On Tuesday, January 7, 2025, in a home game against Roselle, Milan Jones ’25 became one of only nine athletes in the history of basketball at Oak Knoll to surpass the 1,000-point landmark. This achievement is the culmination of a goal she set as a grade 9 player and achieved unselfishly as a true team player throughout her basketball career. Basketball is one of Oak Knoll’s oldest team sports, along with field hockey, and spans generations. What a happy accomplishment for Jones during our historic centennial year.

Coach Katie Cummings ’03 celebrated Jones’s accomplishment, which was particularly poignant for her as Cummings achieved this milestone as an Oak Knoll player 22 years ago in her senior year. Fellow teammate at the time, Courtney Hubschman ’05, reached the 1,000-point mark as well. 

Over her coaching years, Cummings has mentored three other student-athletes to this summit: Kerri Moran ’13, Emily Archer ’18, and Paige Morton ’20.

“As a coach, seeing Milan achieve this milestone brings a mix of pride, excitement, and nostalgia,” said Cummings. “In our 100-year history, only a handful of athletes have accomplished this. I know firsthand the mental toughness and focus it takes to get there. You need to stay healthy, disciplined and fully dialed into every game. Witnessing Milan join this elite group is incredibly special and a testament to her dedication and perseverance.”

Coach Cummings noted that Jones never played selfishly or put herself above the team. “In all my years as a player, both in high school and college, and now as a coach, I’ve never seen teammates more genuinely excited to celebrate someone’s achievement. It’s a true testament to her leadership and selflessness,” Cummings related.

In noting her achievement, Jones went out of her way to acknowledge her teammates, giving them small gifts to show her gratitude and recognize their participation. “Milan is a great teammate, and that quality is far more important than scoring 1,000 points,” said Cummings. “This achievement reflects not just her talent, but her character.”

Jones has been on the court since grade 4 and notes that backyard pickup games have always been a joyful aspect of family gatherings and celebrations. “Basketball was one of many things that has brought us together as a family and sparked my interest in this sport,” she explained. 

Jones also credits the Oak Knoll community for providing opportunities and support.

“This accomplishment means the absolute world to me,” she said. “I accomplished one of the goals I set during my freshman year of high school. This milestone officially signifies my hard work as an athlete and proves I prioritize this sport in my life. Additionally, I had the opportunity to represent African Americans in this school. By accomplishing my goals, I was able to show anyone identified as BIPOC that anything is possible when you put your mind to it. We all worked equally to get to Oak Knoll, so I believe this community allows us to maximize all opportunities and supports all of our interests here at Oak Knoll.”

Jones relates that each year on the Oak Knoll basketball team has taught her a new virtue, from hard work to forming lasting friendships to learning from mistakes and embracing leadership. 

“Oak Knoll is a remarkable place where it's demanding academically and high achieving in sports,” she said. “Participating in this team allowed me to build connections with people who care about this sport as much as I do. Along with these virtues and new lifelong friends, Coach Cummings and the coaching staff played a vital role in my achievement. Everyone believed in me and my work in this sport. They constantly pushed me to work harder yet continuously showed their devotion to my career. This team is truly something special, and I’m beyond thankful that I was able to leave my legacy at this school.”

Over the years, in a nod to the many interdisciplinary connections at Oak Knoll, Upper School Art Teacher Will Cardell has used his calligraphy skills to adorn the landmark basketball with the player’s name and milestone.

Scoring 1,000 points in high school is a rare achievement. As Oak Knoll Athletic Director Kelly Childs, Ph.D., said, “It shows a dedication to overall skill development and consistently showing up offensively each season. Milan has always been team-first, passing up shots for herself to give her teammate an opportunity instead. She’s been a consistent player the past four years, helping us elevate our basketball program, and we are so proud of her accomplishment and the fact that her name will hang on the banner in the gym forever.”

A list of all nine 100-point scorers include:

• 1980 — Helen McMenamin
• 1996 — Kate Veronneau
• 2003 — Katie Cummings
• 2005 — Courtney Hubschmann
• 2011 — Catie Mota
• 2012 — Kerri Moran
• 2018 — Emily Archer
• 2020 — Paige Morton
• 2025 — Milan Jones

Visit Oak Knoll’s Athletic Hall of Fame to learn more about individuals and teams whose dedication, outstanding performance, and leadership have profoundly impacted Oak Knoll Athletics.