Julia Loonin (2005), Reed Morgan (2005), Shanna Lee James (2005), Shane Pearley (2014), Jimmy Council (2016), and Lukas Yuratis (2018) are the elite group of veteran basketball players who found such success in their BC careers that the athletic department created a “Fifteen Hundred Point Club” in their honor.

All but one member of this elite group has left the Berkeley Carroll School. Shana Lee James, geometry teacher, grade dean, and coach of the varsity basketball and softball teams, have chosen to stay and advise the programs that she herself was raised in. 

James started as a small forward in middle school, explaining that the early years were foundational. She developed a fluid shooting form and a strong lane drive. “It’s important for your first learned habits to be the right habits… that’s how you develop instinct and rhythm on the ball,” she said in a recent interview.

James then moved into her freshman year of high school and was given a starting spot in the team’s season opener. This was no ordinary group of girls she was playing with: they were dynamic athletes with technical prowess and a deep conceptual understanding of basketball. James acredits this point, saying that “the whole team was dedicated, so it wasn’t my success but the team’s success.” 

While this is true, James’ domination was unprecedented. She exceeded the 1500 point mark before her senior year (her best season) by out-muscling and out-shooting every other player on the court.

1500 points is a hard number to conceptualize, but there is a reason only six people have accomplished this feat in Berkeley Carroll’s 150 years of existence. 

James was averaging close to 25 points in the 59 games it took her to surpass this number; for reference, girls varsity teams in the Brooklyn league rarely score more than 50 points a game. James was consistently scoring over half of her team’s total baskets despite the surrounding talent and tough opposition. 

Before a home game against a rival team in 2004, the Athletic Director and Head Coach stepped onto the court. They spoke to the crowd of fans who had accumulated in the Athletic Center’s bleachers to support this now-dynasty team. “For her incredible effort, electric performance, and great contribution to our athletic program, we would like to congratulate the newest member of the 1500 Point Club… Shana Lee James!” 

Though this “club” only tracks a player’s cumulative highschool scoring, it rewards the principles of discipline, devotion, and hard-work. It inspires players on an individual level to reach this quantitative feet, and ultimately brings the entire program up.