Unbelievable night, finishing with 47 points and 9 threes breaking 2 school records. Huge shoutout to all my supportive teammates and coaches believing in me!@GreggRosenberg1 @520EliteBall @JavierJMorales @AZPreps365Andy @CienegaSports @azc_obert @ArizonaPreps pic.twitter.com/Oxz1ANC9YX
— Benjamin Kmak (@benrkmak) January 5, 2022
Cienega standout Benjamin Kmak scored 47 points in an 81-51 win over Nogales at home on Tuesday night.
The 6-foot guard also made nine 3-pointers. Both marks are considered Bobcat records and the victory also helped push the Cienega power-ranking record to 6-4 with the initial AIA rankings set to be released on Thursday.
“Before the game, I was locked in like I always am before tipoff,” Kmak stated. “Coming off two losses in our region, and missing a few key players, I knew I had to step up when my team needed me. My shot felt good right off the bat and then I got into the zone and drowned out all the noise.
“When I get in the zone, my mind completely zeroes in on the game and everything becomes instinctual.”
The state record for points in a game was set by George McCormick of Fredonia in 1966 when he scored 75 points against Salome. Eight players have scored over 60 points in a game and a bit over 20 have scored over 50.
The Southern Arizona record is 58 points by former Pueblo guard Aromeo Grigsby on Jan. 17, 2003, in a 110-67 win over Douglas.
Jake Taylor of Trivium Prep sank 15 3s in 2020 to set the state record, breaking 14 held by Smiley Contreras of Pueblo for about 19 years.
The Bobcats will host Salpointe (4-0 in ranking games) on Thursday.
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Andy Morales was recognized by the AIA as the top high school reporter in 2014, he was awarded the Ray McNally Award in 2017, a 2019 AZ Education News award winner and he has been a youth, high school and college coach for over 30 years. He was the first in Arizona to write about high school beach volleyball and high school girls wrestling. His own children have won multiple state high school championships and were named to all-state teams. Competing in hockey, basketball, baseball and track & field in high school, his unique perspective can only be found here and on AZPreps365.com. Andy is the Southern Arizona voting member of the Ed Doherty Award, recognizing the top football player in Arizona, and he was named a Local Hero by the Tucson Weekly for 2016. Andy was named an Honorary Flowing Wells Caballero in 2019, became a member of the Sunnyside Los Mezquites Cross Country Hall of Fame in 2021 and he was a member of the Amphi COVID-19 Blue Ribbon Committee and he earned a Distinguished Service Award from Amphitheater. Contact Andy Morales at amoralesmytucson@yahoo.com
