Mona Jackson is nearing the end of a celebrated basketball career at Howard High and yesterday the senior added another accomplishment to her list.
Jackson became only the third girls player in the 42-year history of Howard High to reach the 1,000-point mark, scoring 23 points to lead the Lions to a 70-43 victory over previously unbeaten Northeast in the opening round of the Liberty Belle tournament.
Northeast, playing without high-scoring Marcia Gaskins, fell to a 5-1 record. Gaskins, averaging 22 points a game, went to Texas for the holidays.
Howard will meet Magruder of Montgomery County in today's girls championship game at 5 p.m. Magruder defeated host Liberty, 30-27, yesterday in a matchup of 0-6 teams in the other opening-round game.
Northeast and Liberty will play in the consolation round at 1 p.m.
Jackson needed 19 points to join Laurie Governor and Kristi Greer in the 1,000-point club, and she did it in typical Jackson style.
With 2:48 left in the third quarter, she leaped high in the air to grab a long rebound of a missed Northeast shot and dribbled down the court for what appeared to be an easy layup.
But Northeast's Maleah Rey fouled Jackson near the top of the key, sending her to the line for a one-and-one opportunity.
Jackson swished both free throws, giving her 1,000 points in her four years on the Howard varsity.
The game was stopped to recognize Jackson's milestone, and she responded with a big smile.
Jackson seemed to be pressing too much once she got near the mark in the third quarter.
She missed a fairly easy layup with 5:33 left in the third quarter that would have given her 1,000, and 30 seconds later, she was denied the record again by a Northeast foul that came before Howard was in the one-and-one.
Fifteenth-ranked Howard (4-2) jumped off to a 15-4 lead against the Eagles at the end of the first quarter and rolled to the win behind Jackson (four blocks, five steals and eight rebounds in addition to 23 points) and Chanelle Carter (22 points).
Northeast's Jen Johansen, who had been averaging 25 points, was held to 11 by some tight man-to-man defense by Rebecca Powell.
In a boys opening-round game, Glenelg defeated Howard High, 66-55.
The Gladiators outscored the Lions, 25-8, in the third quarter to break up a 27-27 tie at halftime and surge ahead, 52-33.
With Earl Frazier (10 points) and Damion Miles (six points) leading the way in the third quarter, Glenelg (5-1) ran the fast break perfectly time after time for easy layups.
Miles was brilliant throughout the game, gliding to the basket for layups and showing a nice soft shooting touch to finish with 18 points.
Glenelg coach Claude Krannerbitter said Miles was playing with a 100-degree temperature and was suffering from the effects of the flu.
"He was so sick he had to come out of the game one time," said Krannerbitter.
"He's a super player and was coming off a 28-point game against Pallotti. I think the difference in the third quarter was we came out with some intensity and put more pressure on the ball."
Following Miles in the scoring column for Glenelg was Robin Davis (15 points), Frazier (12) and Dave Alexander (10).
Howard (3-3) was led by Corey Curtis and Sekou Hayes, who each scored 16 points.
Glenelg will meet Liberty tonight at 7 o'clock in the boys championship game.
Liberty bolted to an early 38-16 lead in the second quarter but had to hold off a furious second-half charge by Owings Mills for a 68-65 win in the other opening-round game.