The home crowd didn’t have to wait long for a historic moment to take place in the Jim Thorpe High School gymnasium.

Jim Thorpe’s Olivia Smelas entered Saturday afternoon’s contest against Minersville sitting at 999 career points.

During the first possession of the game, Smelas received a pass near the top the key as the crowd noise swelled, but she passed the ball back to a teammate.

At the seven-minute mark, she dribbled inside toward the basket, but her shot hit the glass and bounced off to the waiting hands of an opponent.

But a minute later, Smelas ended the wait and stamped her name into Jim Thorpe basketball history after she took a pass in the lane, turned and dribbled twice before tossing up a soft one hand shot that sailed through the rim and into the bottom of the net.

The whistle blew, the crowd roared, and the game was paused to allow the festivities to begin at center court.

Hugged by her teammates and her family while applauded with a standing ovation, Smelas was greeted with balloons and flowers.

Then, there was the rest of a basketball game to play against the Miners, which saw the Olympians roll to an easy victory to remain undefeated as Smelas led her team with 14 points, putting a perfect cap on a memorable afternoon.

After the game, Smelas was asked about the moment that would get her name added to the 1,000-point banner that hangs high on the gym wall.

“It was amazing,” she said. “I couldn’t do this without my teammates and my coaches supporting me and helping me get to this goal.”

It’s a rare milestone that only a select few players ever accomplish.

“I didn’t see this day coming,” she said. “Everyone dreams about it, but for it to really come true is really amazing.”

Jim Thorpe coach Nadia Gauronsky praised her 6-1 power forward.

“Olivia has put a lot of time in the offseason to improve her game, and today was her well-deserved moment,” she said.

Smelas, who began playing basketball for the Little Olympians in the second grade, continues to have an outstanding season for Jim Thorpe. She’s averaging double figures in scoring and in rebounds.

When asked about the improvement in her overall play, she gave credit to her off season preparation.

“I played AAU basketball against really good competition, and I put in the physical training to get stronger,” she said.

Her strength is noticeable when she gets the ball down low and drives to the basket. Her trademark shot is to dribble down to back up the defender, and then power up to the basket and bank the ball off the glass.

The consistency in her game is evidenced by her number of “double-doubles,” as Smelas has accomplished the feat in six of JT’s seven games played thus far. She has also been a force on defense by boxing out and blocking shots.

Smelas - who has recorded double-doubles in six of the Olympians’ first seven games and is averaging 14 points and 12 rebounds a game this season - joins teammates Skyler Searfoss and Leila Hurley in the Jim Thorpe 1,000-point club. The trio has spearheaded a current total of 75 victories since they began playing together in their freshman year.

For now, Smelas can cherish that moment when she floated the ball into the hoop to put her into the record book.

She has earned a lifetime membership into an exclusive club of outstanding Jim Thorpe girls basketball players.