Chanlir Segarra began playing basketball in her hometown of Cooper City, Fla. when she was 8 years old. Since then, she has hit hundreds of baskets and racked up plenty of assists, but she has recently achieved something special.
Segarra joins only a handful of other women at Berry College who can say that they have 1,000 career points as a Viking. As impressive as that is, Segarra’s 1,000 points are even more remarkable because she accomplished the feat as a junior rather than a senior. In other words, she did something in less than three years that most never accomplish in their full four years at Berry.
Preparing a Legacy
Segarra was a dominant part of the Cooper City High School women’s basketball team during her tenure where she averaged 28 points, four assists, four rebounds and four steals per game during her final year. As one would imagine, her high school accolades are abundant but some include an All-State Second Team selection, BCAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Miami Herald Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player at the Florida State All-Star Game. She was also an honors graduate with a 4.7 grade point average.
Segarra’s fond memories of high school were not about her accolades and awards, but simply about the team-wins that she had been a part of.
“I scored 41 points in a game against Flanagan High School which was the highest I had scored, which was pretty awesome, and we won the game. They were a big rival and that was one of the best games,” Segarra said. “Honestly though, now that I take a second to think about it, I might have to say a buzzer-beater against our arch-rival, Cypress Bay, was the best game I ever had in high school.”
A high school senior’s search for the right college can lead them to a place they never expected and Segarra’s was no different. The soon-to-be graduate was unaware of Berry College until one of her close friends was being recruited by head coach Stephanie Dunn and told Segarra about Berry. That recommendation led Segarra straight to Coach Dunn and the Vikings’ program.
New home, same Chan’
Segarra did not miss a beat transitioning from Cooper City High School to Berry. Her freshman year, she started every game for the Vikings and put up 232 points, 68 rebounds, a team-leading 82 assists and 24 steals during that season.
The consistent play carried on for the next two seasons until she finally knocked down one of the biggest baskets of her life, her 1,000th point as a Viking.
“It feels amazing. I honestly didn’t even know I was close to it until about two games before I actually did it,” Segarra said. “What was even more amazing for me is that my dad was in town to see it. So that was probably the icing on the cake for me.”
Segarra said that her father, Michael Segarra, has supported her throughout her entire life as a player. As a devoted parent who attended as many games as possible, Segarra’s father is understandably “beyond proud” of his daughter’s achievement Segarra said.
“This One is Special.”
The game in which Segarra reached her big achievement was significant in its own right. Berry was playing conference rival Centre College whom they had never defeated. Sitting in the locker room before tipoff, Segarra’s mind was on her biggest fan anxiously awaiting his daughter’s historic moment.
“That [game] was the last day that my dad was going to be in town to see [me get the 1,000 points],” Segarra said. “So that was my first thought, that I really wanted him to be there for it.”
The next order of business was one Segarra was familiar with, do what it takes to win. Centre had beaten Berry badly in the past, and the team was excited to avenge their previous defeats. Segarra was especially focused heading into the basketball arena because regardless of the potential for her 1,000th point that night, she had a chance to help her team finally defeat their impervious rival.
“Once I got on the court, the points weren’t the focus point for me,” Segarra said. “I was hoping and praying that I was going to get [the 1,000 points], but further than that I wanted to win. If that meant that I had ten points at the end of the night, that’s what it meant.”
Segarra went on to put up 18 points in the Vikings’ first 77-70 victory over the Colonels.
When Segarra was asked to describe her illustrious basketball career in one word, she answered with one that could also be applied to herself off the court, in the classroom or even sinking three-pointers from downtown: “amazing.”
BerryVikings.com contributed to this story
