Saratoga Springs’ Carly Wise Achieves 1,000 Point Milestone in Section 2 Girls’ Basketball, Enhancing Her Impressive Athletic Record

The Blue Streaks were comfortably ahead of Guilderland in the 2020 Section 2 Class AA quarterfinals, an opportune moment for Saratoga coach Robin Chudy to give the eighth grader she had recently promoted to varsity a chance to shine.

“The moment coach called my name to come off the bench, with about four minutes remaining, my heart sank,” Wise remembered. “I thought, ‘Is she really calling me?’”

Despite the high-stakes environment, Wise remained composed, scoring not just once, but six times in her varsity debut.

“It feels like it was ages ago,” Wise, now a senior, reflected. “That was the most incredible way to kick off my varsity journey. The game was intense, the crowd was huge. The roar of the crowd after my first points, it was simply unforgettable.”

“I remember the first time I put her in the game because she seemed quite apprehensive and nervous,” Chudy recalled. “I reassured her that she was going to do great. She went in and scored, and in the years that followed, her confidence has grown exponentially. It’s amazing to see her excel in basketball, especially considering she devotes most of her energy to lacrosse.”

Wise, who has committed to play women’s lacrosse at Clemson, a member of the ACC, has scored over 240 goals in her lacrosse career at Saratoga Springs, and is aiming for 300 this spring.

Last Friday, Wise officially became a member of the 1,000-point club in basketball, reaching the milestone against the team where it all started, Guilderland.

“I didn’t really anticipate it until mid-season, when coach informed me how many points I needed, and I realized that it could happen sooner than I thought,” Wise said of reaching 1,000. “At first, it was a bit overwhelming, but after a game or two, I was able to refocus on the game itself.”

In the Jan. 26 Suburban Council match against Guilderland, Wise delivered a 36-point performance to reach 1,000 for her career. She is averaging 22.8 points through 17 games this season.

“I haven’t seen such an athletic player in a very long time at Saratoga, or anywhere for that matter,” Chudy said of Wise’s success on the basketball court and lacrosse field. “Her athleticism is simply astounding. She can jump incredibly high, she’s always the first one up and down the court, and in lacrosse she exhibits the same explosive athleticism.”

Even though Wise wasn’t sure how many points she had going into the basketball season, she felt it was important to complete her senior year.

“There was no way I could stay away,” Wise said. “I’ve been playing since kindergarten and after so many years, I couldn’t just abandon my senior year. I had to see it through, and I’m really glad I did.”

Wise acknowledged that her love for basketball has grown over the years, while lacrosse remains her primary sport.

“What really kept me going was the team camaraderie,” Wise said, “and our bond outside of basketball.”

When Wise’s varsity basketball career began on Feb. 27, 2020, she joined a roster that included four future Division I basketball players.

“The team included Dolly Cairns, Abby Ray, Lauren Patnode and Tash Chudy, and Katie Claeson too,” Wise said. “It was an extraordinary team, and I learned so much from all of them.”

Cairns, who scored over 2,000 points at Saratoga Springs, played three years at Rhode Island before transferring to Florida Gulf Coast University this season. Ray is currently at UAlbany, while Chudy is at Lafayette College and Patnode is committed to La Salle University.

“It’s an honor to have my [1,000 point] ball displayed in the same case with some of the greatest players to come out of Saratoga,” Wise said.