Is milestone still the same?

By MIKE KILROY Eagle Staff Writer

February 26, 2009 Last Updated: February 26, 2009 11:26 AM High School

Union’s Scott Booth (23) is one of five area high school basketball players to reach the career 1,000-point plateau this season.

Karly Rhoads hit a deep 3-pointer, turned and bolted down the floor to play defense.

The Slippery Rock High junior was shocked when the whistle blew with less than a minute remaining in a blowout win against Titusville.

Rhoads' 3-pointer gave her 1,001 career points.

The game was stopped and the ball was presented to her under a din of applause.

"I kind of don't even believe it," Rhoads said after the game.

It was a milestone she thought about since she first dribbled a basketball. To her, scoring 1,000 career points was a big deal.

Four other Butler County basketball players joined that 1,000-point club this season.

That mark used to be hallowed ground. Now, some say, the achievement is becoming as routine as a 10-foot jumper.

"It's not the same as it used to be," said Moniteau boys basketball coach Randy Armagost. "The 3-pointer really changed the game. There are so many other things for kids to do — jobs, PlayStation, stuff like that — that more freshmen are playing than ever before."

Armagost's son, Tyler, eclipsed 1,000 career points earlier this month. For the senior, the accomplishment was memorable.

"I had thought about it for a while," Tyler said. "It was something I definitely wanted to accomplish."

Scoring was never the prime role for Tyler Armagost, though. His job was to rebound, play defense and hand out assists.

"It's still an accomplishment. But it's not as difficult as it used to be," Randy Armagost said. "I think 1,500 points is the new milestone for players who play when they are freshmen. Or 1,000 by the junior year."

And therein lies the rub.

As the game has changed at the high school level, with a quicker pace and more emphasis on offense, has 1,000 points lost its luster?

Scoring binge

Nearly 120 Butler County basketball players have cracked the 1,000-point mark in their careers. Nearly half of them have done it in this decade.

Knoch athletic director JoshShoop was a senior for the Knights in 1991 when he topped 1,000 career points.

When he did, he became the second Knoch player to reach the milestone and the first in more than 30 years.

Since Shoop's achievement, three others have reached the mark — two in the last three years.

"It wasn't a goal of mine," Shoop said. "Not at all. You play to win and the points will come."

Shoop, the son of longtime coach Les Shoop, thought in terms of wins, not points.

Even though he was the coach's son, Shoop didn't play a varsity minute as a freshman.

Not many teams had them on their varsity rosters in those days.

"I played ninth-grade basketball," Shoop said. "Even in 1991, there were probably four or five freshmen kids in the WPIAL who played varsity. My dad was the coach and he didn't even bring me up (to the varsity team)."

Fifteen years later, Shoop's brother, Jordan, topped 1,000 career points.

Jordan, though, started at point guard as a freshman.

An extra season makes a big difference.

Play every game in a high school career, even on a lackluster team that fails to make the playoffs, and a player needs to average only 11 points per game to reach 1,000 points.

To do it in three years, that number jumps to 14 points per contest.

"The only reason Tyler scored 1,000 points is because he played as a freshman," Randy Armagost said.

But there are some who say scoring 1,000 points might be more difficult now than it was in the past.

Still grand

Union boys basketball coachKaren Davis scoffs at the notion that 1,000 points aren't all they're cracked up to be.

She should know.

Davis, who coached the girls basketball team at Union for a decade before taking over the boys program, has coached her fair share of 1,000-point scorers.

Golden Knights junior Scott Booth, who is Davis' nephew, achieved the milestone this season.

Davis said no matter how the game has changed, scoring that many points in a career is still a monumental achievement

"One thousand points is still 1,000 points," Davis said. "If a player scores that many points, I don't care how they got it, they have done one heck of a job. It's a big deal. It always will be a big deal."

Davis said it may be even harder for players to reach 1,000 points.

The schedule was pared back this season from 24 games to 22. That means a player has potentially eight fewer games in a career.

Davis also said defenses are getting more stingy. It wasn't uncommon for Booth to see double and triple teams this season.

