Jack Taylor’s performance left even Kobe Bryant impressed.
The Division III guard shattered the NCAA scoring record with 138 points, hoisting a mind-boggling 108 attempts — or one shot every 20 seconds — in eclipsing the previous record by 25 points.
Taylor made 27 of 71 3-point attempts, was 52 of 108 overall from the field and added seven free throws on 10 attempts while playing 36 minutes in Grinnell’s 179-104 victory over Faith Baptist Bible on Tuesday night.
“That’s crazy, man. I don’t care what level you’re at. Scoring 138 points is pretty insane,” the Lakers’ superstar said after Los Angeles’ victory over the Nets.
Even Taylor was having a hard time processing his feat.
“I don’t think reality has set in yet,” said the 5-foot-10, 170-pound sophomore from Black River Falls, Wis.
That’s partly because Taylor was coming off a poor shooting weekend and started Tuesday’s night game off slow — at least according to his standards. His coaches figured the best way to get him on track was for him to keep chucking, so that’s what Taylor did.
Taylor had 58 points at halftime. Then he got hot.
Taylor was 32 of 58 from the field — including 18 3s — in the final 20 minutes and averaged an astonishing four points a minute in the second half.
Rio Grande’s Bevo Francis held the NCAA scoring record with 113 points against Hillsdale in 1954. In 1953, Francis had 116 against Ashland Junior College. Frank Selvy is the only other player to reach triple figures, scoring 100 points for Division I Furman against Newberry in 1954. The previous Grinnell record was 89 by Griffin Lentsch last Nov. 19 against Principia.
Taylor’s game was so astounding it overshadowed the 70 points Faith Baptist’s David Larson had on 34-of-44 shooting.
Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks were amazed by Taylor’s accomplishment when they heard about it after their victory in New Orleans.
“I never heard of nothing like that. That’s like a video game,” Anthony said, an incredulous look on his face. “How can you shoot 100 times, though?”
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