It was evident Brandywine Heights senior Addison Benner had the potential to be that type of player as a freshman. Now her name will sit atop the Bullets' record books until another rare talent comes along.
Benner scored 25 points in a 57-33 victory over Antietam Feb. 3 and added another eight points in a 42-32 loss to Executive Education Feb. 5 to finish her career with 1,284 points, the highest mark in Brandywine Heights girls basketball history, and earn BerksGirlsBasketball.com's latest Player of the Week.
"It was always on my radar that I had a chance to break the girls scoring record for Brandywine," Benner said. "The season was coming to an end with not many games left and I knew I was close. I started our second-to-last regular season game needing five points to break the record. I think I made two layups and then my teammate, Lizzie Tomaine, passed me the ball in the left corner, which is my favorite shot. When I shot that 3, I knew it was going in. It felt great and was such a weight lifted off my shoulders."
Benner averaged 14.1 points per game as a freshman, leading the Bullets to their first district win in seven years and first state playoff appearance since 1980.
She averaged 13.2 points per game as a sophomore, 14.1 points as a junior, and 13.7 points this season to end her career with 1,282. In her four seasons, the Bullets went 58-36.
"Over the past four years it has been an extreme pleasure both watching and coaching Addison," said Brandywine Heights head coach and Addison's father Rob Benner. "Her unwavering love for the game and how much she enjoyed playing will be missed."
Benner surpassed the only three other Bullets to reach 1,000 points on her way to the scoring record this season. First she passed Mallory Olsheski's 1,062 points then Nicole Savino's 1,252 and finally Deanna Daddona's 1,253.
Breaking a school scoring record is a rare occurrence. In the past five seasons, only Exeter's Grace Reedy (last year), Twin Valley's Peyton McDaniel (in 2020), and now Benner have done so.
In the past decade, only Antietam's Paige Glovenski (2019), Berks Catholic's Devon Merritt (in 2016), and Conrad Weiser's Hannah Racis (in 2015) have become their school's all-time leading scorer. Fleetwood's scoring record is the longest-standing and has held since 1980.
Benner now sits at No. 53 all-time in the Berks girls basketball scoring record book, sandwiched between Schuylkill Valley's Jackie Reitnouer (1,283), who graduated in 1999, and Hamburg's Kim Colunio (1,280), who graduated in 1990.
This is the first time Benner has ever been selected Player of the Week and the only time a Brandywine Heights player has been selected. Player of the Week was initially awarded by Mike Drago Sports, where Berks girls basketball coverage was previously provided.
Benner joins Reading High's Yamilex Rodriguez, Twin Valley's Hailey Kilgore, Oley Valley's Izzy Buehler, Exeter's Meredith Fylypowycz, Wyomissing's Amaya Stewart, Wilson's Kailani Hardy, Gov. Mifflin's Bella Super, Muhlenberg's Lianna Martir, and Berks Catholic's Madison Langdon as BGB Players of the Week this season.
Players considered for Player of the Week honors are nominated by their coach or by members of the BerksGirlsBasketball.com coverage team.
Also considered for BGB Player of Week:
Wilson's Laura Crocona
Hamburg's Norah Davey
Gov. Mifflin's Brooklyn George
Kutztown's Kaitlyn Houptley
Antietam's Airyana Jones
Berks Catholic's Madison Langdon
Oley Valley's Kadyn Rhoads
Reading High's Yamilex Rodriguez
Wyomissing's Amaya Stewart
Conrad Weiser's Alex Trevena
Selected BGB Player of the Week in 2024-25:
Dec. 9: Yamilex Rodriguez, Reading High
Dec. 16: Hailey Kilgore, Twin Valley
Dec. 23: Izzy Buehler, Oley Valley
Dec. 30: Meredith Fylypowycz, Exeter
Jan. 6: Amaya Stewart, Wyomissing
Jan. 13: Kailani Hardy, Wilson
Jan. 20: Bella Super, Gov. Mifflin
Jan. 27: Lianna Martir, Muhlenberg
Feb. 3: Madison Langdon, Berks Catholic
Feb. 10: Addison Benner, Brandywine Heights
Selected Player of the Week in 2023-24 on MikeDragoSports.com:
Dec. 11: Amaya Stewart, Wyomissing
Dec. 18: Laila Jones, Wilson
Dec. 25: Juliana Stichter, Schuylkill Valley
Jan. 1: Grace Reedy, Exeter
Jan. 8: Morgan Snyder, Oley Valley
Jan. 15: Violet Houck, Wilson
Jan. 22: Taylor Koenig, Gov. Mifflin
Jan. 29: Yamilex Rodriguez, Reading High
Feb. 5: Madison Langdon, Berks Catholic
Feb. 12: Madison Langdon, Berks Catholic
Feb. 19: Amaya Stewart, Wyomissing
Feb. 26: Annie McCaffrey, Wyomissing
March 4: Audrey Hurleman, Wyomissing
Selected Player of the Week in 2022-23 on MikeDragoSports.com:
Dec. 12: Alexis Hardy, Wyomissing
Dec. 19: Morgan Snyder, Oley Valley
Dec. 26: Caraline Herb, Berks Catholic
Jan. 2: Ashanti Chapman, Reading High
Jan. 9: Amelia Gassert, Hamburg
Jan. 16: Juliana Stichter, Schuylkill Valley
Jan. 23: Laila Jones, Wilson
Jan. 30: Alexis Hess, Fleetwood
Feb. 6: Grace Reedy, Exeter
Feb. 13: Amaya Stewart, Wyomissing
Feb. 20: Amaya Stewart, Wyomissing
Feb. 27: Madison Langdon, Berks Catholic
March 6: Audrey Hurleman, Wyomissing
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