Jared Maree scored his first points in a Bronc uniform with 9:05 left in the first half against Sul Ross State on Nov. 15, 2008. On Thursday – three years and 79 days later – he scored his 1,000th point on a free throw completing a three-point play with 17:45 left in the second half against Utah State Feb. 2.

“I didn’t know that I had gotten it, until it was announced and the crowd started clapping for me,” Maree said. “I really didn’t even know I was that close. I thought I was like 20 points away or something.”
The senior guard entered the game 14 points away and scored a season-high 23 to surpass the mark. His point total entering this season was 693, but he had no idea he was going to get an opportunity to achieve a career milestone that only 20 other Broncs had reached.

“One of my teammates told me two games ago that I was close to getting this mark,” he admitted. “Without my teammates and coaches, I would be nowhere near this moment.”

After being a steady starter for four seasons, part of this accomplishment shows consistency that is difficult to obtain for a college athlete. As a freshman, he showed that attribute and developed it along the way. Hard work along with help from a strong support system ultimately helped the Houston native reach this admirable goal.

“It’s a great accomplishment and I want to thank God, my teammates, my coaches and family,” Maree said about hitting the milestone. “And going into this season and every year I don’t even focus on getting a specific accomplishments like that. I just go out there and try to play hard for my team, my coaches and my school.”

Maree came to UTPA out of Cesar Chavez High School in Houston where he received MVP honors and made the All-District team. He also recorded a 40-point game at one point during his pre-collegiate career, guiding his club to a 28-7 record and winning accolades as an honor student. There was a point when he didn’t know if he was going to get any opportunities to play college ball, but two weeks before the 2008 fall semester started, then-Bronc coach Tom Schuberth gave him his chance.

During his first year on campus the 6-3 Maree played for Schuberth, who coached the Broncs to a 42-45 record in three years. His only current teammate from that 2008-09 squad is senior guard Nick Weiermiller. The next year Ryan Marks was given the reins of the program and has seen Maree climb his way towards success..

“I was really elated for him,” Marks said. “The biggest thing is that he’s such an invaluable part of the team because he plays hard, he’s incredibly unselfish and he does all the intangible things. He’s a guy you can’t keep off the court, and when a player is that good he’s inevitably going to get 1,000 points.”

Maree had been recruited to play guard for the Broncs, but during his time with UTPA he has been effective at multiple positions. He’s been asked to play point guard, shooting guard, small forward and even power forward but the veteran has learned from each experience rather than stressing out over it.

“I’ve played a lot of different positions since I’ve been here,” Maree said. “And I’ve learned how to use my body and size against opposing defenses on the offensive end. I think that has helped me some, whatever goals that come from that are a bonus to helping out my team.”

As a freshman for the Broncs Maree average 5.5 points per game, starting 16 of 27 games. During his second year he saw a nearly five-point boost in scoring and led the team in that category with 9.9 per game, starting 29 of 32 contests. He also was second in rebounds per game (3.7) during the 2009-10 campaign. In his junior year he averaged 8.3 points and 3.0 rebounds per game and started 18 of 27 nights.
Now as one of three seniors on the team (Kieondre Arkwright and Weiermiller are the others) Maree continues to be that constant player that every team needs, and he is shouldering a huge load for the Broncs, who are now 3-2 in conference play heading into a Feb. 16 game against NJIT. He’s second on the team in minutes played (683), first in field goal accuracy (48 percent), third in three-point shooting (37 percent), second in free throw success (73 percent), second in rebounds (4.0), third in assists (42), and tops in scoring (13.2).

He continues to build off the team-first attitude that has helped him reach the 1,000-point mark, and now sits at No. 20, 18 points ahead of Steve Heard (1,019 from 1957-61, the first Pan Am player to reach the century mark). Though this will be a memorable moment in his career, he understands how to keep things into perspective.

“Any time you get an accomplishment like this you enjoy the moment,” Maree said. “But right now my focus is on getting into the Great West Conference Tournament and hopefully winning that and going further.”