By Emma Nguyen
She shoots — she scores! Junior Kailey Nishi has engraved her name into Fountain Valley High School (FVHS) girls’ basketball history as the player with the most three-pointers in a single game and most three-pointers in a season, resulting from her passion and perseverance for the sport.
At the ripe age of five years old, Nishi’s interest in basketball ignited. She explains how her biggest influence and inspiration was her dad, who also encouraged all of her siblings to try the sport as well.
“I don’t really have a favorite team,” Nishi said. “But I really look up to Caitlin Clark. Everything she does I admire, so she is a big role model [for me].”
As years went on, Nishi continued to train but had many struggles. She opened up about her struggle with self-confidence and explained how there were many instances where she considered quitting basketball entirely.
“There were a lot of times I wanted to give up. I always doubted myself, [but] I’m glad I kept going,” Nishi said.
Despite her challenges, Nishi continued to improve her skills. During her freshman year, Nishi tried out for the FVHS girls’ basketball team and landed herself a spot on the varsity team as a shooting guard.
“[My favorite memory] would be the team’s boba runs. [I enjoy] just spending time with my teammates who are also just my friends,” Nishi said
On Dec. 21, the girls’ basketball team went up against the Newport Harbor Sailors, where Nishi broke the school record for most three-pointers in a game by scoring nine three-pointers. The record was previously set by her sister, Melody Nishi, who scored eight three-pointers in a game against University High School.
“I had no expectations going into the game,” Nishi said. “But once I scored three three-pointers, my teammates were saying that I had to break the record. When I broke the record, I was nervous to tell my sister because I knew how much breaking that record meant for her, and I didn’t want to take that away. But when I told her, she was very proud.”
A few weeks later, against the Marina Vikings on Jan. 4, Nishi scored two three-pointers for a total of 54 three-pointers scored in the season so far. Her milestone broke Margaret Tengan’s previous record of 53-three-pointers in the 2021-2022 season.
After she graduates, Nishi hopes to continue playing basketball. She plans to try out for college basketball teams while also furthering her education.
“Just don’t give up,” Nishi said when asked about advice she would give to anybody including her younger self. “There were so many times I almost quit and if I did I wouldn’t be here. I wish I believed in myself more, everyone should believe in themselves.”
Through triumphs and struggles, Nishi has not only been able to grow as a player but also as a person. Nishi explains she still has a lot to learn, but she hopes that her future is bright as she continues her life and basketball career.
