Every Tuesday at 6:50 p.m. during the high school year, we recognize an athlete or team with our TRIA Prep Salute.

Our TRIA Prep Salute for Tues. March 12 is St. Charles High School senior Makadyn Gust.

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Gust has scored many lay ups in her basketball career, but one of them was worth more than two points.

Gust almost didn’t get a senior season of basketball, she tore her ACL and MCL in the state semifinals of the Class-A girls soccer state tournament. Gust was the starting goalie for St. Charles.

Knowing she needed knee surgery, Gust also needed seven points to reach 1,000 for her basketball career, that was her motivation to give her senior basketball season a try.

“It’s the milestone all basketball athletes want to cross,” said Gust. “I felt like I had worked my whole life for that moment, and being so close yet so far away.”

Wearing a knee brace, Gust was able to score a few buckets here and there early in the season, inching closer to 1,000. With a knee surgery scheduled she had one final game, sitting at 999 points.

“I have never felt my hands shake so bad for a game before,” said Makadyn.

From the opening tip in a game against nearby rival Dover-Eyota, Gust had a wide open look underneath the basket, and made it count. Two points, putting her over 1,000.

“When she came over and I gave her the hug is really when it was like, alright we were able to do that,” said Makadyn’s mother Lindsay. “You know that is the last time she will be out on the floor.”

Gust has since had knee surgery and is making a full recovery. Her basketball career didn’t end that night against Dover-Eyota, Makadyn is committed to play college basketball at Rochester Community and Technical College.

“It was a weight lifted off my shoulders knowing I’ll have more years of basketball,” said Makadyn. “I’m more mature I’m able to realize things, my world is not ending.”