SLIPPERY ROCK — Jence Rhoads emerged from the locker room with 30 pink roses tucked under her right arm and a plate of cookies in her left hand.

"I got some flowers and some cookies," Rhoads said, her smile wide and bright. "Chocolate chip cookies. Hopefully they are good."

They should be, because Rhoads was better than good on a cold Friday night at Morrow Field House on the campus of Slippery Rock University.

Rhoads scored 30 points to help her Slippery Rock High girls basketball team to a 54-51 win over region rival Sharon.

In the process, she surpassed 1,000 career points only four games into her junior season.

It was hard not to know she was closing in on the milestone. Her classmates and most ardent supporters had numbers tapes to their chests, tallying 985 at the start of the game.

With each basket she scored — six in the first half for 12 points — they ripped a number off and replaced it with another in a count to a grand.

Rhoads tried hard not to make eye contact with her raucous supporters.

"Yes, I was," Rhoads said, laughing, "because I didn't want to start laughing. It was nice that they all came out. I just didn't want to get distracted or anything. I was really happy they did come, though."

Rhoads scored a basket early in the third quarter to take her tally to 999 and then hit her goal with a free throw at the 2:44 mark of the frame.

At the end of the third period, her teammates gave her a bouquet of pink roses.

"I didn't know they were giving me flowers," she said. "I was surprised. It's the first time I've ever gotten flowers."

It won't be the last.

Rhoads scored 18 points in the second half to bring her career total to 1,015. She hit a 3-pointer to beat the third-quarter buzzer to give the Rockets (3-1) a 42-39 lead and a lead that held up through a physical fourth period.

Rhoads was 5-of-6 from the free throw line in the final frame.

Superlatives to describe Rhoads these days are running out faster than people who can guard her.

"I don't know how much more you can say about her," said Slippery Rock coach Gene Rodgers. "It's terrific. It couldn't have happened to a nicer girl."

Former Slippery Rock coach John Tabisz, who led the Rockets during Rhoads' freshman season, was in the stands cheering on his former team and his former star.

"The amazing thing is as good as a basketball player she is, she's a better person," Tabisz said. "She's so unselfish and a 4.0 student to boot."

Rhoads was just relieved her milestone came in a victory.

Sharon proved to be a formidable foe. Janine McDonald and Brittany Csatlos terrorized the Rockets' defense throughout the contest, combining for 34 points and 20 rebounds.

Csatlos finished with 23 points to lead the Tigers, but she missed the first of three free throws with 4.7 seconds left and trailing by three after she was fouled going up for a 3-pointer.

It was her only miss of the night in nine attempts from the line.

"I was scared we might lose and that would dampen my celebration," Rhoads said. "But luckily we won.

"I am relieved that I finally scored 1,000," she added. "Now I can move on and we can win some more games."

SHARON 51

Janine McDonald 5-11 1-2 11, Artin Christman 2-6 1-1 5, Brittany Csatlos 6-14 8-9 23, Cara Dolci 3-10 0-0 6, Katie Kelly 2-5 0-0 5, Nikki Odem 0-5 0-0 0, Candace Smith 0-1 0-0 0, Ellen Anderson 1-1 0-0 3. Totals: 19-53 10-12 51

SLIPPERY ROCK 54

Abby Basta 5-11 2-5 12, Jence Rhoads 10-20 9-12 30, Casey McCaffrey 4-10 0-0 8, Jessica Fry 1-2 0-0 2, Danielle Drake 1-2 0-0 2, Ashley Brown 0-1 0-0 0, Jenna Rinker 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 21-47 11-17 54

3-point goals:

Kelly, Anderson, Rhoads

Tuesday:

Slippery Rock at Hickory