1,000 points: Milestone moment one of joy, relief for Kropp

NEWTON – Hayley Kropp may never have been so happy to see a jump shot fall.

Kropp entered Tuesday’s first-round 2A playoff game at Newton-Conover needing three points to become just the third Polk County High girls basketball player to score 1,000 points. It took, though, until the 3:27 mark of the second period for Kropp to get the first of those points, hitting a jumper to reach 999 for her career.

That would be it for the first half.

The wait, though, ended quickly in the second half as on Polk County’s first possession, Kropp drove the right baseline and swished a short jumper, allowing her to join Kim Staley as the only Wolverines to reach 1,000 points in the program’s history. Video: Kropp scores 1,000th career point

Kropp went on to score 18 of her game-high 20 points in the second half as Polk County topped Newton-Conover, 56-40.

“It felt great, and it was definitely a relief,” Kropp said of her historic basket. “I was surprised I was the first junior to do it.

“I’ve always wanted to do it. It’s something I’ve dreamed about since I was a kid.”

Kropp passed the 900-point mark in the Jan. 22 loss to Mountain Heritage, then moved past 950 points in the Feb. 4 home win over Avery. When the regular season ended with Kropp on 997 points, head coach Brandy Alm made plans for an in-game ceremony once Kropp scored her 1,000th point in the team’s Western Highlands Conference tournament opener at home against Hendersonville. But with inclement weather wiping out most of the WHC tourney, that celebration moved to Polk County’s locker room after Tuesday’s victory, when Kropp was presented with a ball signed by her teammates.

“She’s a playmaker,” Alm said. “Her defensive intensity and just her ability to take control of a game are amazing.

“She’s a pleasure to coach. Off the court, she’s an incredible kid as well.”

Kropp admitted that she began thinking about the milestone a couple of weeks ago and certainly had it in mind Tuesday. She’ll have another one to chase early next season – Staley finished her career with 1,084 points. Kropp is now just 67 points away from matching her.

“I wasn’t thinking about it as much as I was today because I just had three to go,” she said. “I wanted to get it over with.

“It feels great. But I’d rather have the win than the record any day.”

HAYLEY KROPP SEASON SCORING
2012-2013: 25 games, 268 points, 10.7 ppg
2013-2014: 23 games, 360 points, 15.7 ppg
2014-2015: 25 games, 389 points, 15.6 ppg (to date)
Total: 73 games, 1,017 points, 13.9 ppg

NOTE: An earlier version of this story said that Kropp was the second player in school history to score 1,000 points.