“Go get it.”
The way shots were falling for Rice, seven more points didn’t seem like a big thing. Rice pulled up in transition about six feet behind the 3-point line and made a 3-pointer with 3:52 left.
41.
Then he drove left to right across the lane and made a right-handed 10-footer with 2:57 left. He’s left-handed.
44.
Another 3-pointer with 2:20 left.
46.
School record. And, of course, the Warriors won with a fast start and cruised past Miamisburg 72-39.
“He started out really, really aggressive,” Martindale said. “He’s an extremely unselfish kid so a lot of times it’s like, ‘Hey you got to be more selfish at times.’ He did a really really nice job of attacking the rim, knocking down some mid-range jump shots, which he’s really, really talented at, and knocking down some threes. He’s a three-level score and he just got rolling.”
Rice, who has signed to play at Murray State of the Missouri Valley Conference, surpassed his previous career high of 30, which he reached twice last year, on a 3-pointer late in the third quarter.
“Setting these goals and actually accomplishing them feels great,” Rice said. “I know what Travis’ records are as all-time leading scorer and the game-high points. So I’m actually working towards those things.”
Rice is a four-year starter and said he needs about 400 more points to reach Trice’s career record of 1,555. He scored 29 in the Warriors’ first game and needs to average about 20 the rest of the season to get the record.
“They’ve got so much firepower and you saw what Rice did tonight,” Miamisburg coach Tim Fries said. “He is so dangerous.”
Then Fries smiled and shook his head: “I’ve seen Rice for long enough. I’m looking forward to watching him at Murray State.”
Rice and his teammates took it to the Vikings from the start with full-court pressure. Juan Cranford made a 3-pointer, then two steals before the ball crossed half court resulted in two Rice buckets and a free throw for an 8-0 lead 45 seconds into the game. And the lead kept growing.
Cranford added 10 points. He is the only other returning starter. The Warriors (2-0, 1-0 GWOC) also started junior Javon Hammonds in the post, senior and first-year varsity player Jared Furlow and sophomore Boots Perkins, a transfer from Northmont.
Miamisburg (2-1, 0-1) has wins over Franklin and Lebanon, but the Vikings are missing two potential all-league players who are serving as managers.
Last year’s leading scorer Jackson McGohan plans to graduate early and start college in January to be a part of spring football practice. He has a commitment to Cincinnati but hasn’t signed. He recently received additional offers from LSU and Auburn. And senior Darryl Cooper, last year’s second-leading scorer, is out because of an ACL knee injury.
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