Last night I watched the Class A State Championship between Detroit Pershing and Kalamazoo Central. Pershing’s point guard Keith Appling scored 49 points in leading the Doughboys (the best nickname in the history of sports) to the title.
Appling, a junior who has given a commitment to Michigan State University dazzled the crowd with outside jumpers, mid-range and drives to the basket. Appling shot 17 for 24 from field, 10 for 12 from the line. The young man reminds me of a young Allen Iverson the way he shoots it and dribbles to the goal in traffic. He dished out 5 assists and grabbed 7 rebounds for a performance that saw the building, late in the game give him a standing ovation.
The Detroit News covered the game and Appling had an intersting quote after the game when told he broke the State record for most points in a game.
Step aside, Antoine Joubert. You might be the Judge, but you’ve been overruled by Keith Appling.
Appling, Detroit Pershing’s 6-foot-2 junior guard, set the state final scoring record with 49 points to carry the Doughboys to a 90-73 victory over Kalamazoo Central in the Class A championship game Saturday at the Breslin Center.
Joubert scored 47 in 1983 for Detroit Southwestern in an 84-80 loss to Flint Central in the Class A final. That was 10 years before Appling was born.
“Who?” Appling said when asked if he knew who Joubert was. “I never heard of him. I didn’t even know it was a record. I could care less about the past. I just wanted to win the state.”
Mr. Appling, you’re a special player and on your way to play at a great program (MSU), but the history of basketball is precious…read up on it, you may enjoy it.
P.S.
What is it with people wanting to get into the team picture after the game? Team picture is just for the TEAM!
-Coach Finamore
Hoops135@hotmail.com
PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!
