10 all-time Ohio basketball records held by local players and teams

The high school basketball postseason is underway for both boys and girls teams, and we’ve seen some impressive performances throughout the season.

Here are 10 state records held by area teams:

1. Most free throws made (boys)

Franklin’s Luke Kennard, now playing for the NBA Detroit Pistons, holds state records for making the most free throws in a game, season and career.

He sunk 34 free throws in a game against Montrose Christian (Md.) on Jan. 17, 2015, and sits above Peebles player Beau Justice, who had 28 makes against Eastern Pike in March of that same year.

Kennard made 299 free throws during the 2014-15 season, passing Cambridge’s Geno Ford, who had 288 during the 1991-92 season. The Franklin grad also bested Ford’s career free throws record (697 from 1989 to 1993), making 760 from 2011 to 2015.

2. Most steals in a game (boys)

Troy Christian’s Grant Zawadzki is tied for most steals in a game after collecting 14 in a game against Middletown Christian on Feb. 20, 2015. He shares the record with Poland Seminary’s Ben Umbel, who had 14 steals against Salem on Feb. 16, 2008.

3. Most blocked shots in a game (girls)

Bellbrook’s Jesse Morgan finished with 20 blocks in a game against Oakwood on Jan. 9, 2003. That ranks her first ahead of Dayton Carroll’s Robyn Swain, who had 19 blocks against Franklin on Jan. 27, 1997).

4. Consecutive regular-season wins (boys)

Middletown won 76 straight regular-season games from 1955 to 1958 and still holds the state record in that category. Willard’s 69 wins from 1979 to 1982 rank second.

5. Most points scored in a game, both teams (boys)

Dayton Colonel White beat Sidney 130-122 on Dec. 11, 1993, as the teams set the combined points total record at 252. Upper Sandusky and Marion Harding combined for 247 points in a Dec. 22, 2007, game decided by one point.

6. Most points in a game (girls)

Springfield Kenton Ridge scored 136 points against Springfield Northwestern in a 2003 matchup to set the record for most points scored by one team in a game.

Kenton Ridge also is among the top three spots for most combined points in a game. The record is 203 points from a 108-95 win over Springfield South on Dec. 28, 1994, but Ridge played in two more games that saw 200-point totals in 2000 and 2001.

7. Points scored in a season (girls)

Kenton Ridge’s highest scoring games came in the early 2000s, but the team’s 2,515 points scored in 1994-95 is what gives it the state record. Sherwood Fairview totaled 2,446 points that same season.

Ridge averaged 100 points per game in 2001-02, which broke the national record of 94.1 points per game held by the 1997-98 Huntsville (Ala.) S.R. Butler High School team.

8. Most 3-point field goals made in a game (boys)

St. Henry made 25 3-pointers against McGuffey Upper Scioto Valley on March 7, 2000, and that remains the state record. Franklin had 21 against Brookville in a Jan. 16, 2015, game to rank in a tie for second with Upper Sandusky (2017), Mentor (2011) and Beverly Fort Frye (1998).

9. Most state titles (boys)

Middletown’s seven state titles is tied for the most in state history along with Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary and Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph. The Middies’ championships came in 1944, 1946, 1947, 1952, 1953, 1956 and 1957.

Dayton Dunbar has five titles, including three in a row from 1928 to 1930, which ties for the consecutive titles record.

10. Most all-time wins for a coach (girls)

Beavercreek’s Ed Zink is the state’s all-time winningest girls basketball coach after collecting 732 victories from 1975 to 2016. He was 732-229 for his career. Pickerington North’s Dave Butcher had 700 wins through 2014.

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