SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. — During a basketball game, there are a lot of intense, high pressure moments on the court. A dunk, scoring run or when the score is close late in the game.
Such situations may cause people to forget what actually happens throughout the contest.
It did for a local athlete.
Tyhrell Branch, a senior guard for Social Circle, eclipsed 1,000 career points against Alcovy on Dec. 14, 2021. He collected a rebound after a teammate missed a dunk and went for the put back.
On the play, he converted the layup but was also fouled giving Branch an and-1 opportunity at the free throw line.
When the play was over, the career accomplishment wasn’t at the forefront of Branch’s mind.
“I forgot all about the 1,000 career points at that point,” Branch said.
Nevertheless, it didn’t take long for Branch to realize what that layup added to his resume as a Redskin. As a matter of fact, Branch recognized that eclipsing 1,000 career points was a goal for him early in his life.
“It was super exciting,” Branch said of the moment he celebrated the landmark point total. “Going into high school I always told my older brothers that I would get it one day.”
Branch is currently averaging close to 20 points per game and is one of the senior leaders on this year’s squad.
With his help, the Redskins are undefeated at 15-0 and looking for more wins down the home stretch of the regular season.
Head coach Taylor Jackson highlighted how important Branch has been to the success of the basketball program. Branch’s work ethic, according to Jackson, is one of the things that he believes separates Branch from other players he’s coached.
“Last year, he probably shot 200-300 made shots every single day,” Jackson said. “He struggled early this year and he was the first one to say, ‘coach, I got to get in the gym. Now, he comes in every day with the janitors to get shots up. He comes in just to shoot, shoot, shoot.”
Now, with 10 games remaining this regular season and his team aspiring for a deep playoff run, Branch is prioritizing his impressive work ethic to maintain consistent production each game.
Branch believes, if he can do that, the sky’s the limit for him and his teammates moving forward.
