Since passing the 500-point milestone, Noah Osher ’23.5 has been acutely aware of his path to joining the 1000-point club. Heading into Middlebury’s game against Bowdoin College on Jan. 12, his sights were set on the minimum of 22 points he needed to achieve a career-long goal. Averaging 17.9 points per game so far this season, whether or not Osher would hit 1,000 points by the end of the season looked like a certainty heading into last weekend’s double competitions against Bowdoin and Colby College, but the captain hoped to do it after just the first game on Friday night.
With just 15 seconds left in the game, Osher scored arguably the most memorable 3-point shot of his career. Not only did it extend Middlebury’s lead to four against Bowdoin and all but secure the win, but the shot locked in 23 points scored on the night, bringing his career points scored to 1,001. The shot marked the fifth consecutive game in which Osher put double digits on the board and the sixth time this season he scored over 20 points in a single game.
When the clock hit 00:00, the final score was 71–67 and Osher’s name had been added to a new page of the Middlebury record books.
While Osher’s scoring efforts throughout his career made this achievement somewhat unsurprising, the moment that sealed his legacy as one of 27 players in program history to surpass 1,000 career points undoubtedly came with emotion and awe.
“It was definitely an emotional moment post-game, calling my dad and reminiscing with my team about the great moments I’ve had as a Panther,” Osher said. “I just felt very proud of myself and lucky to be a part of this program.”
Osher has elevated his game by nearly every metric so far this season. After three years, his comfort on the floor, familiarity and confidence against any defensive scheme he faces, and chemistry with his teammates have been key contributors to his success. In addition, the graduation of last year’s Division III Player of the Year Alex Sobel ’22.5 has opened up opportunities for Osher to step in as the Panthers’ primary scoring machine.
“My teammates have been doing a great job getting me the ball in positions to score and my coaches have continually voiced their confidence in my abilities, which have both allowed me to be successful in scoring the ball,” Osher told The Campus.
At the same time that the team was celebrating Osher’s milestone, the Panthers (8–8 overall this season) enjoyed a critical conference win and set the tone for a strong winning performance (90–78) the following day against Colby.
The brace of conference victories could prove crucial for Middlebury in the coming weeks, especially as the post-season is rapidly approaching. Osher and the Panthers are showing no signs of slowing down, and Osher said he is confident that the team will be able to continue working as a unit and trusting one another to make plays in important moments through the rest of conference play.
The Panthers will return to action this coming Saturday, Jan. 20 to take on Williams College at 2 p.m. in Pepin Gymnasium.
