It was only fitting.

Northern Lehigh’s Tegan Simms can definitely drive to the basket and is also solid at the free throw line.

But those around the Colonial League are aware that the Bulldog junior is mostly known for her ability to shoot — especially from behind the three-point line.

So it was rather appropriate that needing three more points to reach the coveted 1,000 mark on Jan. 10, the athletic and talented player drained a baseline trey to add her name to the list of Northern Lehigh girls that have accomplished the milestone.

“It was very special (it came on a three-pointer),” said Simms, who had 151 career treys entering the contest at home against Bangor. “I was saying to one of my friends, ‘I don’t really want it to come on a foul shot, unless maybe it was on an and-one, but a three-pointer would be great.’

“I wanted it over in the first quarter or the first half just so we could just play the rest of the game as a team and not worry about me.”

Simms got her wish, thanks to her offensive explosion against the Slaters.

Entering the game with 991 points, the slender shooter drilled a three from the wing a little over a minute into the contest to open the scoring. On two trips to the line, she made three of four shots to give her six points and pull her within three of the coveted mark.

With 2:48 still to play in the opening quarter, Simms found her spot on the floor and let fly from behind the arc. After her shot fell through the net — which gave the Bulldogs on 11-0 lead, play was stopped and the congratulations began.

“Everyone has been talking about this, my family, my friends, my teammates, my coaches,” said Simms. “It’s a great accomplishment.

“It’s been a goal. It was one of those things where I felt like I had to accomplish it. It’s big for me, but my teammates, and family and friends are more important to me than hitting 1,000. But I’m still very grateful to get it. I set high standards for myself, and I feel like I have to achieve those things.”

That drive to succeed is seen on a daily basis by Northern Lehigh first-year head coach Brandon Hibbler.

And he’s thrilled that Simms will be around for another season after this one.

“She’s a special player,” said Hibbler. “She’s a natural talent. She’s just a gifted player. She has a lot of intangibles that kids aren’t just gifted with, but to her credit she works extremely hard. She plays basketball 12 months a year, 24/7. She really does a lot of things, even off the ball. She’s not selfish. She passes the ball really well. She’s all about her team.

“I’m fortunate to be her coach this year and next year, and to be part of our success. I said from Day 1, we’re going to go as far as Tegan takes us, scoring and just her control of the game where teams can’t press us with her. She’s a special player, and happy to have her.”

Simms, a three-sport athlete who also plays soccer and softball, said she started playing basketball in second grade. She would shoot around at her older brother’s basketball practices and loved it.

“He had a lot of influence on me,” said Simms about her brother Connor, who ended his Bulldog career with 935 points — just missing four digits. “We used to 1v1 in our driveway and he would kick my butt. But he definitely pushed me to be the player I am today ... I do have bragging rights now, but I do feel bad to an extent.”

Tegan is the 16th Nolehi/Slatington girls player to reach 1,000 career points, and with another season to go she’s sure to climb up the list.

Scoring, however, isn’t the only thing on her mind.

“Probably my most favorite thing other than scoring is getting attempts for my teammates to score, because it’s just as important for them to score than it is for me to score.”

Her current head coach echoes that sentiment, and raves about her character.

“She does a lot off the ball,” said Hibbler. “She really works hard at what she does. She can dribble, she can shoot, she can pass, she can attack the basket, she can really get to any part on the floor that she wants.

“She’s a great kid. Academically, she’s high honors, just a good person to be around. We have great conversations at practice. She’s full of energy and is bubbly. She’s just a really good person, and she’s going to develop into a great college player.”