One game and thee nights after Chino Hills sees its 60-game winning streak come to an end, sophomore LaMelo Ball goes off with a 92-point performance in a 146-123 victory over Los Osos of Rancho Cucamonga. It’s the No. 2 individual single-game scoring output in state history, according to Cal-Hi Sports.It’s also the most points for two teams in one game. Check out the video highlights via Ballislife.com and the details of his scintillating performance.
After Chino Hills saw its 60-game winning streak come to an end in a 96-91 loss to Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) Saturday night, who could have imagined 6-foot-2 sophomore guard LaMelo Ball would score more points by himself in the next than the Huskies did as a team in that showdown game?
That’s exactly what happened, as the 15-year-old sophomore scored 92 points in a 146-123 Baseline League victory over Los Osos of Rancho Cucamonga. Ball made 30-of-39 2-point field goals, 7-of-22 3-point shots and 11-of-14 free throws as the home crowd was going bonkers after every score.
State No. 2 Chino Hills (26-1) led 71-45 at halftime and 103-79 at the end of the third period. Ball had 29 points and halftime and scored 41 points in the fourth period.
After the loss to Oak Hill, Ball wasn’t overly down on himself and was actually confident in his team’s ability to bounce back. It wasn’t surprising he had a big follow-up game, but nobody could have imagined this type of scoring outburst.
“Last night took a L but tonight I bounce back”
— SwaggyMelo (@MELOD1P) February 5, 2017
Melo Ball tweeted he was going to bounce back, and to say he kept his promise is an understatement. In addition to his scoring output, he had five rebounds and seven assists.
Well I mean that’s one way to bounce back after a loss… I see you lil bro 9️⃣2️⃣
— Lonzo Ball (@ZO2_) February 8, 2017
Melo Ball’s 92 points in the second most in state history, according to our Cal-Hi Sports Record Book, and the No. 2 all-time CIF Southern Section mark. Tigran Gregorian scored 100 points for Pico Rivera Mesrobian in a 114-47 win over L.A. Pacific Christian in February 2003. With his performance, Melo knocked Chad Bickley of Santa Maria Valley Christian to No. 3 all-time. Bickley scored 89 points in a 130-48 win over Cuyama Valley in February 1994.
Melo did break two individual state scoring records versus Los Osos: His 62 second-half points is a new record for a half and so is his 41-point fourth quarter. In 1965, Vince Manino of San Pedro Fermin Lausen scored 35 points in a single quarter in a 120-31 win over Encino Crespi.
The ability of Los Osos to score so much also was a key factor in the nature of Ball scoring so many points. In fact, the two teams’ combined total of 269 points blew past the previous reported Cal-Hi Sports state record of 243 set in January of 2006 when North of Torrance topped Lawndale 129-114. For most points in a loss, we think the previous record was 118 by Fremont of Los Angeles in a 122-118 overtime loss in 1978 to Los Angeles Jefferson.
Melo’s effort came in a game in which other brother Li’Angelo Ball, a senior forward bound for UCLA, sat out after re-injuring his ankle in the loss to Oak Hill. Earlier in the season, Gelo Ball had a 72-point performance — which was tied with Matt Bradley of San Bernardino for the highest individual scoring output of the season until Tuesday night — back in December versus Rancho Christian of Temecula. That output was No. 10 on the all-time reported state list and, of course, is now No. 11 after his little brother surpassed that by 20 points.
One night earlier, Gelo Ball poured in 56 points with Melo dishing out 18 assists and scoring 24 points in a 121-89 victory over state-ranked Corona Centennial at the Battlezone Tournament. Gelo’s back-to-back two-game total of 128 points was just one short of the state record of 129 set in 1990 by Mike Fisher of San Marino Southwestern Academy. He had 73 and 56 in his two games.
Ironically, Melo Ball scored 36 points in the loss to Oak Hill Academy in what in many respects was a national coming-out party for the highly-acclaimed sophomore. His two-game total was equal to his older brother earlier in the year.
Ronnie Flores is the managing editor of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at ronlocc1977@yahoo.com. Don’t forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores
