Brandywine girls basketball player Brooke Smith hasn’t had to look through the stands to find her mom during home games.

Diane Smith has had a front-row seat working as Brandywine’s official scorekeeper.

Last Friday, mother and daughter heard plenty of applause from the Brandywine fans as it was Senior Night. Smith, who is the lone senior on the team, was honored before the game against Bronson with her mother and father (Scott) by her side.

A difficult past year for the Smith family brought extra emotion to the evening.

There were doubts if Brooke would even continue her basketball career after tearing cartilage in her right knee and tearing the ACL in her left leg as a junior on the volleyball team.

“(Senior Night) meant a lot to me,” Brooke said. “When I first got injured I didn’t think I was going to come back and play basketball. Coming back was awesome. I love my team. They’d do anything for me and I’d do anything for them.”

“Brooke’s work and desire allowed her to bounce back from the injuries,” Brandywine girls basketball coach Josh Hood said.

Diane received even worse news about her own health last January.

“When my mom was diagnosed with cancer my world kind of stopped,” Brooke said. “She does everything for me. I wouldn’t be where I am without her. She’s my rock. My mom’s support is incredible. She leaves me notes before every game. She sends me long texts. She’s my best friend.”

Brooke became her mother’s rock when she was battling cancer.

“Going through an injury is way different than being diagnosed with cancer,” Brooke said. “But, you always have to stay up and be positive and be encouraging and that’s what I did.”

Brooke watched her mom beat the toughest opponent.

“She’s cancer-free now,” Brooke said.

Brooke and her mother are hoping to enjoy more moments like Senior Night as the girls basketball season winds down.

Brandywine cut down the nets last Friday after beating Bronson, 52-33, in the B.C.S. Athletic Conference crossover game. The win gave the 18-1 Bobcats their sixth straight conference title.

Smith scored 14 points, had seven steals, three rebounds and a blocked shot to lead Brandywine.

“We were ready and excited to play,” Smith said. “We knew Bronson would give us some competition. We were ready to run up and down with them. We knew they were fast, but were prepared because of the conditioning we’ve had.”

Smith, who is averaging 10 points, seven rebounds and five steals a game, became the school’s 10th all-time leading scorer against Bronson. She now has 594 points, passing Madison Pellow, who totaled 593.

“That’s awesome,” Smith said about moving up the scoring list. “I really didn’t know about that. It’s a really good feeling that my hard work has paid off.”

Hood appreciates what his 5-11 standout has brought to the team on and off the court.

“Brooke is an all-around basketball player,” Hood said. “Her ability to lead our younger girls has been phenomenal. We’ve been really lucky to have her the last four years. We’re hoping to make a magical run for her.”

Nobody deserves it more than the Smiths.