Norway junior Lauren Adams, left center, poses with her team on Thursday after recording her 1,000th point against Carney-Nadeau. (Terry Raiche photo)

NORWAY — If you think Caitlin Clark has an impressive following, you should have been in Norway on Thursday as Knights junior Lauren Adams eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for her career.

Adams entered the game needing 14 points to reach the mark. She hit it with a minute and a half left in the second quarter, burying a contested 3-pointer from the left wing.

“Honestly, I didn’t even know that that was the shot that would get me it,” Adams said. “I was just so focused on winning the game and getting through it.”

Adams is only the fourth girl in Knights’ history to reach the mark. After the game, she was mobbed by little girls holding ‘1,000 point’ signs asking for autographs.

“It feels good,” Adams said. “Now, I can just relax. … It means a lot. All of the hard work that I’ve put in has paid off.

“All of the little girls waiting (on the court) to know that they can do this, too, and it’s all possible.”

She ended the game with 23 points and Norway (4-6, 1-1) easily dismantled Carney-Nadeau (6-5, 1-0), 61-20, for a non-conference win.

“I didn’t know she had it until they stopped it,” Knights’ head coach Brian Adams said. “But, when you get a second to get out of coach mode, see her get the ball and give her a hug. It’s the greatest, it’s part of why I signed up to do this.

She currently has 1,009 points, passing Ellary Renier. Norway JV head coach Jordan Kraemer is at the top of the girls 1,000-point club with 1,384 points.

“It was a nice recovery from Friday,” coach Adams said. “She was a little bit sped up against North Dickinson. We rode together here and I told her, ‘It’s about getting a win. When it comes it comes.’ And she agreed.”

Although everyone was focused on the win, once coach Adams got time to process his daughter’s accomplishment he was all smiles.

“I wanted to go on this journey with her,” coach Adams said. “This was a goal of hers. To see your kid achieve their goals always makes you smile. Her mom and I have put a lot of time into trying to make this happen for her. To see her shine makes everyone in the family happy.”

Carney-Nadeau scored the first point of the game on a layup, a minute into the game.

It took three minutes, but Paytan Carlson responded for the Knights with a baseline jumper, putting them ahead 2-1.

Lauren Adams made a fading jumper later in the frame and Norway took a 4-3 lead into the second quarter.

“Defensively, I didn’t have a whole lot to say, they had three points so I thought we were doing a good job on the big two, (Grace Maule and Mariska Laurila),” coach Adams said. “Offensively, I thought we moved the ball well but we didn’t catch the ball well. We missed easy layups and I told them, ‘If you settle down, be aggressive, be strong with the ball they’re going to go in.

“No offense to Carney, but I thought we should have been up a lot more at the end of the first.”

The Knights settled down in the second quarter and stretched the lead out to 24-points at halftime.

Lauren Adams had 12 points in the quarter while Jessa Rossler pitched in seven.

Maule and Laurila tried to rally the Wolves in the third. Maule scored five and Laurila added six points. However, it wasn’t enough to turn the tide. Rossler scored five third-quarter points. Lauren Adams added seven and the Knights led 48-16.

With the game in hand, coach Adams began to get his reserves on the court. They didn’t let up on Carney-Nadeau.

Payton Paquette and Ella Wojtowicz each scored four points in the frame and Norway locked up the home win.

Lauren Adams’ 23 points led all scorers in the contest.

The Knights also received contributions from Wojtowicz (4 points), Abby Richter (2 points), Mary Cavagnetto (2 points), Ashley Carlson (3 points), Paytan Carlson (7 points), Paquette (6 points) and Rossler (12 points).

Laurila led the Wolves with nine points.

Norway is back in action on Monday in Munising for an SCC clash with the Mustangs.

“Munising presents a challenge,” coach Adams said. “They’ve got two bigs. They’ve got two six-footers. One’s a freshman and she moves well and is tough in the post. Then they’ve got Bailey Cochran. She was first-team all conference last year. She’s a heck of a player. They want to get it inside as much as possible. If we can manage their inside game, we can play with them.”

NORDICS 55, EAGLES 42

FELCH TOWNSHIP — The North Dickinson girls varsity basketball team increased its win-streak to four games on Thursday as it dismantled Stephenson, 55-42, in the Carl F. Lemin Gymnasium.

The Nordics (8-4, 2-1) struggled in the second quarter and found themselves behind by two points at halftime.

North Dickinson freshman Lauren Jungwirth scored 14 points in the second half to propel the Nordics past the Eagles (7-5, 1-2).

The Nordics received contributions from Raina Ledzian (5 points), Hailee Siegler (2 points), Alyson Steinbrecher (15 points), Aspen Anderson (5 points) and Aunika Lindholm (3 points).

North Dickinson heads to Eben Junction on Monday to face Superior Central.

LADY BADGERS 67, CAVALIERS 14

NIAGARA, Wis. — The Niagara girls varsity basketball team poured it on St. Thomas Aquinas Academy (2-10, 1-10) on Thursday in Niagara, Wis., en route to a 67-14 Marinette & Oconto Conference win.

The Lady Badgers (9-7, 5-6) opened the first half on fire. They scored 25 points in the frame and held the Cavaliers to four.

Mallory Sanicki led the way for Niagara with 12 first-half points. Bristol Sanicki also pitched in 10.

The Lady Badgers didn’t let up in the second half, outscoring STAA, 32-10.

Mallory Sanicki led all scorers in the contest with 19 points.

Niagara also received contributions from Elesia Sweig (2 points), Bristol Sanicki (16 points), Marley Jones (5 points), Sydney Swanson (8 points), Alivia Kleikamp (14 points), Rachael Walker (1 point) and Lexie Johnston (2 points).

The Lady Badgers head to Lena, Wis., on Monday.