On Feb. 16th, varsity basketball player Celina Bussanich scored her 1,000th career point in the Panthers’ home game against West Milford. Bussanich scored 23 points in the game, with her 1,000 point mark coming off of a deep three pointer in the third quarter. 

Bussanich, a three-year varsity starter, reached this mark as a junior. In her freshman year she had 210 points, and she had 372 as a sophomore. Currently, Bussanich has racked up 422 points in her junior year, solidifying herself as one of the top scorers in the league and the county. She has been nominated as northjersey.com’s North Jersey Girls Basketball Player of the Week for the week of February 12th through 18th, and, as the state tournament approaches, all eyes are on Bussanich to lead Pascack Valley in its first round of states. Despite coming in as the No.9 seed in the North 1, Group 3 sectional tournament, the Panthers have the ability to bring a sectional title home. The team’s state tournament journey starts Thursday, Feb. 22, when the girls take on No.8 seeded Morris Knolls. 

After the West Milford game, Bussanich and Coach Jasper shared their thoughts about the historic mark. Bussanich thanked her teammates, coaches, and everyone who got her to where she is today. She says she is focused on states, and describes reaching this goal in one word: “relieved”.