Girls basketball: With three 40-point games, Parkview Christian’s Gracie Lambes amazes during record season

Gracie Lambes’ teammates required a history lesson to explain the meaning of the phrase, but not the Parkview Christian senior guard.

She knows her basketball. When Lambes, playing with a 102-degree fever, scored a Parkview Christian record 41 points in a win over Families of Faith Christian Academy in December, it hearkened to a certain former Chicago Bulls star’s flu game in the 1997 NBA Finals.

“We did call it our Michael Jordan game,” Parkview Christian coach Kayla Linden said.

“My chest was so congested, breathing just hurt. I slept, drank liquids and ate good food before the game,” Lambes said. “I surprised myself. I didn’t expect to come out great. I was surprising myself, that I could do this.”

Lambes has made making history seem routine.

She twice has broken her own scoring record, scoring 43 points against Heritage Christian on Jan. 19, and then 45 against Families of Faith on Jan. 30.

Lambes became Parkview Christian’s all-time leading scorer, boy or girl, on Dec. 27 with her 1,305th point and currently sits at 1,515.

“To be honest, it all hasn’t struck home yet,” Lambes said.

Lambes is a self-aware young lady, up to speed on her stats, but does not dwell on them. She moves on to the next day, and the next opportunity. Her accomplishments are fuel for what she wants to do at the next level. She’s committed to play at Division III Bethel University in Mishawaka, Ind. On the season she is averaging 25.3 points, 5.6 assists and 4.4 steals per game.

Of the 41-point game, Lambes recalls having to cancel a field trip the morning of the game because she was sick. She drank 17 17-ounce water bottles to juice up her electrolytes, and texted her trainer who said to go for a walk and focus on her breathing.

“I actually felt good at the beginning of the game. Warmups were slow so I didn’t waste any energy,” Lambes said. “I remember being at an all-time high at the beginning of the game. Halftime was brutal physically, but I was like I have to do this for 16 more minutes.”

Lambes has done great things at Parkview Christian, both personally and team-wise.

The Falcons went 53-4 the last two seasons, with 30 wins in the 2022-2023 season and third place at the National Christian School Athletic Association national tournament. Despite graduating five seniors off that team, Parkview Christian this season is 18-3 playing a mixed schedule of private and some public schools, including Class 1A 10th-ranked Pecatonica.

Parkview, who will be participating in the Illinois Christian Conference tournament this weekend, the Association of Christian Schools International Tournament at Arthur Christian after that and nationals in March in Ohio, will return to competing in the IHSA playoffs next season.

“I didn’t know how the season would have gone. I don’t want to say I’m surprised, but it’s been different,” Lambes said. “We have a lot of new girls, and young girls. It has definitely been an adjustment, getting these girls to understand the program and the legacy that has been set.”

Linden knew she had a special player in Lambes at a young age. She’s coached her since the fifth grade at Parkview. Lambes’ brother was on the team before that, and Gracie would shoot around at halftime as a fourth grader.

“I’d say ‘Who is that girl?’” Linden said.

Linden said that Lambes’ defense has taken a step this season, with a mentality to let defense turn into offense. She’s at her best when she’s not just scoring, but also distributing. Always a great shooter, Lambes’ game is much more than that.

“When she’s not shooting well from the 3-point we ask her to get to the hole,” Linden said. “She has an amazing midrange jumper. We’ve challenged her to improved her hesitation, her change of speed.”

Lambes, short in stature at 5-foot-4, has the mindset to get off the ground as fast as she can and as high as she can. She prides herself on her speed, and using it to her advantage. She said the midrange game is something she’s added to her bag this season.

“Establishing my pull-up jumper, if somebody is riding me down the court it’s quick stop and I can have a couple seconds to gather myself and shoot,” Lambes said. “The past couple years I’ve been known for my speed but this year I’ve slowed down. It’s about creating space having the ball and doing something with it.”

Just as vital to Linden has been the development of Lambes’ leadership skills. Lambes, who plans to study exercise science at Bethel with designs to become an athletic trainer, said it’s been rewarding to mentor Parkview’s next wave of players.

“I love working with kids and seeing them have fun for what they can do,” Lambes said. “I train a lot of kids, middle school kids. Seeing they have the potential to be this team, I love that and I love pouring into them because people have poured into me. I would love to see them prosper and benefit like I have.”