A grand time: Longwood's Taydra Simpson joins 1,000-point club

Taydra Simpson joined the 1,000-point scorers club her own way.

Although she’s a five-year varsity player, the Longwood senior hasn’t been one to dominate the shot chart. Simpson has played with two other 1,000-point scorers at Longwood and has needed to adapt to a new role each season.

"It’s not like she started in eighth or ninth grade as a volume kid putting up those kinds of numbers," coach James Castiglione said. "She’s always bought in and put her teammates and the program first. To be gifted her is a once-in-a-lifetime type of thing."

Simpson scored her 1,000th point in a 24-point effort as Longwood defeated Brentwood, 50-25, on Thursday. She now has 1,019 varsity points. Simpson is averaging 22.7 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists and seven steals per game this season for a 10-1 Longwood squad.

The 5-9 guard has welcomed her changing role each season, always looking to do what’s best for the team – even if she never thought of herself as a pure scorer.

"I’ve just trusted myself more and became more confident when on the court just knowing that I can also score as much as the next person," Simpson said. "I knew when more players graduated and moved on, I had to take their place."

Castiglione said there have been times he needed to push Simpson to generate her own shot more – something that usually isn’t common among 1,000-point scorers.

"She doesn’t go into a game and say ‘I need to score 40 so everyone knows who I am,' " Castiglione said. "She gets everyone involved, she executes the game plan and she’s the best defensive player I’ve ever seen."

Simpson has been called upon in key moments since her freshman season. She made pivotal three-pointers as a freshman in a Long Island championship victory and guarded Aubrey Griffin – later a standout at UConn – in the state tournament.

"If you went into a factory and you needed someone to develop and make the perfect basketball player," Castiglione said, "she’s it."

Simpson still has her eyes set on another county title before graduating. Although scoring certainly doesn’t define her on the court, she’s proud of reaching 1,000 points, especially with a shortened junior season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It’s such a special moment," Simpson said. "It just feels a little unreal just playing for so long and to get to this monumental moment in a high school basketball career."

Milestone for Campo

Casey Campo, a senior on Mount Sinai, made her 100th varsity three-pointer as a part of a 22-point effort in a 63-38 victory over Bayport-Blue Point on January 7. The Molloy commit added 11 rebounds and five assists in the win and is averaging 22.7 points per game this season. She has made 102 varsity three-pointers for the Mustangs.

Look out for Jericho

Mary Kate Person has been on a tear for the Jayhawks lately. She had 21 points, 18 rebounds and 10 steals in a 48-41 victory over New Hyde Park on January 5. In the ensuing game, Kaylee Park had 17 points and 10 steals in a 50-32 victory over Great Neck North on January 8. Jericho is off to a 6-4 start, including 4-1 in Nassau A-I.

What a start

Wantagh outscored Clarke, 18-0, in the first quarter and 31-2 in the first half en route to a 45-20 victory on January 8. Madison Taylor led Wantagh with 11 points, all coming in the opening quarter. Clarke fought hard in the second half and outscored Wantagh, 18-14, over the final 16 minutes.