On Jan. 24, as the boys basketball team neared the end of their season, seniors Colin Das and David Jung made Oxford history as the first and second all-time scorers for the boys’ varsity basketball team, both surpassing 1000 career points.
The journey to success had started a long while back: Das was only six years old when he began to play basketball in Los Alamitos; there, his love for the game grew every day. When he arrived at Oxford, his goals were clear: building a winning program and reshaping the team’s culture. Jung also began at just seven years old at the Youth Basketball League of Cypress. Jung shared similar goals with Das; to play in varsity, he often trained outside of school to build his skills and knowledge of the game.
“Some goals I had coming into Oxford regarding basketball [were] to make varsity as a freshman, reach 1,000 points, and just be an overall winner,” said Jung.
The road to their achievement wasn’t easy by any means, as injuries and loss of teammates interfered with their goals. However, no challenge could overcome their determination to win.
“The only way I was able to get over this hump was to implement in my head that my love for basketball was greater than anything else,” said Jung.
Like every year before, playing to the best of their ability was always the goal, but as seniors, Das and Jung knew going in that this 2025-2026 season was their last chance to give it their all. Not only did they want to do well in pres-season and season, but they wanted to pursue the last chance they had to qualify for CIF.
“I put my best effort into everything that I did, whether it was drills, 5’s, or even defense, I knew I had to leave my all out there 100% of the time,” said Jung.
This season, the team went 15-14 in the regular season; with a 58-37 win against Whitney, they placed 3rd in the league and secured a spot in CIF. Another memorable and key moment during the season was the game against Vistamar in Hawaii during their annual travel basketball tournament, which helped prove to others and the players themselves that they could truly be a real threat in the league.
“I think we’ve gained a lot of respect, not just in league, but in the OC area,” said Das.
This playoff berth gave them one last chance to go big, and although Oxford unfortunately lost the first round, the team still finished their season as a united team. To top it all off, Jung and Das both reached 1000 career points this year, marking an incredible feat in their 4 four-year journey.
“It’s a big accomplishment, a lot of credit to my coaches and teammates. They put me in good positions. I think that 1000 points is just a reflection of the hard work that I’ve put in,” said Das.
With Das and Jung’s high school careers coming to a close, they pass their words of advice to the next generation of players.
“It’s important that we keep the same culture that we already had at Oxford. Not even in terms of wins and losses, just the way you’re expected to compete and the level you’re expected to compete at. I hope that we’ve set that standard for people that are coming in, and I hope the freshmen and sophomores now are able to hold that to the next generation,” said Das.
“Believe that you can do whatever it takes to be the best version of yourself. It doesn’t have to be being the best scorer but it can come in the form of being a good teammate, hustling on every possession, or even being coachable. Always carry confidence and most importantly stay in the gym as much as you can to put in work,” said Jung.
