1 of 6

Austin’s Mackenzie Brede pulls up for a shot during the first half against Mankato West Tuesday night in Ove Berven Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

Austin’s Atee Obang shoots from the corner during the first half Tuesday night in Ove Berven Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

Austin’s Addison Walsh fights through the Mankato West defense Tuesday night in the first half in Ove Berven Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

Austin’s Ajiem Agwa drives for a lay-up ahead of Mankato West’s Lilly Bannerman during the first half Tuesday night in Ove Berven Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

Austin’s Quinn Osgood controls the ball in the corner in front of Mankato West’s Ella Mullenbach Tuesday night in Ove Berven Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

Austin’s Ajiem Agwa puts up an early shot in the first quarter against Mankato West’s Rachel Younge Tuesday night in Ove Berven Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

Defenses have been trying to stop Austin junior Ajiem Agwa all season, but they still haven’t had an answer.

Agwa put up another big performance as she scored her 1,000th career point in a 66-47 win over Mankato West in Ove Berven Gym Tuesday night.

Agwa finished with 26 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals. Her milestone score came on a lay-up that put Austin (10-12 overall) up 40-32 in the second half. 

“I had a feeling (1,000) was going to come soon. I’ve had my ups and downs this year, but I’ve pushed through and I don’t let bad games bring me down. I move on, day by day,” Agwa said. “It feels really good to do this. I couldn’t have done this without my teammates and all of the support they give me in practice and out of practice.”

The game was halted momentarily after Agwa’s 1,000th point and the milestone motivated the Packers, who went on to build up a 61-41 lead after leading just 33-31 at halftime and trailing 9-4 early.

Austin junior Marissa Shute has been teammates with Agwa for as long as she can remember and she was happy to be able to celebrate with Agwa.

“I have so many memories with Ajiem from AYB and on,” said Shute, who finished with 11 points and six rebounds. “She not only makes herself better, she pushes her teammates around her and she’s uplifting to every one of her teammates. I’m so happy for her to hit this milestone tonight. It lifted us and we just went on a run after that.”

Agwa has scored over 500 points this season and she’ll have to keep up that pace if she wants to catch AHS’s all-time leading scorer Hope Dudycha, a 2022 grad who finished with 1,657 career points. 

“We’ve had some really good players come through our program in the last couple of years, but I think this is on a different level. Ajiem’s going to be in the record book in a couple of these scoring categories at the very top,” Austin head coach Eric Zoske said. “She’s going to keep getting physically stronger which will allow her to get to the rim and finish stronger. Her freshman year, she wasn’t the strongest, but now she’s getting there. Her growth is there and she’s going to continue to get better and better.”

The last time the Packers played Mankato West (10-13 overall), Agwa scored an AHS single game record 51 points in an 85-60 win on Jan. 6.

West 31  16  –  47

Austin 33  33  –  66

Austin scoring: Ajiem Agwa, 26; Quinn Osgood, 15; Marissa Shute, 11; Addison Walsh, 6; Atee Obang, 5; Mackenzie Brede, 2; Gracie Arndt, 2