The Westview gym is silent as Alexa Cote (12) angles herself at the freethrow line in the home game against Del Norte, Jan. 20. She breathes, and dribbles once. Twice. Never breaking gaze, there’s no hesitation as she steadies and releases the ball, her outstretched fingertips guiding the ball toward the net. The ball arcs gracefully through the air, and Cote, after over a decade of dutiful practice and hard-earned expertise, effortlessly makes the basket. The moment the ball soars into the basket, the stands and sideline erupts to jubilant cheers as the announcer proclaims that Cote has just scored the 1000th point in her Westview basketball career.

A four-year varsity girls basketball member and a two-year team captain, Cote is the eighth athlete between boys and girls basketball in Westview’s history to score 1,000 points. 

After her milestone game, Cote said she was surprised at hitting 1,000 points. 

“I honestly didn’t know that I scored 1,000 points on my free throw,” she said. “The crowd just kind of cheered really loudly, so I kind of just assumed. It felt great that there were so many people supporting me.” 

Waiting for her after the game was an array of shiny, gold balloons spelling out “1000,” colorful bouquets of flowers, and posters from her teammates. Her close friend and teammate Ella Peake (12) organized the celebration to surprise Cote after the game. 

Peake has played with Cote since fourth grade and affectionately described her teammate as “a comforting presence on the court,” smiling as she relates how “when you’re with [Cote] on the court, it’s like, alright, we’re gonna be okay”.

Cote’s 1,000 points have been a long time coming. Her love for basketball was sparked at 5 years old. After sampling playing sports from soccer to dance, basketball was the activity that stuck. At the beginning of her basketball career, Cote spent days in her backyard, practicing dribbling and shooting. She began playing in leagues and on the San Diego Rebels Basketball Club team during fourth gradel. She joined Westview’s middle-school feeder team, and eventually the Westview varsity girls basketball program as a freshman. During basketball season, between attending practice, watching film from previous games, and playing games, Cote typically racked up a staggering 14 hours weekly toward basketball. 

At Westview, she primarily plays point guard. Her point breakdown over the years starts at 79 points her freshman year, 336 her sophomore year, 336 her junior year, and 349 for her senior year. By the end of her highschool career, Alexa Cote scored 1,100 points. 

Her pregame ritual of blasting Doja Cat and writing positive affirmations on the whiteboard also helps her get into a locked-in mindset. As a student-athlete, Cote emphasizes the importance of balancing basketball, school, and a social life to stay motivated and keeping her grades up. 

“[I] definitely just stay on top of my work, and make sure that I have everything planned out before I jump into the week,” Cote said. 

Cote’s advice to other players who hope to make similar accomplishments are, as expected, to practice hard, and practice often. 

“Work hard. Bonding with your teammates is a really great way to look forward to practice every single day. And just holding your teammates accountable is really helpful too. It’ll push you to be the best you can possibly be,” she said. 

Teammate Sydney Heyn (11) said that Cote’s accomplishment means a lot to the team. 

“Lex accomplishing 1,000 career points is a hugh achievement. As a team, we were all incredibly proud of her hard work, and I think it inspired and motivated the rest of the team to continue to put in work as the season started to wrap up,” Heyn said. “Lex, being a senior, and an influential leader on the team is always pushing us to be our best, so when she reached this milestone, I think she became a major role model and influence on the team.”

In the first-round of CIF playoffs, the team beat Poway, but  in the semi-finals, they lost by one point to Del Norte. The team progressed to States, but lost by one point against Santiago High School. By the end of the season, she averaged 11.6 points per game, and a 46% field goal. 

Cote’s legacy serves as evidence of a powerful, dedicated player and teammate, and an even more motivated individual.