California’s previous career scoring leader, Charde Houston, poses with new leader Destiny Littleton of La Jolla Bishop’s. Photo: Marlon Wells (he’s coached both players).
High-scoring Destiny Littleton from Bishop’s of La Jolla becomes California’s all-time career scoring leader with 30 points on Saturday night as she moves past fellow San Diego Section all-time great Charde Houston with 3,839th point. In honor of that feat, we have updated the all-time state list of all players above 2,400 and have posted the progressive state record in that category back to Denise Curry of Davis in the 1970s in our blog as well. There are now nearly 60 players in all listed.
Note: The article about Littleton’s record is free. All of the record lists are for Gold Club members only. It has taken a lot of effort and research over many years to maintain all of these state records. Subscription content is one way we are able to continue to provide this work. For subscription info, CLICK HERE.
For the related post that includes the updated career state scoring list (with Littleton now listed first), CLICK HERE.
Based on her scoring averarages for the first three years of her prep career and how The Bishop’s School had scheduled this season, it was pretty much a given that barring injury Destiny Littleton was going to become the all-time leading scorer in California girls hoops history, and go to the top of that list in the Cal-Hi Sports State Records.
Littleton entered the season with 2,934 points and that was good enough at the time to claim the No. 14 spot on the all-time state list. Figuring she would have similar seasons to her sophomore and junior years where she averaged 33.7 and 35.7 points, respectively, it was looking like she would be in record territory near the latter part of the Coastal League action in mid-February.
This shot went in for Destiny Littleton on Saturday night in game played against Ramona at Mt. Miguel (Spring Valley) to give her the new career state scoring record. Photo: @DECISIVEMOMENTS.
Instead, the USC-bound 5-foot-9 guard came out of the box on fire to start the season. She passed players on the list almost every game. With a 56-point performance on December 16 in a win over San Diego Our Lady of Peace, Littleton went to No. 2 on the scoring list when she passed the player that is still usually No. 1 on everyone’s list of the state’s all-time greatest players, Cheryl Miller, and her 3,446 points from 1979-1982 at Riverside Poly.
Coming into a Saturday night game with Ramona at the Spring Valley Mount Miguel MLK Hoop Fest, Littleton already had 3,808 points for her career with 874 points in 17 games this season for a 51.4 per game scoring average.
That meant all Littleton needed to pass Charde Houston and her 3,837 record total that she had at San Diego High from 2001 to 2004 was 30 points.
When she nailed a 3-pointer from up top left of the key with 6:18 left in the third quarter, the game was stopped and Littleton was met by her family, teammates and coaches, and a horde of photographers at center court.
She was also met with a hug and a bouquet of flowers by Houston, the former Connecticut and WNBA star who came home to her native San Diego to be present for the event.
“She said congratulations about 10 times and then told me she hoped I get everything I wish in life and to keep pursuing my dreams,” Littleton said Houston told her.
In a bit of a twist but a very classy act, Bishop’s head coach Marlon Wells, who also coached Houston at San Diego, sat Littleton the remainder of the game in a 72-47 victory.
When contacted Saturday night, Wells’ response by text message as to how many points Destiny finished with was “30…I sat her after she broke it!”
In a lot of respects, Littleton and Wells have heard the chit-chat about running up points just like when Houston was chasing Miller.
The gesture to take Littleton out of the game was in some respects directed that way.
“I didn’t think Destiny would do it this quickly,” Wells remarked. “At the beginning of the season people were asking me how many points I thought she would average and realistically I felt she could average around 35, but I never imagined 50 a game.”
Even with the 30-point effort, Littleton is still averaging 50.2 ppg and she is well within range of the single season record of 1,300 points set in 1992 by Danielle Viglione of Fair Oaks Del Campo.
She’s also now chasing some national scoring records, and her current number of 3-pointers (99) and 90-percent free-throw shooting are on a pace for Cal-Hi Sports record lists as well. Her 1,146 points as a sophomore and 1,178 points as a junior are already way up on the Most Points (Season) list and the 904 this year already makes the list. The Cal-Hi Sports State Freshman, Sophomore and Junior of the Year, as well as 2015 Ms. Basketball State Player of the Year finalist, is also a leading candidate for this year’s Ms. Basketball honor.
Despite not being a braggadocios type of girl, Littleton had made it clear back in early December she was as determined to break Houston’s record as Houston was when she was chasing Miller.
“I’m happy it’s over and I’ve broken the record,” said Littleton when asked if she was glad the chase was complete. “Now, every game puts me further away from Charde and anyone that’s chasing me.”
Harold Abend is the associate editor of CalHiSports.com and the vice president of the California Prep Sportswriters Association. He can be reached at marketingharoldabend@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow him on Twitter: @HaroldAbend
