Kristian Bartl ’27 Reaches 1,000 Points

By the time the ball dropped through the net for a simple layup, the moment had already been building for years.

USM junior and varsity boys' captain Kristian Bartl ’27 scored his 1,000th career point on Tuesday, Jan. 27—an achievement reached through patience, steady growth, and countless hours in the gym. Though the home game against Living Word Lutheran was filled with family, teammates, and even a videographer documenting the moment, Bartl didn’t let the distractions get to him.

“I was definitely nervous,” he admitted. “I knew it was probably going to happen that game, but I tried not to think about it too much. I just wanted to focus on the game.”

The milestone moment came after a brief moment of tension. Two points away, he missed a free throw. Then, on the next possession, he drove toward the basket, briefly lost control of the ball, regained it, and finished with the monumental layup. The game paused for a timeout, teammates rushed the court, and the crowd erupted.

“It was a relief,” he said. “Once it happened, I was just really happy.”

Basketball has been part of Bartl’s life since 2nd grade, when he played up on a 3rd grade team. At the time, he said, he wasn’t very good. That changed around 5th grade, when both his mindset and his height began to take shape. A major growth spurt—he was nearly six feet tall by the end of 6th grade—helped, but so did a shift in commitment.

“That’s when I started really taking it seriously,” he said. “I practiced with my brother. My dad would rebound for me. I just cared more and more.”

A lifelong USM student, he has been part of the varsity program since his freshman year and is now a team captain. Depending on the roster, he plays center or power forward for USM, while also competing as a power forward on Team Haliburton, an AAU team that takes him across the country to tournaments in places like Los Angeles, Texas, and North Carolina.

Balancing school, travel, and two demanding basketball schedules isn’t easy, but it’s something he takes pride in. “It’s hard,” he said. “But I still want to be active in school and do as much as I can.”

Looking ahead, he hopes basketball can help open doors at the next level. His goal is to play college basketball—ideally at the mid- to low-Division I level—while focusing on academics. His long-term aspirations reach far beyond the court: a Ph.D. in mathematics and a career in aerospace engineering.

For now, though, basketball remains his passion. “There’s something really satisfying about seeing the ball go through the net,” he said. “I haven’t found that in any other sport. I love the competition, and I love the team aspect—the connections you build.”