State Tourney Patriarch Re-Writes Record Book; Captures P&A Crown
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Multiple Record-Breaking and Record-Setting Performances In 2016
For many, it's a story that would be hard to believe unless you witnessed it in person. There have been some impressive performances over the years since stat tracking started in 2010, but 2016 proved to be a performance for the ages for Don Korecky, who finally captured his first points and attendance championship.
2015 champion, James Defrancesco jokingly referred to him as the "Attendance Rain Man." Although with all due respect to Dustin Hoffman's character, Raymond Babbit, even the Rain Man himself would have to be impressed with the mental computing abilities Korecky displayed, capturing $54 of his record setting $66 off of attendance pots .
In what will go down as the most impressive two-day attendance stretch in history, "Big Don" as he's affectionately called by his State posse, took 3 of the 4 attendance pots on day one, and continued his streak on day two capturing 5 of the first 7 attendance pots.
That was just the beginning of the assault on the record books. By the time the final horn rang at the end of the Division 1 championship game, Don had set the record for most money won, most attendance pots won, largest weekend gain, and tied for most total pots won.
Micah Conley, the only two-time points and attendance champion said, "It was like watching Tiger on Sunday or MJ in a game 7 in their prime. You couldn't help but sit back in awe and appreciate what you were witnessing." Korecky obliterated the previous record for most money won in a single weekend by $13. His $66 winnings toppled Chet's record winnings of $53 back in 2012.
Overshadowed by Korecky's record-setting performance was the rise of the young guns Mason and Ethan Conley who were eyeing records of their own. Any other year and the title most likely would have been Mason's for the taking as he finished with an impressive plus $48 for the weekend. His $48 sets the record for the highest winnings by a non-champion, which was previously held by Josiah Wade when he finished plus $45 in 2012. Mason did etch his name in the record books however when he grabbed the $24 points pot for session 10, the largest single pot in points and attendance history. He followed that win up with another points win for session 1 1, which netted him plus $36 in two games, moving him into second place for the weekend.
Ethan Conley, who finished 3rd with a plus $36 was close to setting his own record as the highest 3rd place winner. Defrancesco still holds that record finishing 3rd in 2012 with a plus $40. The youngest Conley has definitely made a name for himself finishing 2nd in 2014 and 3rd in 2016, which were his last two State weekends (absent from points and attendance in 2015).
As with every points and attendance competition, someone is always going to end up on the wrong side of the ledger. In one of the most remarkable falls from grace ever witnessed, Seth Conley, 2014 Points and Attendance Champion, has yet to win a single pot in the last two years since winning the title. Conley is currently sitting in the longest all-time losing streak in points and attendance history as he is winless in his last 26 sessions. Since his session 10 attendance victory in 2014, his has gone an unprecedented 0-52 combined for points and attendance!
Will this be the year the drought ends? Will one of the young guns finally make it to the mountain top? Or will a past champion rise from the ashes to regain the throne? Only time will tell. 2017 will undoubtedly be another interesting year in the points and attendance race.
For many, it's a story that would be hard to believe unless you witnessed it in person. There have been some impressive performances over the years since stat tracking started in 2010, but 2016 proved to be a performance for the ages for Don Korecky, who finally captured his first points and attendance championship.
2015 champion, James Defrancesco jokingly referred to him as the "Attendance Rain Man." Although with all due respect to Dustin Hoffman's character, Raymond Babbit, even the Rain Man himself would have to be impressed with the mental computing abilities Korecky displayed, capturing $54 of his record setting $66 off of attendance pots .
In what will go down as the most impressive two-day attendance stretch in history, "Big Don" as he's affectionately called by his State posse, took 3 of the 4 attendance pots on day one, and continued his streak on day two capturing 5 of the first 7 attendance pots.
That was just the beginning of the assault on the record books. By the time the final horn rang at the end of the Division 1 championship game, Don had set the record for most money won, most attendance pots won, largest weekend gain, and tied for most total pots won.
Micah Conley, the only two-time points and attendance champion said, "It was like watching Tiger on Sunday or MJ in a game 7 in their prime. You couldn't help but sit back in awe and appreciate what you were witnessing." Korecky obliterated the previous record for most money won in a single weekend by $13. His $66 winnings toppled Chet's record winnings of $53 back in 2012.
Overshadowed by Korecky's record-setting performance was the rise of the young guns Mason and Ethan Conley who were eyeing records of their own. Any other year and the title most likely would have been Mason's for the taking as he finished with an impressive plus $48 for the weekend. His $48 sets the record for the highest winnings by a non-champion, which was previously held by Josiah Wade when he finished plus $45 in 2012. Mason did etch his name in the record books however when he grabbed the $24 points pot for session 10, the largest single pot in points and attendance history. He followed that win up with another points win for session 1 1, which netted him plus $36 in two games, moving him into second place for the weekend.
Ethan Conley, who finished 3rd with a plus $36 was close to setting his own record as the highest 3rd place winner. Defrancesco still holds that record finishing 3rd in 2012 with a plus $40. The youngest Conley has definitely made a name for himself finishing 2nd in 2014 and 3rd in 2016, which were his last two State weekends (absent from points and attendance in 2015).
As with every points and attendance competition, someone is always going to end up on the wrong side of the ledger. In one of the most remarkable falls from grace ever witnessed, Seth Conley, 2014 Points and Attendance Champion, has yet to win a single pot in the last two years since winning the title. Conley is currently sitting in the longest all-time losing streak in points and attendance history as he is winless in his last 26 sessions. Since his session 10 attendance victory in 2014, his has gone an unprecedented 0-52 combined for points and attendance!
Will this be the year the drought ends? Will one of the young guns finally make it to the mountain top? Or will a past champion rise from the ashes to regain the throne? Only time will tell. 2017 will undoubtedly be another interesting year in the points and attendance race.
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Lima Senior senior guard Xavier Simpson has been named the 2016 Associated Press Ohio Mr. Basketball winner.
Simpson, headed to Michigan, is averaging 27.2 points, 6.1 assists, 3.8 steals for the undefeated Spartans who play int eh Division I state semifinals at 5:15 p.m. Friday at Ohio State’s Schottenstein Center.
Other finalists included Jarron Cumberland of Wilmington, Seth Towns of Columbus Northland, Markell Johnson of Cleveland East Tech, Drew Rackley of New Concord John Glenn and Jon Teske of Medina.
Simpson is not the first player from Lima to win Mr. Basketball. The others include Lima Senior’s Greg Simpson (1991 and 1992), Lima Central Catholic’s Aaron Hutchins (1994) and Lima Shawnee’s Jamar Butler.
Simpson, headed to Michigan, is averaging 27.2 points, 6.1 assists, 3.8 steals for the undefeated Spartans who play int eh Division I state semifinals at 5:15 p.m. Friday at Ohio State’s Schottenstein Center.
Other finalists included Jarron Cumberland of Wilmington, Seth Towns of Columbus Northland, Markell Johnson of Cleveland East Tech, Drew Rackley of New Concord John Glenn and Jon Teske of Medina.
Simpson is not the first player from Lima to win Mr. Basketball. The others include Lima Senior’s Greg Simpson (1991 and 1992), Lima Central Catholic’s Aaron Hutchins (1994) and Lima Shawnee’s Jamar Butler.