KARNS CITY — Emily Hegedus has taken thousands of free throws.

But none quite like this.

This one was special — for many reasons.

On Feb. 1, the Karns City gym fell quiet as Hegedus, a junior guard on the Gremlins’ girls basketball team, toed the stripe and sized up her shot.

“Oh my gosh,” Hegedus said. “It was so nerve wracking. I was so nervous. I was just trying to block everything out and I kept thinking, ‘Make it. Make it. Make it.’”

Hegedus was one point away from the quintessential personal milestone in high school basketball — 1,000 points.

She was also shooting it for her mother, a breast cancer survivor on a night in which Karns City recognized so many women’s battle with the disease with a pink-out night.

When the free throw rattled around the rim and finally dropped through the net, fans in the silent gym erupted and Hegedus’ teammates swarmed her.

She became only the second Karns City girls player to score her 1,000th career point as a junior. Former teammate and Slippery Rock University freshman LeeAnn Gibson is the other.

Shortly after the celebration, Hegedus ran up the bleachers to her mother, Molly, and handed her the game ball.

“Even though it was an accomplishment for me, what my mom accomplished was so much more. She battled and survived breast cancer,” Hegedus said. “It generally taught me to not take things and people for granted. One day you can be talking to someone and the next day they can be gone.”

Emily Hegedus learned that lesson over a fretful eight months as her mother underwent treatment.

Molly Hegedus was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in her left breast July 1 of last year.

She opted for a double mastectomy to eliminate further risk and underwent eight weeks of chemotherapy.

She will begin radiation treatment for six weeks, but is confident the cancer is gone.

On the same night Emily Hegedus scored her 1,000th point, Karns City freshman guard Brooke Stahlman scored her first varsity point.

Stahlman’s mother, Joyce, is also battling breast cancer.

Molly said the gym was her sanctuary. Her husband, Mike, is an assistant coach for the Karns City girls basketball team.

“Basketball is what got me through,” she said. “I had so much support.

“One in eight women get breast cancer,” she added. “I took one for the team. If my having cancer meant another woman didn’t get it, I’ll take it. I’m strong. I can handle it. It all worked out.”

That’s what Emily Hegedus admired most about her mother: her strength.

She has tried to emulate that on the basketball court.

The 5-foot-9 guard is explosive going to the hoop and has averaged more than 14 points per game over her career.

Emily said she didn’t get to this milestone by accident.

Her older sister, Annie — who was a standout herself for the Gremlins when she played — always pushed her.

And protected her.

Her father has also coached her throughout her basketball career.

“My dad has been so amazing coaching me and being there so much for my mom,” Emily Hegedus said. “He is so important to me and my family and I feel like he’s a big part of this accomplishment. He has basically taught me everything I know and pushed me, even in the offseason. He’s also been my mom’s rock during this journey.”