss to Palm Beach Gardens on Dec. 12, when they fell to the visiting Gators, 72-56.
To date, Adams has scored 1,067 points. Gaffney has coached her since she was a freshman at Palm Beach Central.
Without a doubt, the entire girls basketball team looks to follow the lead set by Adams, both in practice and in games.
“She is the team leader,” Gaffney said. “As she goes, so goes our team.”
Adams’ statistical production is impressive. After the team’s first eight games, Adams is averaging 24.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, five assists and two steals per contest.
Adams, who Gaffney describes as a combo guard, leads by example on the basketball court and in the classroom. She plans to play college basketball but has yet to accept any offers. Gaffney is convinced that Adams will be a valuable member of any college basketball team.
“Leadership, work ethic, high academic achievement and a very high basketball skill set are what she will bring to any collegiate program,” Gaffney said.
On the basketball court, Adams has great range as a scorer.
“She is a very good three-point shooter, but she’s also a strong penetrator and has a nice pull-up jumper,” Gaffney said. “Basically, she scores from all levels.”
While scoring points is important, the real sign of a successful basketball player is the ability to play defense. Gaffney said Adams has worked hard at being a strong defender.
“She has shown great improvement in many areas because of her work ethic, but her defensive improvement really stands out,” Gaffney said.
