Mlnarik joins 1,000 point club

Adyson Mlnarik has attended basketball games since before she entered kindergarten.

On Dec. 8, the Summerland senior joined an elite group as she drove the lane for a layup against Niobrara/Verdigre. The bucket netted Mlnarik 1,000 points for her career.

"It's been a big week," she said, Friday.

Mlnarik's had a hot hand since the season began, averaging 29.2 points per game, connecting on 47% of field goals attempted. From the charity stripe, Mlnarik is accurate 84% of the time. From three-point range, she averages 39%.

With the exception of Saturday's contest against Boyd County, where she scored 19 points, Mlnarik has finished games with 32, 22, 43 and 30 points.

On Dec. 5, against Riverside, Mlnarik rewrote the Bobcat record books, setting the single-game scoring record with 43 points.

"It was fun," she said. "Going into the game, I knew I needed 47 points to hit 1,000. I wasn't expecting to get 43. I thought it would take more than two games in one week," she said.

The Chargers couldn't contain her.

On Friday, Mlnarik knew she just needed to "play her game."

"I knew I needed four points, but that shouldn't be hard for me to get.

She finished Friday's game with 30 points.

She knows her way around the court, not only as a player, but as a longtime lover of the game.

According to Adyson's mom, Shelly, a former Clearwater Public Schools coach, the young athlete "been involved in sports, either being drug to her brothers' games before she was in kindergarten, to being a student manager or playing in elementary on up," she said. "If I was coaching basketball, she was student manager."

During elementary school, she played youth basketball for the Cyclones.

Her next experience included being part of a select team that attended tournaments and played in the Cornhusker State Games.

She also participated in Next Level Athletics during junior high and D-League as a high schooler.

While in junior high, Ady served as student manager for Scott Leisy and Greg Appleby.

Bobcat Head Coach Jacob Birch said Mlnarik is a great player who does many things at a high level.

"She is a great scorer and has passed the 1,000-point mark early in her senior year. Ady can score from anywhere inside, mid-range, and is a great three-point shooter and free throw shooter," Birch said.

Shelly Mlnarik said Ady has "a high IQ for the game of basketball."

"She also "sees the floor" very well. Her court awareness and pushing the ball is also a strong suit," she said.

Mlnarik also understands what it takes to become a stronger player, including putting in time during the off season. She spends a lot of time on the Doctor Dish

"She is very driven and she spends a lot of time on the Dr. Dish, a basketball shooting machine, at school, focusing She on a routine of shots she makes.

"I know people like to set goals as to how many shots you get in, but if they aren't "game -like" shots and you aren't making them, are you gaining?" Shelly Mlnarik said.

Ady sets a number of makes that she gets before she is done. According to Shelly, "She also started a routine last year that I thought was a little much, but she sticks with it until she gets it."

Ady has five spots on the three-point line and doesn't move to the next spot until she makes five shots in a row.

Her persistence has paid off.

Birch said she is a great leader for the Bobcats.

"As a team, we are all very excited for her and proud of her accomplishment," he said.

Ady said she feels she and her TeamMates will "come out strong" the rest of the season.

"We always have to play our game from the start of the game," she said.

What does the future hold for Mlnarik?

Basketball will be a part of her college repertoire. The biggest question is where she land.

"I'm undecided," she said.