Lake Mary sophomore girl's basketball player breaks season scoring record

LAKE MARY, Fla. - The girl’s basketball season is over at Lake Mary High School.

The Rams lost in the 7A region finals to Colonial last Thursday, but something special still happened that night.

Sophomore guard, Dakara Merthie broke the program record for most points scored in a single season.

"He [coach] told me like, you have five points to tie it and six points to beat it. So just go out there and play your game and do you," Merthie said.

The previous record was 586 points – set during the 2009 season. Merthie finished the year with 591, "I’m very proud of myself that all the hard work paid off for do something so great like that," Merthie said.

"We really focus on shooting. I just think it’s very important for us to score the ball and we need to work on shooting. She’s a very gifted shooter along with several other players," Lake Mary head girl’s basketball coach Shrell Chamberlain said.

Merthie says she scored most of her buckets off fastbreaks.

Her other field goals were from her teammates creating space to get her open.

"She’s a very talented player defensively and offensively. I just knew she had it in her," Chamberlain said.

Merthie’s name will soon hang on a banner inside the Lake Mary gym, right next to her family members, who also hold records at the school with the boy’s basketball program.

Most points in a game, most rebounds in a season, most assists in a game and a season.

"I feel honored. It’s like I’m joining the family line. It’s like a tradition in what we all have going on," Merthie said.

Merthie’s had a strong start to her high school career, and hopes for it to continue.