Katherine Benter said she was “absolutely surprised” that she reached a milestone Tuesday night against Lawrenceburg.

She became the seventh player in the history of girls basketball at Brownstown Central to reach 1,000 points when she hit a 3-point shot at the 5:37 mark of the first quarter.

She went on to score 20 points to push her career total to 1,016 to help the Braves defeat Lawrenceburg 43-39.

“I didn’t really know I was that close,” she said. “I knew if I stayed healthy I could possibly get it by the end of the year.

“It means a lot because of all the time I spend in the gym. It’s amazing to have the teammates I have who have supported me every day.”

She also complimented her father, David “for all the time he has taken to take me to the gym helping me be the player I am today.” David Benter is the coach of the Brownstown boys team.

Braves coach Brandon Allman said he is proud of everything Benter has accomplished and has enjoyed coaching her the past two years.

“Katherine has been a leader in every fashion,” Allman said. “Her and Avery Koch led workouts during COVID-19. She leads in school by being at the top of her class and class president.

“Katherine deserves every accomplishment she earns because she has outworked everyone to get to where she is.”

Benter scored 10 points as a freshman, 289 as a sophomore, 464 as a junior and has 253 in 12 games this season for a career total of 1,016.

She scored 29 points in a win at Clarksville last week and also scored 29 against Silver Creek last year. She has scored in the 20s 15 times during her career.

Benter started out hot by scoring the Braves’ first 11 points, including three 3-pointers.

The Braves led 13-7 at the end of the first period, 27-20 at the half and 39-31 going into the fourth period.

The Tigers rallied to trail 40-38 before Browntown’s Maddy Hackman made a lay-up with 1:42 remaining, and Kylee Borden added a free throw to close the Braves’ scoring.

Hackman added 11 points for the Braves.

The Braves (8-4) will face Edgewood at noon Monday in a tournament at Trinity Lutheran.