Williams, Burrow each reach 1,000-point mark in Missouri

A recent string of 1,000-point scorers at Knob Noster High School grew a little longer last Friday.

Senior Kyra Williams added her name to the Panther list when she drove into the lane and banked home a layup with a minute remaining in Friday's 53-36 win over Clinton, joining a couple of friends and former teammates on the school's A-list.

"It was a big accomplishment," Williams said. "When I was a freshman I watched as Sarah Tyler was honored for scoring 1,000 points. Then as a sophomore, Christina Jones did it. I've wanted to do it ever since."

Following that historic bank shot, Panther coach Michael Cohron called a timeout and presented Williams with a 1,000-point ball. Then, following plenty of cheers and a standing ovation, Williams sank the ensuing free throw that she received after being fouled on the layup.

The 11-point output was her lowest of the year. But, as usual, the 5-foot-4-inch guard delivered on the defensive end of the floor, scraping up 12 steals on the night. Williams is averaging a double-double this season, by scoring 17.8 points a night and averaging 10.8 steals per outing.

"She is so explosive," Cohron said of Williams. "She plays her heart out on that basketball court. She just explodes into the passing lanes and then she gets down the floor with the ball."

Williams won't claim total credit for her uncanny ability to swipe the ball from Knob Noster competition. She points out that her allies do play their roles.

"My teammates have come along a lot," Williams said of the Panther defense. "I can take more risks now because I know they're going to be there. If I miss I know they'll step in and cover for me."

As Panther fans will attest, Williams does everything fast, especially on the basketball court. You'll never see her walk the ball up court unless instructed to do so by Cohron.

If she finds that she is in slow mode, Williams will pick up the pace soon.

"I like to move quickly," Williams said. "If I don't, then I feel like I'm not doing much. All my life I've believed that if you don't go fast, then you're going to lose. If I speed up the opposition faster than what they're used to, then we can capitalize on their mistakes."

Cohron likes Williams' chances of joining Knob Noster's top-five scoring list before the 2010-11 season ends. He also envisions Williams claiming the No. 2 spot behind Panther all-time scoring leader Lindsey Maple's 2,221 points.

BURROW FLURRY NETS 1,000
Damon Burrow didn't keep the Dixon faithful in suspense for very long last Tuesday in his quest to score the 1,000th point of his high-scoring prep career.

With the Bulldogs trailing in the first quarter of a 102-83 win over Vienna, Burrow erupted for seven points in about a minute to tie the score at 16 and claim his place in Dixon boys basketball history.

The 6-3 guard scored the first points of the flurry on a 3-pointer. Then the Bulldogs pressed and Burrow was the recipient of an assist from a Bulldog teammate. He scored on a layup following the Vienna turnover.

Burrow then intercepted the ensuing Vienna inbound pass and scored once again to bring down the house.

"It was special," Burrow said of the celebration that followed Dixon coach Mike Phillips' timeout. "I had an uncle and aunt there and my grandma and grandpa were in the crowd.

"I got a picture and a game ball. But more importantly, we won the game."

While Burrow did enjoy his on court celebration with family and friends all around him, the Bulldog senior was inconvenienced by one dilemma. His renowned shot only tied the score.

"The score at the time was 16-16," he said. "I was trying to figure out how we could change that a little bit."

Burrow is having an all-star type of season again, averaging just more than 29 points a game as well as 4.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 3.6 steals during a 4-1 Bulldog campaign. On Tuesday, he scored 26 points and dished out 10 assists.

Burrow scores most of his points from inside the arc and from the charity stripe. But he warns that he is capable of scoring from afar as well. He, however, isn't concerned with his offensive output - just which team has the larger score at the end of the game.

"I don't have to score 30 points a night," Burrow said. "If I dish out four assists and we win by two, I'll take that."

Burrow isn't the only offensive weapon for the Bulldogs. Through five games in 2010-11, Dixon has been held to less than 100 points just twice. The Bulldogs are averaging 101.6 points a game, while giving up 82.4.

LAST WEEK'S LEADING SCORERS
BOYS
Jonathan Crews of Newburg scored 40 points in a 107-103 loss to Conway ... Viburnum's Brice Ruck ripped the cords for 37 points in an 84-58 win over Steelville ... Jackson Conaway of Viburnum scorched the nets for 33 points in a 67-51 win over Belle ... Reeds Spring's Johnny Willis scored 33 points in a 72-53 win over Aurora ... Kody Ettinger of Cuba ripped the cords for 32 points in an 86-63 win over Laquey ... Yeshiva's Alex Peskin scorched the nets for 31 points in a 57-53 win over Governor French Academy (Ill.) ... Jared Roberts of Missouri Military Academy scored 31 points in a 65-52 loss to Marion County ... True Divine Word Academy's Korrie Upchurch ripped the cords for 31 points in a 122-61 win over St. John the Baptist College Prep ... Montez Upchurch of True Divine Word Academy scorched the nets for 31 points in a 122-61 win over St. John the Baptist College Prep.

GIRLS
Hannah Yelton of Newburg scored 50 points in a 101-34 win over Belle ... Dora's Rena Morgan ripped the cords for 31 points in a 72-59 loss to Cabool ... Hunter Yoakum of Dixon scorched the nets for 30 points in an 83-69 win over Steelville ... New Madrid County Central's Benesha Childress scored 30 points in a 73-42 win over Scott County Central ... Ashton Lutrull of Highland ripped the cords for 27 points in a 53-27 win over Western (Ill.) ... Southwest's Michaela Mitchell scorched the nets for 27 points in a 70-43 win over Sarcoxie ... Katrina Grossman of Penney scored 27 points in a 56-38 win over Maryville ... Dixon's Mattie Whitaker scored 27 points in an 83-69 win over Steelville ... Alton's Myranda Reynolds scored 26 points in a 57-53 loss to Bakersfield ... Jessica Smith of Verona ripped the cords for 26 points in a 47-42 win over Exeter.