Cape Cod Academy senior MacKenzie Balfore scores 1,000th career point

MacKenzie Balfore, of Cape Cod Academy, poses with her parents and head coach Katherine Marvullo (right) after Balfroe scored her 1,000th career point. She hit the milestone in a game Duxbury on Feb. 16. Provided by Cape Cod Academy.

OSTERVILLE — When senior MacKenzie Balfore joined the Cape Cod Academy basketball team in her sophomore year, she had no plans for scoring 1,000 points during her varsity career. But when she became a junior that changed as she focused on the milestone.

Her big moment came on Feb. 16 when she scored her 1,000th point during a game against the Duxbury Dragons.

"Duxbury is a hard team for us and I had a really good first half," Balfroe said. "Going into the second half, I needed 4 points but I didn't score that until the fourth quarter. It was a little nerve-wracking and I was just excited to get it over with."

Before coming to the Academy, Balfore played varsity in eighth and ninth grade at Monomoy Regional High School.

"When I came to Cape Cod Academy, I realized that I only needed around 600 points to reach 1,000 and that it was a goal I could do," Balfore said.

Cape Cod Academy head coach Katherine Marvullo said she has known Balfore since the sixth grade because she used to play for the AAU team Marvullo coached. The high school team is fortunate Balfore came to Cape Cod Academy, she said.

"She is an awesome kid and an all-around leader," Marvullo said. "We are definitely going to need a couple of players to step up to fill her shoes next year."

Balfore sees herself as a leader on this team and has been captain for the past two years. 

"We have a lot of younger girls on the team and I feel a lot of them can look up to me and come to me if they have problems on and off the court," she said. 

Jenna Marsh and Lili Shanahan are both freshmen for Cape Cod Academy and they also view Balfore as a positive force.

"She … has helped us win a lot of games," Marsh said. "We are lucky to have her as a teammate."

"She is really good, knows how to get us to calm down on the floor," Shanahan said, "and is a good passer. She is a good leader on and off the court."

MacKenzie Balfore of Cape Cod Academy drives the lane past Willow Lajoie of Falmouth Academy during a game Tuesday in Falmouth. Ron Schloerb/Cape Cod Times

Balfore started playing basketball when she was in the second grade and noticed during her freshman year at Monomoy that she could be a scorer. She used to play for the AAU's Cape Cod Bulls in the offseason and had a shooting coach at Swish Private Basketball Training on Cape Cod, which she said helped her with her shot and made her more versatile. 

Balfore helped the Seahawks to a regular-season record of 9-11. As for the rest of her senior year, her eyes are on the upcoming playoffs.

"I want us to play hard in the playoff tournament," she said. "I feel like sometimes we get up to harder teams and we get a little flustered but I know we can keep up with these teams. I want us to win a game so we can make it further."