Lyons' Emma O’Brien, York’s Anna Filosa reach 1,000 career points in West Suburban Conference battle

ELMHURST – Lyons' Emma O’Brien and York‘s Anna Filosa each did something Tuesday they will never forget.

Nor will anyone who witnessed it.

O’Brien, a junior forward, and Filosa, a senior point guard, both surpassed 1,000 career points during the Lions’ 58-35 West Suburban Conference Silver Division victory.

The final score, which was never in doubt, took a backseat to the rare double milestone.

O’Brien came in needing one point to reach 1,000. She got it on a steal and layup that gave the Lions (27-1, 11-0) a 13-5 lead with 2:21 left in the first quarter. The game was stopped for a brief celebration.

“I don’t know how many people have done that as a junior, so it’s really cool,” O’Brien said. “They tried to keep it a secret the last game, but then someone told me.

“But it was all right. I’d rather know, especially since I only needed one.”

O’Brien is only the ninth player in Lyons' history to reach 1,000 points but the second to do it this season, joining Stanford-bound senior forward Nora Ezike.

“We were talking about how impressive it is to have two people in the same season get 1,000,” Lyons coach Meghan Hutchens said. “To watch a junior get her 1,000th and still have her for another season is pretty exciting.”

O’Brien’s milestone was especially poignant for Hutchens, who scored her 1,000th point in the same gym at the end of her junior season in 2004 while playing for Riverside-Brookfield.

“The significance to me was I had no idea (about her 1,000th point at the time) and being in this gym, I’m reminded every time I come here,” Hutchens said. “But it’s more special when another athlete gets it, just in general.”

Reaching the milestone was a mere stepping stone for O’Brien, who was dominant until Hutchens took her out after the third quarter. O’Brien finished with a game-high 19 points, including four consecutive 3-pointers, to go with five rebounds, five assists and five steals.

“She’s a fun player to watch,” Hutchens said. “She lit it up from the 3-point line.

“She’s been impressive her entire career. It’s been fun watching her grow from her freshman year and develop different parts of her game.”

Ezike and junior forward Gwen Smith scored 12 points each, with Ezike adding a game-high eight rebounds and two blocks for the Lions, who led by as many as 31 in the third quarter.

“That was so fun,” O’Brien said. “It’s great that we got a win, too.

“It’s a great win going into our last conference game on Friday. Just all good vibes.”

The vibes weren’t all good for the Dukes (11-15, 4-7), who were never in contention. Filosa led York with 13 points, five rebounds and four steals, while Olivia Silkaitis added 12 points and two blocks.

Filosa came into the game needing 12 points to reach 1,000. She struggled all game, shooting 6 of 32, but finally achieved her goal by sinking a short pull-up jumper at the 5:44 mark of the fourth quarter. The game was again halted for a brief ceremony.

“It was rough,” Filosa said of the game. “It was very stressful.”

That’s a common theme for players closing in on such a milestone. Filosa is just the third player in York coach Brandon Collings’ eight-year tenure to score 1,000.

“She’s been playing well,” Collings said. “I think in her last five games she’s been averaging 24 a game. She was definitely pressing. You could see it.”

But Collings was glad to see Filosa, who will not play in college, achieve her goal in the final home game of her basketball career.

“I’m incredibly proud for her,” Collings said. “She’s earned it. She deserves it and now it’s done with so we can move on.”

Collings removed Filosa from the game shortly after her milestone basket.

“I was just really happy,” Filosa said. “I had all my friends here. They are really supportive.

“Now that I’ve passed that milestone, I’m really looking forward to finishing the season with a weight off my shoulder, focusing more on my team rather than myself. I’m really excited to help my team out more in other ways when it comes to postseason.”

Filosa was just as excited to share the history-making occasion with O’Brien.

“She’s so good, and she’s still a junior,” Filosa said. “She has so much potential, too. Congrats to her. I’m proud of her.”