For many people, dreams are just a thought that ultimately never become something bigger. For Darby Chhabria (‘25), captain of Cherry Hill High School East’s basketball team, that thought has become a reality. Chhabria has committed to play Division III basketball at Bowdoin College. 

“It feels great to have the weight of choosing a school finally off my chest,” said Chhabria.

Basketball wasn’t always Chhabria’s top sport when growing up. Her main sport was soccer for most of her life and she had a deep passion for it. This season, she was even a captain for East’s soccer team. 

“I started playing basketball when I was about 10 years old and grew up playing soccer and lacrosse, both of which I still play for school now and all throughout high school,” she said.

But when it came down to choosing what she wanted to continue playing, it was a no brainer. Basketball was the obvious choice for Chhabria. 

“Soccer was the first sport I ever fell in love with, but I knew the minute I touched a basketball and really got into playing, that I’d never choose anything over it,” Chhabria said.

Chhabria began her high school career at Camden Catholic High School, where she played her first two seasons, and is now finishing strong at East. Over the course of her first three completed seasons, she has accumulated 629 points, leaving her just 371 shy of reaching the 1,000-point milestone. Last year, she had an impressive season, scoring 397 points while averaging 15.3 points per game.

“Reaching 1,000 points is a milestone I’ve always wanted to reach, so I’m excited to have the opportunity to do so this year. Although, my focus is definitely more so on winning basketball games,” said Chhabria.

Making the transition from high school to college basketball means few mental adjustments for Chhabria as she looks to focus on similar goals. 

“As for college, the main goal is to win a national championship and to ultimately play a major role in the program doing so. I also have all-conference and all- American aspirations for my college basketball career, but again nothing comes ahead of winning for me,” she said.