NEW MATAMORAS - For the past couple seasons it hasn't been a real secret what every team that took to the basketball court against the Monroe Central Lady Seminoles has wanted to do.
Stop Alex Kuhn.
Easier said, than done.
Kuhn recorded her 1,000th career point against host Frontier on Monday evening when she sank a free throw after a technical foul was assessed against the Lady Cougars with 5:34 to go in the third quarter.
"It feels great and, like, shocking," Kuhn said of the milestone.
En route to a game high 26 points, Kuhn was the dominant force in the Lady Seminoles 64-46 win.
And typical of her ways, she also led the team in assists and steals and was second in rebounds as a complete player.
"That's a great accomplishment for anybody and Alex has put a lot of time in the gym. She's a good offensive player and she makes the people around her better, too," said Monroe Central girls' basketball coach Troy Baker.
Kuhn entered the game with 989 points, and after knocking down the first free throw she had the 11 points necessary to reach the 1,000 point plateau.
As the horn sounded at the scorer's table, notifying referee Mike Kern of the achievement, Kuhn gave a puzzled look over at the bench before taking the ball and hitting the second free throw.
Then the game was stopped and Frontier volleyball coach Donna Murphy's voice came over the loudspeaker telling Kuhn what she had done.
While Kuhn knew she would cross the 1,000 point plateau sometime this season, she'd never been told how close she was or that it would come just five games in.
"I didn't really know how close I was," Kuhn explained. "I knew I was going to get it."
After sinking the second foul shot, Frontier girls' basketball coach Eric Rinard came out onto the court and presented Kuhn with the basketball she had used to record her 1,000th point and shook her hand.
"I'm happy for Alex Kuhn," Rinard said. "She's a nice player."
That gesture of sportsmanship by Rinard was appreciated by the Seminoles as players who record their 1,000th point sometimes don't even get play stopped to recognize their achievement, let alone be presented with the basketball they used for the milestone.
"I want to say thank you to the Cougars for the way they presented Alex the 1,000 point ball," Baker said.
After she had made those two free throws for 11th and 12th points of the night, all Kuhn did was dominate the game's remaining quarter and a half, ultimately finishing with 26 points, six rebounds, three assists and five steals in Monroe's win.
"I wasn't even nervous at all," Kuhn said.
