Not only did UMass Dartmouth basketball player Jordan Rezendes score his thousandth point in a basketball game Wednesday night, but he also got a very special surprise visitor to help cheer him on.

Going into the game on Wednesday, Jan. 13, the 23-year-old Onset native, already had a lot to be excited about, considering his thousandth point was just around the corner.

But the evening was made all the more special when Rezendes’ brother, Trey Miranda, 17, and an entire entourage of close friends and family came to see him on his big night.

“My brother is more important than basketball,” UMass senior Jordan Rezendes said. “That was the last thing I expected.”

Miranda is currently staying at Boston Children’s Hospital, undergoing a combination of radiation, chemotherapy and steroidal treatment to get rid of two stage four tumors wrapped around his brain stem. Rezendes frequently makes the trip to Boston to be with his brother.

The Wareham community has been rallying their support with fundraisers to help Miranda and his family offset costs, including hospital parking and transportation. Many of Miranda’s friends from home came to support him and Rezendes.

Wednesday night’s game was the first game Miranda had seen this season. It was also the first game his father was able to come out and see, making the game doubly special.

“To see the whole town and guys that I grew up with...it meant a lot,” Rezendes said. “I support my friends in anything they do, and they all support me. That’s what friends are for, and family.”

The UMass Corsairs (8-6) faced off against the East Connecticut State University Warriors (10-5). Though the Corsairs lost by a slim margin in the 80-72 game, Rezendes never lost perspective.

Rezendes came into the game just 12 points shy of his thousandth point. By the time the second half of the game started, Rezendes was just three points away from the milestone.

He wasn’t even entirely sure he’d scored his thousandth point when it happened, as the game typically stops for congratulations. However, Rezendes knew he had reached his goal when his family and friends in the bleachers went wild.

As the crowd roared, Rezendes saluted his brother from across the court.

“It’s all for him,” Rezendes affirmed. “It’s all for him. Him showing up to the game, I had to.”

Despite how big a milestone it was, Rezendes wasn’t feeling any pressure.

“It’s basketball. It’s just another game. I don’t go out there and get nervous, I’ve been playing my whole life, so I don’t get nervous,” he said.

Rezendes was already a card-carrying member of the 1,000 point club. He had scored 1,000 career points while a student at Wareham High School. Coming into UMass, Rezendes wasn’t too concerned with hitting that milestone a second time. It just happened naturally, he said.

“Hopefully, we’ll reach the NCAA tournament, win the conference tournament and keep winning,” Rezendes said.

Fellow UMass basketball player Megan Ronaghan joined the ranks of the 1,000 point club on Jan. 4. The two had a friendly competition going on, Rezendes said. They would egg each other on to see who would get to 1,000 first.

Rezendes is the 47th player in UMass Dartmouth men’s basketball history to join the 1,000 point club. He clocked in a total of 22 points during Wednesday’s game.