Franklin’s Kennard Scores Win Over Mullins

Luke Kennard proved why he is commonly called the top junior in the nation as he poured in 45 points to lead Franklin (OH) into the quarterfinals of the Beach Ball Classic with a 71-57 victory over Mullins (SC).  Kennard, who tied Mike Bibby’s second best Beach Ball Classic effort for the second best single scoring game in tournament history, fell just short of Bibby’s record of 48 when he led his Shadow Mountain (AZ) squad over Eau Claire (SC) on December 30, 1995.

Franklin (7-0) never trailed in the game and built a 21 point lead early in the second half.  Trailing 46-25 with 14:27 remaining in the second half, Mullins’ Alex Brown put the Auctioneers on his back.  Brown scored 17 points, including four 3-point baskets in a 1:20 stretch, during a 21-5 run by Mullins to cut the lead to just five points at 51-46 with 9:24 to play.

During this stretch, Kennard was whistled for three fouls with the final one being his fourth that sent him to the bench with 11:54 remaining.  Following the short jumper by Jalek Felton to cut the lead to five points, Kennard was called back in to duty.  From that point to the end of the game, Kennard played a part in 19 of the 20 points scored by the Wildcats.  He tallied 15 points and had a pair of assists in the final 9:04.

Brown kept Mullins in the game as he finished with a team-high 33 points.  Felton, tabbed as the top freshman in the nation, posted 11 points, six rebounds, seven assists, and six steals.

[Box Score]

