Elias Chin will be honored for years to come for his Lancer school records in points, rebounds and assists.
But what about for speaking Greek?
“He’s a nerd, that’s the best way I can put it,” said sophomore Gabriel Chin, Elias’ younger brother. “He loves chess, he’s learning languages, he’s a complete nerd.”
An ideal combination of brains and brawn, Chin ended his career as a Lancer on perhaps the most electric three-year run in school history. In addition to myriad school records, he led the program to the CIF semifinals and also pulled off a perfect ACT score.
Chin’s historic Lancer career was anything but easy.
Despite earning a varsity spot as a freshman in the 2020-21 season, Chin and his teammates were given the task of playing basketball at the peak of a pandemic. Then. Following a historic run in the CIF playoffs as a sophomore the following year, the school parted ways with long-time head coach, Rich Endres, pivoting to young leader Logan Baltau. Right as the height of his basketball career was underway, Chin had a critical coaching change.
“It was a big transition, especially the basketball styles,” Chin said. “Our offenses, our defenses, they changed drastically, and also the composition of the team and the way we interacted with each other changed a lot, too.”
After losing in the opening round of the CIF sectional playoffs in Chin’s junior year under Baltau, Chin strived to bring a drastic change to his gameplay. This year, he was stronger, tougher and better inside en route to season averages of 22.0 points, 9.9 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.4 blocks.
“During the whole offseason, I’d play and lift five-to-six hours everyday, so I think just being in the gym, there’s no secret trick,” Chin said.
This extra effort was enough to solidify Chin into immortality, as, heading into Marmonte League play, the realization that the school record for points, rebounds and assists, were very much in reach. On the same January night, Chin was able to capitalize and break the records for rebounds and assists. Then, in the first postseason game against King High School, Chin was able to break the school record for points, giving him the big three of records as well as a 15-point win.
To his teammates, his success was not a surprise.
“He’s a good teammate, point guard, good at talking and getting people’s response,” Lancer star junior Trent MacLean said. “In all the close games, he got us settled in and told us where to go and all our spots.”
That was a career highlight for Chin, but it was not his most memorable moment.
“My sophomore year, we were playing a CIF game against Brentwood and we had a two-minute stretch where Cade Huggins caught an alley-oop and then Jack Munro had a highlight play, and then I made a corner three, and I think it was the loudest the Green Hole has ever been when I’ve been playing,” Chin said.
This is just one of the many moments that nearly made the top blow off of the gym during his career. And now he’ll look to do the same thing at Amherst College in Massachusetts.
But Chin’s impact doesn’t end in the classroom or on the court, as he’s been a constantly active buddy for Unified Sports at TO.
“When I first went into that (Unified Sports) it was me thinking, yeah I’d be able to help these people out,” Chin said. “I think they’ve made a bigger impact on me than I’ve made on them.”