Raiche reaches 1,000 career points

 

Castleton senior Brooke Raiche reached the 1,000-point milestone for her Castleton career in a loss to Keene State on Feb. 17 with a 10-point first half at Spaulding Gymnasium in Keene, New Hampshire. 

The Spartan senior only needed nine points entering the contest to cover the millennium marker for her career as a Spartan. 

“The fact that I only had nine points to go to reach 1,000 points was definitely on my mind going into the Keene game. It’s one of those things that no matter how hard you try not to think about it, you really can’t help it,” Raiche said. 

Raiche has racked up a host of personal accolades in her four years at Castleton. 

“Brooke has played a big part of the women’s basketball program’s success transitioning into the Little East Conference, earning All-Conference accolades in both her sophomore and junior seasons,” said women’s head coach Tim Barrett. According to Castletonsports.com, Raiche has led both the Spartans and the entire Little East Conference in scoring for both of those seasons. She currently leads the team and conference in scoring for this season also. 

“She has done an outstanding job leading by example and has made the players around her better. She has been a pleasure to coach and will go down in history as one of the all-time greats,” said Barrett, who has served as the women’s head coach for 18 seasons. 

Raiche was relieved to close the momentous achievement before halftime and maintain a strong focus on defeating the Keene State Owls. 

“Thankfully, I got it in the first half. I scored on a play that is run specifically to get me one versus one in the post. We ran it and Elise [Magro] made a good pass over the top. I just remember thinking ‘I better not mess this up.’ When it went in, I was relieved,” she said. 

Barrett made it clear what an asset to the program Raiche has been and praised her work ethic and desire to improve.

“Brooke has worked tremendously hard over the last four years to make herself a complete basketball player. She has the ability to score in a variety of ways and is often assigned the toughest perimeter match-up on defense.”

Raiche would not take all the credit, however. She humbly recalled all the help and support she has received over the years. 

“God has blessed [me] with athletic ability as well as a competitive spirit. This helps me to not become complacent in my game. I always make sure to have a conversation with God during the national anthem before every game,” she said. “My parents, siblings, grandparents, great-grandfather, aunts and uncles, great aunts and uncles, cousins, coaches, trainers, friends, fiancé, and future in-laws have been so supportive of me!” 

The Castleton Spartans went on to lose to the Keene State Owls that night, as Keene State freshman Jackie Alibrandi sunk a last-second free throw to ice the contest, 46-44. The Spartans are on a three-game skid. 

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