Within his household, Spencer Hay grew up surrounded by the sport of basketball.

Between his grandfather Frank Johannes, his father James, and older sister Kelsey, the influences on the young talent were constantly there throughout his upbringing.As he came of age, and entered into his high school years, it was no surprise that Hay made an immediate impact on the Palmerton Boys' Basketball program.Last week, in his final game of his senior season against Northern Lehigh, Hay rolled off a screen, and elevated to release a jump shot that granted him entrance into an elite club of hardwood excellence, as he acquired points 1,000 and 1,001."It was both surreal, and a relief," Hay said afterward. "I had missed my first three shots of the game, so I was getting very anxious. But as soon as I made it, I was excited. I looked to embrace my fellow teammates and family and (teammate) Mason Stahler ran from underneath the basket to pick me up. It was a special moment and I'll never forget it."Spencer, who finished his career as a Blue Bomber with 1,010 points, becomes the second member of his family to accomplish the feat. Kelsey earned her way in with 1,350 points back in 2012. His father came up just short of the milestone while at Palmerton, but went on to total 1,429 while at Muhlenberg College in 1975-78.Spencer is the 17th player to surpass the 1,000-point mark in Palmerton High School history, and eighth boy. "It's a privilege to be amongst some of Palmerton's best basketball players and I feel honored to be a part of such an elite group of athletes," he admitted.When he was in kindergarten, Hay began playing competitively at Lehigh Township under the tutelage of his father. As the years passed, he persevered in attempts to beat Kelsey."Growing up, I could never beat her in a game of 'Horse' or one on one," he said. "So, it was always a goal of mine to be as skilled of a player as she was and when she scored her 1,000th, it really set the bar high for me."That was when the real "work" began."For me, I never stopped working to improve my game," he mentioned. "During the off-season, I participated in AAU basketball, where I played with some of the Lehigh Valley's best players. In the season, I would give it my absolute all at practices and luckily, I had a disciplined team that helped me better myself every day."Outside of the Palmerton program, the work continued, as Hay said, "Even on days that we didn't have a practice or a game, my father and I would go over to the Towamensing Elementary School and work on my jump shot there."Now that the scholastic part of his basketball career is near its end, his eyes move to the future."After graduation, I plan on attending a four-year college and in one way, shape or form, I will still be active in the sport," Hay said.Looking back on the accomplishment, Hay doesn't need to look far to find the people that made it possible."My family and their unlimited support has been great," he said. "My father, James, coached me from kindergarten up through seventh grade and helped me to become the player that I am today. My mom, Milissa, and my grandmother, Pat Johannes, attended just about every game of mine and there was never a time I couldn't hear them cheering for me in the stands. My sister, Kelsey, for setting the bar so high for me and challenging me in life. Also, my grandfather, Frank, was a great basketball player for Palmerton back in the 1950s and he has such a high basketball IQ, and he would always give me feedback. I wanted to make him proud by being a strong player, much like he was."In terms of 'being proud of Spencer,' his family should know that this could just be the beginning...