Seeing space near the top of the paint with 3:58 left in the fourth quarter, Daeisha Brown drove from the right flank to just inside the free throw line to find herself in wide open space. Without pausing, the 5-foot-3 point guard released a jumper and hit her mark. No celebration followed, Brown just transitioned to defense.
It was all natural for her, business as usual.
However, at that moment, the redshirt-junior, who missed last season with an ACL tear, surpassed a major milestone - scoring over 1,000 career points in three years of eligibility. Brown finished the road game on Feb. 20 at Radford with 17 points, leading Longwood as the only double-digit scorer in their 80-64 loss.
“Since I tore my ACL, it has been a struggle to get back to the person I used to be on the basketball court. So, this year has been a major roller coaster, but, I mean, it does feel great that I did get this accomplishment with the setback I had,” said Brown.
Entering the game, Brown was just 11 points shy of her 1,000 points, which had generated a lot of suspense in the competitions prior. During the game, Brown said she wouldn’t have known the count had it not been for long-time friend and senior guard Raven Williams keeping her on track, so they could share the moment.
Williams also started the season within range of 1,000, having led Longwood in scoring last season in Brown’s absence. After catching the injury bug, she has been limited to 103 points this season and currently sits at 893.
“I’ve been going through injuries all season and I was close to my 1,000th point, too. So, basically, we had this thing like, if I did it before her, it was for her, (and) if she did it before me, it was for me,” explained Williams. The two had been friends since they were 12-years-old and played for the same travel team. “It was that little bond that we had that what’s hers is mine.”
Williams felt reaching the milestone was a huge boost for Brown, who had lost confidence in her ability while recovering from last year’s season-ending injury.
“She doubted herself, thinking that she wasn’t going to be the same player, but she is, if not, even better because she has become a lot smarter than she was,” said Williams.
Even with the accomplishment, Brown immediately began to shake her head when asked if she felt she was at the level she had been prior to last season.
“I don’t think I’m at the level I used to be at all. With this extra year I have, I hope with the extra training that I could get back to the old Daeisha Brown.”
For Longwood women’s basketball head coach Bill Reinson, to watch Brown achieve this was “rewarding” as she struggled this season to come back and work to be the same impact player as her first two years, despite her ACL and height.
“She’s shown glimpses of being the Dae-Dae of old,” said Reinson. “She’ll finish as the leading scorer in Division I history. That’s kind of remarkable for a girl that’s 5-foot-3 and may not be that tall.”
As Brown continues to develop during the rest of the season and next year, Reinson believes she can be “a dominant force,” following the usual timeline it takes to recover from an ACL injury.
“Usually, the second year back is the one where people really start to excel, provided that everything goes well with the rehab. That means the next year could be very exciting.”
To show their support of Brown, the team wore t-shirts during warm-ups and gave her a decorated game ball commemorating her achievement prior to their final home game against Coastal Carolina on Tuesday night.
Brown said she didn’t know what milestone was next for her, just hoping for another great accomplishment before her time in the program ends.
“I just hope and pray that it only goes up from here. I hope I stay healthy and continue this journey I’m on right now.”
Daeisha Brown scored her 1,000th career point in their road loss at Radford on Feb. 20.
Daeisha Brown scored her 1,000th career point in their road loss at Radford on Feb. 20.
