On January 13, 2022 at the 2:01 mark in the first half of play in the men’s basketball game against the Bethany Swedes, Clifford Byrd II, senior from Memphis, Texas, scored career point 1,000 for the Threshers.
During the team’s national tournament run last season, Byrd was one of the key players in their lineup.
“This is a great accomplishment for him as he represents our team and continues to lead us through the rest of this year and the rest of his career,” senior teammate, Jaylon Scott, from Allen, Texas, said.
Going into the game at Bethany, Byrd was just eight points away from the 1,000 point mark. Byrd is averaging 14.9 points per game this season.
“I was confident, but I humbly knew that I was going to hit the mark of 1,000 points. I was only eight points away from it and from previous games I was averaging more than eight,” Byrd said.
This is a special accomplishment and a hard one to achieve as well.
“Honestly I didn’t think I was going to get close to hitting this milestone, and I wouldn’t have even considered it a goal of mine. Just playing basketball in college was the ultimate goal and having to work hard and putting time into the game so that I may play to my best ability for my team just really paid off for me,” Byrd said.
Byrd thinks that one reason this was so special for him and one reason he achieved this was because of his family and his fan base.
“I have a great fan base behind me. God blessed me with a proud family, friends, and coaches/teammates throughout all of this. I would say they were more happy for me than I was myself. To this day they are still celebrating my achievement. They had always believed in me on the things I could do. Their confidence in me is another reason why I play this game and want to continue to get better,” Byrd said.
Not only his family believed in him, but his teammates as well.
“I was in the game the moment when he hit his 1,000th point. Everybody started cheering and I wasn’t sure why until I looked up and saw the 1,000 point sign. I was running back looking at him smiling. It made my day because if anyone deserves that milestone, it’s him,” sophomore teammate, Harper Jonas, from Wichita said.
If there is one person the most proud of him, it would be head coach, Jayson Artaz.
“I was so proud of Cliff because I know all the hard work he has put in to get to this point. I was happy for him because how can you not be happy for a guy like Cliff. He’s a perfect example of what a Thresher is with how hard he works and how much he cares about others. I’m just glad he was able to reach that milestone because it gives a measuring stick to show how great his career has been to this point,” Artaz said.