Dec 30 10:15 AM 2023 The Wilson Academy (GA) 46Huntington Prep (WV) 62 Dec 30 12:00 PM 2023 Norcross (GA) 52St. Peter’s (NY) 58 Dec 30 1:45 PM 2023 Blue Ridge (VA) 63J. Addison (ON) 66 Dec 30 3:30 PM 2023 Lexington (SC) 74North Crowley (TX) 69 Dec 30 5:15 PM 2023 Winston-Salem (NC) 581 of 1 Academy (NC) 53 Dec 30 7:15 PM 2023 Great Crossing (KY) 74Bishop O’Connell (VA) 77 Dec 20 1:30 PM Miami Senior (FL) 45Cannon School (NC) 50 Dec 20 1:30 PM Orangeburg-Wilkinson (SC) 41Socastee (SC) 55 Dec 20 3:15 PM N. Mecklenburg (NC) 29Winter Haven (FL) 44 Dec 20 3:15 PM Northridge (OH) 47University (WV) 51 Dec 20 3:15 PM Powdersville (SC) 43St. James (SC) 30 Dec 20 3:15 PM Fort Dorchester (SC) 55Waccamaw (SC) 49 Dec 20 5:00 PM George Washington (WV) 61Thomas Dale (VA) 62 Dec 20 5:00 PM Gray Collegiate SC 55Myrtle Beach (SC) 34 Dec 20 5:00 PM Keenen (SC) 58Lake City (SC) 49 Dec 20 6:45 PM Franklin County (KY) 45Bishop Ireton (VA) 76 Dec 20 6:45 PM Andrew Jackson (SC) 69Trinity Collegiate (SC) 63 Dec 20 6:45 PM Wando (SC) 44Conway (SC) 32 Dec 20 6:45 PM Graves County (KY) 43Carvers Bay (SC) 34 Dec 21 9:30 AM Lake City (SC) 32Carvers Bay (SC) 47 Dec 21 10:00 AM Heathwood Hall (SC) 45Andrew Jackson (SC) 55 Dec 21 11:00 AM Trinity Collegiate (SC) 64Northridge (OH) 51 Dec 21 11:15 AM Loris (SC) 37St. James (SC) 26 Dec 21 11:15 AM Orangeburg-Wilkinson (SC) 57Waccamaw (SC) 51 Dec 21 11:45 AM Miami Senior (FL) 56George Washington (WV) 45 Dec 21 1:00 PM Gray Collegiate SC 45Powdersville (SC) 58 Dec 21 1:00 PM Socastee (SC) 48Fort Dorchester (SC) 44 Dec 21 1:30 PM Lower Richland (SC) 55University (WV) 61 Dec 21 2:45 PM Wando (SC) 55Myrtle Beach (SC) 28 Dec 21 2:45 PM Keenen (SC) 34Graves County (KY) 64 Dec 21 3:15 PM N. Mecklenburg (NC) 52Franklin County (KY) 35 Dec 21 5:00 PM Winter Haven (FL) 50Bishop Ireton (VA) 59 Dec 21 6:45 PM Cannon School (NC) 47Thomas Dale (VA) 33 Dec 23 9:00 AM Miami Senior (FL) 30N. Mecklenburg (NC) 46 Dec 23 9:00 AM Trinity Collegiate (SC) 62Heathwood Hall (SC) 56 Dec 23 9:00 AM Loris (SC) 57Myrtle Beach (SC) 40 Dec 23 9:30 AM St. James (SC) 40Orangeburg-Wilkinson (SC) 38 Dec 23 10:45 AM University (WV) 41Andrew Jackson (SC) 56 Dec 23 10:45 AM George Washington (WV) 51Franklin County (KY) 72 Dec 23 10:45 AM Carvers Bay (SC) 49Powdersville (SC) 40 Dec 23 11:15 AM Fort Dorchester (SC) 51Keenen (SC) 59 Dec 23 12:30 PM Bishop Ireton (VA) 59Cannon School (NC) 47 Dec 23 12:30 PM Northridge (OH) 53Lower Richland (SC) 68 Dec 23 12:30 PM Gray Collegiate SC 54Wando (SC) 49 Dec 23 1:00 PM Socastee (SC) 28Graves County (KY) 68 Dec 23 2:15 PM 2024 Graves County (KY) 68Socastee (SC) 28 Dec 23 2:45 PM Lake City (SC) 58Waccamaw (SC) 56 Dec 27 12:00 PM Balboa (FL) 60Our Savior Lutheran (NY) 52 Dec 27 1:45 PM Prince Georges CA (MD) 741 of 1 (NC) 81 Dec 27 3:30 PM Windermere Prep (FL) 49Great Crossing (KY) 74 Dec 27 5:15 PM St Johns (DC) 81Myrtle Beach (SC) 30 Dec 27 7:00 PM Bishop O’Connell (VA) 72Socastee (SC) 30 Dec 27 8:45 PM Archbishop Moeller (OH) 40Ridge View (SC) 49 Dec 28 12:00 PM Windermere Prep (FL) 50Myrtle Beach (SC) 35 Dec 28 1:45 PM Socastee (SC) 31Archbishop Moeller (OH) 66 Dec 28 3:30 PM Bella Vista (AZ) 94Pace Academy (TX) 51 Dec 28 5:15 PM Bishop O’Connell (VA) 77Ridge View (SC) 43 Dec 28 7:00 PM Great Crossing (KY) 61St Johns (DC) 65 Dec 28 8:45 PM Berean Baptist Academy (NC) 41Winston Salem Christian (NC) 60 Dec 29 12:30 PM Our Savior Lutheran (NY) 62Prince Georges CA (MD) 59 Dec 29 2:15 PM Pace Academy (TX) 66Berean Baptist Academy (NC) 58 Dec 29 4:00 PM Balboa (FL) 461 of 1 (NC) 52 Dec 29 5:45 PM Bella Vista (AZ) 67Winston Salem Christian (NC) 65 Dec 30 8:30 AM Berean Baptist Academy (NC) 55Prince Georges CA (MD) 74 Dec 30 10:15 AM Our Savior Lutheran (NY) 45Pace Academy (TX) 48 Dec 30 12:00 PM Windermere Prep (FL) 36Archbishop Moeller (OH) 50 Dec 30 1:45 PM Balboa (FL) 53Winston Salem Christian (NC) 66 Dec 30 3:30 PM Great Crossing (KY) 74Ridge View (SC) 62 Dec 30 5:15 PM 1 of 1 (NC) 66Bella Vista (AZ) 77 Dec 30 7:15 PM Bishop O’Connell (VA) 57St Johns (DC) 52