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By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

There is one member of the 1,000-point club at Lafayette Christian School, and it’s Cameron Gisler.

Gisler, a sharp-shooting senior guard for the Cougars, scored his 1,000th career point during Thursday’s home game against Griffin Christian.

Lafayette Christian lost the game 76-42, but there was still reason to celebrate thanks to Gisler’s landmark achievement.

Gisler was already the leading scorer in the history of the program, and he came into the game needing 10 points to reach 1,000.

Gisler made a free throw in the second quarter to reach that milestone, and the game was halted momentarily while the achievement was recognized.

Gisler made his way to the bench and got a hug from his father David Gisler, who also happens to be the Cougars’ head coach.

“As a dad, obviously I’m proud,” David Gisler said. “I can remember when he was 9-years-old, out in the driveway trying to figure out how to dribble between his legs. He has worked really hard, with the goal since he was nine to play college basketball, and now he’s going to have that opportunity next year at Toccoa Falls.”

Cameron Gisler has been at Lafayette Christian since he was a freshman, and he has enjoyed plenty of individual and team success, including a trip to the Georgia Independent Christian Athletic Association state-championship game two years ago.

To reach such a momentous milestone, he said, “means everything.”

“I’ve been working toward it my entire life,” Gisler said. “To be the first person in school history to do it, it’s crazy.”

Making the moment even more special, the game was on Gisler’s home floor, and it was senior night.

“This school has meant everything to me since my freshman year,” Gisler said. “I love it.”

David Gisler is pleased to see how his son has developed as a player, and a person.

“You can’t be more proud of the young man that he is, which is more important than the basketball player,” David Gisler said. “It’s a lot of hard work. I’m proud of him.”

David Gisler is also appreciative of what Lafayette Christian School has meant to his son.

“It’s really given him an opportunity, and he’s made the most of it,” David Gisler said. “We can’t thank this school enough for what they’ve meant to us, and what they’ve meant to him.”

Cameron Gisler finished Wednesday’s game with 20 points, and Connor Gisler added six points. Grant Gedney and Desmond Slaton each chipped in with five points, and senior Braxton Bulloch made a 3-pointer in the third quarter.

Lafayette Christian trailed 27-22 at the half, but it was unable to keep pace with Griffin Christian in the second half.

“We played so well in the first half after they beat us pretty bad at their place,” David Gisler said. “We kind of lost our composure in the second half. We weren’t getting calls in the second half. I told them in the locker room, you can’t control the calls on the floor. You have to stay focused and keep playing.”

Lafayette Christian has four regular-season games remaining, including a region game against Community Christian on Jan. 30.

Next up is Friday’s game at Arlington Christian.

The Cougars are fifth in the region, and if that’s where they finish, they’ll play the number four team in the region tournament.

“If we win one game, we’ll end up in the state tournament,” David Gisler said.