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Saniya Chong Is Ossining Athlete Of The Month

OSSINING, N.Y. – Ossining High School girls’ basketball sensation Saniya Chong is The Ossining Daily Voice Athlete of the Month for January.

Ossining High School girls' basketball star Saniya Chong is The Ossining Daily Voice Athlete of the Month for January.

Ossining High School girls' basketball star Saniya Chong is The Ossining Daily Voice Athlete of the Month for January.

Photo Credit: Tony Pinciaro

Chong added yet another milestone to her stellar career when she scored 43 points Jan. 16 against Alexander Hamilton to move into second place on the all-time Section 1 scoring list.  She surpassed Peekskill’s Sheila Wagner, who finished with 2,476 points in 1986.

Ossining coach Dan Ricci said his star player remains steady throughout all the accolades and recognition. Other players he’s coached would get nervous when they neared the 1,000-point milestone. Chong has stayed calm.

“Nothing seems to faze her as far as the records. She’s just going to play regular,” Ricci said. “She doesn't get nervous.”

The senior guard poured in 43 more points in a triple overtime win Jan. 27 against St. John Vianney. She currently has 2,592 points and needs 71 points to surpass the all-time section scoring record of 2,662 points set by FDR’s Karen O’Connor in 1987. The Pride has three regular season games left this season, all at home.

Ricci expects Chong to break O’Connor’s record either “Wednesday or Friday.”

Chong also needs seven three-pointers to break the state record of 277 set by Bloomfield High School’s Heather Shepard from 1997 to 2001.

Next season, Chong will play for the University of Connecticut, which boasts one of the signature women’s basketball programs in the country. Ricci expects Chong and the Huskies to win several national championships during her time there.

“I think she’s just scratched the surface of her ability,” Ricci said. “I think she’s going to flourish at the college level.”

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