ROCHESTER — Max Finney’s youth travel basketball coach once told him he’d be the next player to score 1,000 points at Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School.

That was in eighth grade, his mother Stasia Finney said. It’s a goal he’s always had. 

It’s a goal the senior captain from Lakeville had to wait for — in particular, for 9 months. For Old Colony’s season home opener Thursday, Dec. 12 against Tri-County Regional Vocational High School.

For a little over two minutes more after tip off for the game Old Colony would win 86-38.

Since he was a little kid, Finney could spin a ball on one finger, according to his father Steve.

He’s worked hard since fourth grade, when he started playing travel basketball, Stasia Finney said.

He played AAU basketball. He plays in summer leagues. He goes to the YMCA in the offseason. He’s always playing. He’s always working, Stasia Finney said.

Finney started as a freshman for Old Colony. It’s not something that’s traditionally happened at the school, according to head coach and athletic director Matt Trahan.

But Finney is the overall package, a complete player, Trahan said. The 6”2’ forward is tough on defense and on rebounds. He’s a vocal leader. He does all the little things coaches look for. 

Finney said he knew he had a chance at 1,000 after freshman year.

The previous season, this past March, Old Colony’s playoff run ended with tournament loss to Mahar Regional School. In Orange, more than 100 miles away from Rochester, Finney ended the game, and his junior year, with 999 total points scored.

He knew it was going to happen this first game over 9 months later. It was a long wait, he said. He had to stay humble and wait it out. 

But before basketball would begin again in December, football was played in the fall. Finney was a running back and team captain. Injury was a concern, according to Stasia Finney.

After the season-ending March loss with Finney at 999 points, Trahan knew the basketball team was going to open the next year at home. That Old Colony could have a display, put on a show, he said. That there would be fans.

Finney was the last of the starters to be announced before the game Dec. 12, with the lights turned off in the Old Colony gym. Spectators in the wooden bleachers held photos of his face. A group wore shirts each displaying a letter, standing in order to spell out his surname. Another man’s shirt read “I ♡ Max.”

The game started. The waiting would continue for two minutes and 28 seconds of basketball time longer. Finney missed his first shot.

A few moments later, Tri-County inbounded by its own basket. The pass was tipped. Finney tracked the ball down. He saw an open lane and went and took it, he said.

He cut from the left and jumped for a layup, making it with his right hand. It felt awesome, he said. He scored point 1,000. And point 1,001. By the end of the night, he’d have 1,026.

Tri-County called timeout. Finney embraced senior Landon Hunter, then senior Max Smiley, then senior Nick Fringuelli as he headed toward the rest of the team at Old Colony’s bench. He walked to center court. Standing with family, he was presented with a certificate and a golden basketball by Trahan.

“It feels good,” Finney said. “I worked really hard for four years.”