Long practices, offseason workouts, and countless shots after the buzzer have a way of adding up. For Chris Delgado (‘26), they added up to a milestone few players ever reach: 1,000 career points.

Delgado reached the 1,000-point milestone on Tuesday, January 20, in the Cougars’ 76-50 victory over Moorestown High School (7-7). Using a quick fake at the top of the key, he cut back to the basket and finished for the historic point. The basket put Delgado at 28 points for the game, setting a new career high.

Delgado has been a four-year varsity starter for the Cougars, playing a key role in the team’s success since his arrival. After scoring just under 500 points combined in his first two seasons and an impressive 371 points last year, the 1,000-point milestone was never a question of if, but when.

As the team’s captain, Delgado has been a big reason for the Cougars’ 16-0 start to the season. Cherry Hill East is currently ranked No. 8 in New Jersey and has won the Olympic Conference for the second year in a row. Delgado’s leadership on and off the court has helped set the tone for a team with championship expectations.

Accomplishing a milestone like this takes lots of time and dedication and usually requires getting into the game at an early age. Delgado did just that, starting to play basketball at just five years old and maintaining his love for the sport all the way up through his senior year.

Delgado and the Cougars still have a lot to accomplish this season, with high hopes of finishing the year undefeated and winning a sectional championship for the first time since 2015. Despite the individual recognition, Delgado remains focused on team success as the postseason approaches.

“I’ve been playing basketball with him since middle school and he’s always been one of the hardest working people that I know, he’s a great teammate and person and super deserving of this milestone,” said Ryan Olson (‘26) a teammate of Delgado’s.

While Delgado’s time on the court at Cherry Hill East will come to an end this year, his legacy will live on. This summer, his name will be honored and placed among the program’s greats, recognizing a great career at East.

“It’s gonna be really cool seeing my name up there because playing all four years and seeing the progress and that big accomplishment come true is kind of a reminder [of] how much fun I had playing here,” Delgado.