Hannan guard McKenna Sinon could hear the cheers from her bench, but she wasn't quite sure why her teammates reacted so passionately to her basket.
Sure, it registered her 15th and 16th points during the Hawks' 61-40 win over Cabrini on Jan. 3, but the basket also moved her into the exclusive 1,000-point club.
"Honestly, when I came in sophomore year to a new team, I didn't think I'd get here, but my teammates really helped me get this far," Sinon said. "It's been one of my goals, and I'm just really happy to finally reach it."
The moment surprised the senior since the Hawks' coaching staff led her to believe she was still a ways off from the scoring milestone.
"We wanted her to play free," Hannan coach Jon Lanter said. "It's one of the things that we're big on. If you have that milestone and you're aware of it, it can create a roadblock rather than a destination. So when the bench erupted when it happened, it created a nice moment after we called timeout. She had a moment of disbelief because she thought it was still a ways off."
McKenna and her twin sister, Morgan, transferred to Hannan as sophomores from Mount Carmel.
"It was a bit of an adjustment because I'm a shy person when I first meet people, so it took a little bit to open up to everyone," McKenna said. "Everyone was really welcoming, and now, we all have great chemistry. We work together as a team really well."
Lanter said McKenna has been critical to the Hawks' success.
"She's an aggressive guard," Lanter said. "She's a competitor. She's the type of player that you want to have the ball in her hands when it is time to make a play because she's going to find a way to make the play. When the game gets chaotic, it seems to slow down for her. She plays at her best when her best is needed."
Lanter said McKenna's shot selection has improved during her three years as a starter, as well as her passing, which leads to more scoring opportunities for her teammates.
"When you dive into the analytics, McKenna's journey to this point is really interesting," Lanter said. "She scored more her sophomore year than her junior year, but I would tell you that she was a better player her junior year. Her efficiency and decision-making have improved from year to year, so that's really the exciting thing to watch."
What made hitting 1,000 points even more special was that it was the first time Morgan returned to the court after breaking her pinkie on her nonshooting hand earlier in the season.
"I love playing with my sister," McKenna said. "It's a great experience to have. It's not often that people get to share the court with their twin sister. It's been a little rough since she's been out with injuries, but knowing that she's either on the court or on the bench is a great feeling."
Now, McKenna hopes to create even more memories, like a deep playoff run later this season.