Correspondent photos / Robert Hayes Salem’s Jenna McClish saves the ball from going out of bounds while on offense during the second half at Poland.

POLAND — Kyla Jamison entered Wednesday night’s game needing 19 points to reach 1,000 career points for Salem.

The senior forward had just one thing on her mind, and it wasn’t about getting her points in a non-league game at Poland.

“I didn’t care if I reached 1,000 tonight,” Jamison said. “I just wanted to win. That’s all that mattered to me.”

First-year Quakers coach Sarah Hamilton had Jamison’s back.

“It’s true,” Hamilton said. “She had two big goals this year and those were to beat Poland and South Range as a senior. That’s the type of athlete and young lady that she is. The team success is important to her, and it’s a blessing as a coach when your leader is also the hardest-working player on the court in practices and games.”

Jamison had her cake and ate it, too.

Salem held off the Bulldogs, 46-41, and Jamison reached 1,000 points on a key bucket with 1:58 remaining in the contest. The hoop came off a great feed from Addie Davidson and broke a 41-all tie.

In a nice athletic gesture, Poland stopped the game to commemorate the moment, and the Quakers took a team picture with Jamison holding the ball.

But even then, it was obvious Jamison was in the moment. She was upset and a little perturbed the game was stopped.

“It was very nice of them, but I really wanted to keep playing at that moment,” she said. “It’s a close game, we just took the lead and had momentum and there was a bunch of excitement.”

Salem still had the 43-41 lead when it regained possession following a Poland missed shot with 1:30 left. The Quakers then spread the floor and forced the Bulldogs to foul until earning a one-and-one with 52 seconds remaining.

Casey Johnson split two free throws, and neither team scored again until Johnson converted two free throws with 4.9 seconds left to account for the final score.

“It’s always a great day when you can beat a program like Poland, which is very well-coached and has a tremendous player like Jackie Grisdale,” Hamilton said. “You don’t get players like her come around very often.

“I thought we doubled her strong and made her give up the basketball. Annie Davidson did a wonderful job on her, but got into foul trouble in the fourth quarter and we had a deep enough bench to hold on.”

Davidson picked up her fourth foul with 7:16 left, went to the bench but returned at 4:39, with Salem up 37-36. She fouled out with 2:22 left and sent Mary Brant to the foul line. Brant cashed in both tosses to tie the score at 41.

Poland, playing its first contest, never led in the fourth quarter after the Quakers used a big third period to overcome a 25-18 halftime deficit and stake a 35-30 lead.

“That’s a very good team in the other locker room and we played a game that could’ve gone either way,” Poland coach Nick Blanch said. “I’m proud. We fought hard to the end. We’ve had a total of three practices since Oct. 23 with the entire team healthy and able to play. That’s not an excuse. Like I said, tip your hats to Salem because they won.

“But I told my girls it’s a long season that ends in late February or early March, and tonight was just the first game. We have high expectations again.”

The Bulldogs have been one of the area’s consistently successful teams.

They finished 22-3 last year after losing to top-seeded West Branch 44-43 in a Division II district final. They were 26-1 two seasons ago when they lost in a regional final, and their combined record in the past five seasons was 103-16.

Grisdale, one of three starters returning, finished with 14 points and Brant added nine.

“We’re asking a lot of young girls to step into leading roles this season, and we have to be patient and positive,” Blanch said. “Besides the three returning starters, we’re pretty inexperienced and we’re looking for scoring. But we’ll get there. Tonight was just a start.

“We’re always optimistic. We’re just excited to begin play. There are a lot of area schools that would have traded places with us tonight. We’re grateful to be here.”

Salem, which moved to 2-0, trailed 11-7 after the first quarter and 18-16 near the midway point of the second quarter, but the hosts scored the final seven points of the half.

In the third quarter, Salem used a 15-2 surge to take a 33-27 lead, as Johnson and Annie Davidson hit consecutive 3-pointers and Jamison scored three times from the paint.

Addie Davidson supported Jamison with 10 points and Johnson added eight points.

“This was a huge confidence-booster, and we stayed composed enough down the stretch,” Hamilton said. “You know when you play Poland, you’re in for a long night because of their defensive pressure. But we adjusted to it, and I think our defensive pressure forced a lot of turnovers and made them work for everything they got.”