Slippery Rock High School senior Ryan Dutton (22) scored his 1,000th career point in a recent Rockets' game.

SLIPPERY ROCK — Ryan Dutton’s scoring ability recently earned for him an impressive achievement.

Ironically, offense is not his favorite part of basketball.

Slippery Rock High School’s 6-foot-5 senior forward scored his 1,000th career point in the first quarter of a game at rival Grove City Jan. 24.

The game was stopped and Dutton was given the ball with which he reached the milestone before being congratulated by his teammates and coaches.

“Scoring 1,000 points was exciting, but I’m more of a defensive guy,” said Dutton, a resident of Portersville. “I take pride in blocking shots and taking charges.

“It’s important to be vocal, especially on defense.”

Dutton is averaging a double-double for the Rockets with 14.4 points and 12.2 rebounds per contest.

But his value to the team goes beyond any statistic.

“He works well with the younger kids and does a good job of keeping the rest of the team motivated,” said Slippery Rock coach Randy Armagost. “He wants to help turn the program around.”

The Rockets were 1-22 last year when Dutton put up 15.6 points and 11.4 boards. They have made improvement this season, currently sitting at 5-14.

Opposing teams enter a game against Slippery Rock with Dutton in their crosshairs. They know if they contain him, their chances of winning improve dramatically.

“I feel that pressure, absolutely,” he said. “But I enjoy it. I like being double-teamed. I’m just trying to get better and I would give up scoring more points if it meant more wins.”

A starter since his freshman season, Dutton has seen his game improve, but knows where he is at his best.

“I think I’ve become a better shooter, but I try to stay true to my roots,” he said. “I want to be an aggressive post player.”

Dutton is currently entertaining offers from several Division II schools, including West Chester University, Slippery Rock and California (Pa.).

It was only recently that he started to believe his talent could attract schools at that level.

“I wasn’t being highly recruited,” he said. “Then last summer, I played AAU for a team, PK Flash. We played in tournaments all over the East Coast and that got me a lot of attention from colleges.”

Armagost sees a quality in his star player that would translate well to any level of basketball.

“His motor doesn’t stop,” he said. “Just when you think he’s tired and exhausted, he finds another gear.”

“That’s always been my mentality,” said Dutton.