HATFIELD — By all accounts a slashing right-handed layup is commonplace for Jack Zigmont.
This one was different though, as Zigmont secured the 1,000th point of his four-year Smith Academy boys basketball career. His teammates mobbed him on the baseline as the buzzer sounded with just over five minutes to go in the third quarter to celebrate Zigmont’s accomplishment.
Cheerleaders, the coaching staff and his family greeted Zigmont with balloons and flowers at half court as the two was replaced with a 1,000 on the countdown poster across the gym. The moment was celebratory, but quick. The Falcons still had business to take care of, needing a win against Mohawk, and help, to keep their postseason hopes alive and send their senior class, including Zigmont, out on a high note.
“When I got it I was glad that it didn’t come too late in the game because we were focused on winning at the same time,” Zigmont said. “I really wanted to get it before halftime to just focus on winning, but I still got it so it was good.”
The first half wasn’t as picturesque as Zigmont, and the packed gym, may have hoped for. He shot 1-for-11 from the floor and 1-for-4 from the free-throw line, scoring three points in the first half. With just over one minute to go in the first half he was subbed out and given advice from his coach to calm his nerves.
“He told me to calm down since I was a little nervous going into it,” Zigmont said. “I didn’t really shoot free throws cause I was too nervous. I just knew that I had to stop shooting and drive to the lane like I do best and make the layups and make my free throws.”
Zigmont did exactly that, as the anticipant sighs and groans from the crowd in the first half turned to exuberant cheers after Zigmont connected on his first 3-point look of the second half to bring him within one basket of the milestone. The ensuing layup put the Falcons up 30-25 midway through the third quarter, but the energy in the building quickly propelled Smith Academy to a 46-32 lead after three quarters.
The Falcons went on to win 51-40 as Zigmont finished with 16 points, good for a career total of 1,008.
“It’s always great to see someone celebrate a career-long accomplishment and just the reward that pays off,” Falcons coach Matt Zerneri said. “He’s worked hard having to battle through injuries the last couple of years and just been able to play. He’s a team-first guy, he really isn’t a selfish player, and to be able to still score 1,000 is quite the accomplishment for him.”
Zigmont had a chance to secure 1,000 points Monday night on the road, but came up eight points short of the mark. That allowed Zigmont to celebrate the occasion in Hatfield, on senior night, and in front of those who have supported him for the past four years.
“The plan all along was to get it at home,” Zigmont said. “Obviously more people come to home games and it was a better energy.”
Smith Academy also celebrated the six members of its senior class by announcing all six as starters and gave each their individual send off. The seniors subbed out one by one to ovations from the home crowd in the fourth quarter.
Senior captain Brett Gratz finished with 13 points, Carter Woodward scored five, Max Bartlett scored four, Owen Baranowski scored two and Nick Marcinowski hit a free throw with 2.3 seconds left to get on the board as his teammates celebrated on the bench.
“It’s great for them to get a win and be able to always say they won their last home game of their regular season career,” Zerneri said.
The win wasn’t enough for Smith Academy to qualify for the postseason. Athol needed to beat Frontier for the Falcons to finish in second place in the league and qualify, but the Red Raiders lost to the Red Hawks. Instead, Tuesday night was a night of celebration for a close-knit senior class, and Zigmont who was sure to credit his teammates for the role they played in his accomplishment.
“My teammates are great,” Zigmont said. “They let me shoot a lot, that’s part of the way I got 1,000 points.”