Mars senior Lily Grenci, who scored nearly 50 percent of her team's points this season, had five defenders converging on her in the post at times.

Still, both players averaged more than 22 points per game. They are the exceptions, however.

"I think it's easier to get 1,000 points if you have a balanced team around you," Davis said. "Teams with one scorer, he's going to see teams double- and triple-down on him."

Former SlipperyRock High boys basketball coach Chris Burtch has another take.

Burtch, who now is a color commentator on local basketball radio broadcasts, said the number of talented players has increased.

Twenty years ago, a team was lucky if it had one star player to score 20 to 25 points per game. These days, teams have three or four scoring options, which divides the scoring pie.

"There are so many good, skilled basketball players out there now," Burtch said. "Just about everyone spends the summer on a middle-of-the-road or elite AAU team and spends four days a week in the gym working on their skills.

"Twenty years ago, you maybe had that one player on your team who did that. The other, basketball started in November and ended in March. A thousand points? That's a ton of points."

To the players doing the scoring, though, 1,000 points is a milestone they will cherish forever.

"All those players are awesome, and it's just hard to believe I am in there with them. ..." Karly Rhoads said. "To get 1,000 points, I feel honored."

BoysButler (5): Shawn Bellis, Mark Maier, Tyrell Sales, KevinMcGarrah, Jaron HilovskySeneca Valley (2): Andy Podbielski, Justin ZieglerKnoch (5): Aaron Faulx, Jordan Shoop, Josh Shoop, Fred Rothen, Rob BriggsMars (4): Steve Cress, Tim Frye, BillCress, VinnySmith*Freeport (1): Adam BaumanSlippery Rock (5): Ben Zajac, Steve Beatty, Jim McConnell, Shane Meling, Adam ZajacGrove City (7): Jordan Fee, Ryan King, Mike Johnson, Josh Morgan, Lyle Cavanaugh, Bob Crow, TomClarkeKarns City (10): Tyler Callihan, Doug Rodgers, Jeff Craig, Mark Lankitus, Patrick Craig, Tom Gaiser, Robert Zanella, Adam Cramer, Mark Whitmer, Darren CallihanMoniteau (5): Tyler Grossman, John Grossman, RandyJackson, Ryan Morton, Micah Smith, Tyler ArmagostA-C Valley (12): Sean Foust, Dave Sherman, Tim Orton, Dave Miloszewski, Vince White, Randy Collier, Jake Mechling, Patrick Shirey, Rick Foust, Brandon Kriebel, John Marron, Jesse MorrisonUnion (8): Kyle Hilliard, George Shafer, Jake Weckerly, Dustin Laughlin, Eric Buzard, Troy Heeter, Don Eustice,Scott BoothSummit Academy (1): Anwar RascoeGirlsButler (8): Leatha Dudeck, Wendy Brink, Amy Achesinski, Jody Imbrie, Kim Nowakowski, Lisa Zitalone, Allyson Cowoski, ErinWard*Seneca Valley (1): Marlesse SchlottKnoch (0): None*Mars (2): Lily Grenci, Jaime Lynn*Freeport (1): Daashia FishSlippery Rock (8): Jence Rhoads, Heather Kearney, Tracey Flynn, Tara Codispot, Suzanne Street, Erica Youngman, Jamie Dick, Karly RhoadsGrove City (4): Julie Molloy, Kirsten Ellison, Chelsea Smith, Kristen FerrucciKarns City (8): Elizabeth Whitmer, Katie Kepple, Courtnay Rattigan, Karissa Kusick, Allyson Kepple, Bobby Jo Blakely, Gina Andreassi, Ashley CampbellMoniteau (4): Alyssa Deal, Dee Slater, Lil Baptiste, Autumn KramerA-C Valley (4): Hilary McCall, Leah Botz, Patty Sherman, Chelsea McKinneyUnion (11): Joyce Wensel, Mary Jane Eaton, JillWensel, Andrea Mortimer, Tracie Murray, Bethany Koch, PennySummerville, Tiffany Corle, RachelEaton, Dawn Crissman, Jamie Johnson* List not confirmed and/or incomplete