When told Luke Kennard of Franklin had passed him the previous night on that distinguished list, he issued a message.
“Tell Luke I’m the all-time leading scorer at two different schools,” said Huggins, West Virginia’s coach who was at the Good Samaritan Flyin’ to the Hoop on Sunday at Fairmont’s Trent Arena to watch his recruits. “There’s no one else from Dayton, Ohio who’s ever done that.”
Already the owner of multiple state and national awards and all-star teams, Kennard bumped up three pegs among Ohio’s all-time career scorers following Saturday night’s 77-75 defeat of Montrose Christian (Md.).
Entering as No. 13 all-time, first he passed Dante Jackson of Greenfield McClain (2004-07). Huggins was next. Finally, beloved Middletown favorite son Jerry Lucas (1955-58) was overtaken.
Kennard’s 47 points puts him at 2,462, two better than Lucas and good for 10th all-time.
“I am very happy for him,” said Lucas when contacted Sunday. “It’s a great accomplishment. He is a great player and a great kid.”
Lucas said he didn’t know Kennard had passed him, but he also admitted he didn’t know he had passed Wilt Chamberlain as the all-time boys high school national scoring leader back in the day.
Kennard will be a longshot to overtake all-time leader Jon Diebler’s 3,208 he collected at Fostoria and Upper Sandusky (2004-07). Kennard’s averaging 39.4 points through Franklin’s 13-1 run. He’d need to average 53.2 another 14 games to become No. 1. That also would coincide with a Division II state championship appearance.
That’s heady stuff, even for a reigning Ohio Mr. Basketball. He’ll take that high-scoring game to Duke University next season.
“That means a lot,” Kennard reflected, who also set a state record Saturday for most free throws made in a game, 34. “Jerry Lucas is a great guy. He is a great player. He is a great guy to talk to. He has a lot of great stories. Being able to accomplish that is a pretty big thing. But that wouldn’t happen without my teammates.
“We have a great team - great team chemistry guys, role playing guys. I am excited about that - really blessed to have an opportunity to pass a great like that.”
Count Franklin coach Brian Bales as a Kennard believer.
“It’s been a heck of a run,” he said. “Nothing surprises me anymore. When you got No. 10 (Kennard) in your locker room, you’ve always got a chance. I’m so proud for our school and our program. This is off the chart.”
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