By Shirley Diglio-Guerrette ‘27
Shea Gray, junior at Derby High School, is currently ranked 4th academically in her class. On the basketball court, she is just as impressive—ranked number 5 nationally for girls basketball. I’ve had the privilege of playing with Shea over the years and have watched her grow into an extraordinary player and leader.
On Feb. 22, 2026, after watching her play, I had the chance to ask Shea about some of her major accomplishments. Not only had she recently broken 1,000 points as a junior—scoring more than anyone in her class through games—but she also broke the girls’ school-wide scoring record previously held by Jamie Bartone. Shea shared, “I was very excited but also relieved to know that I had accomplished one of the goals I’ve been working toward since my freshman year. 1,261 points were scored by Jamie Bartone. Ms. Bartone set the record in 2003, so it’s been about 23 years since someone has even come close.”
She described how she celebrated her achievement: “I celebrated with my teammates and Ms. Bartone on the court that night.” Looking back on her early years, Shea said, “I started dribbling around and shooting at about 3 years old, and then played on my sister’s 4th grade team when I was in second grade. I play because I love the game, and my family and friends are always there to support me, which makes it even more fun. I would love to score 2,000 points in my high school career, make all-state, and make the playoffs with my teammates.”
When asked about her future goals, she said, “I would love to play in college, but right now I’m just focused on my high school career and having as much fun and success as I can.”
As a friend and fellow student, I could not be prouder of Shea. Watching her achieve milestone after milestone is inspiring, but what makes her truly remarkable is her role as a leader and a role model for girls in sports at Derby High School. Shea also uses her platform for others—she plays to support people with cancer and health challenges. She was selected for the ASFL (A Shot For Life), a shooting competition at Joel Barlow High School on August 10. The ASFL challenge raises money for cancer research, and Shea committed to fundraising $1,000 for the cause.
I can’t wait to see what Shea accomplishes next, both on and off the court.
The Raider Press 