One thousand points
Published 9:44 am Friday, February 11, 2011
Frankin High School senior Justin Grant is presented with the game ball after scoring his 1,000 point on Wednesday night. Standing from left are FHS Athletic Director Mona Sumblin, Assistant Coach Robby Cutchins, Grant's mother, Gloria Baker, and Head Coach Danny Dillon.
FRANKLIN—The accolades for Franklin High School standout athlete Justin Grant keep coming.
One week after Grant received a five-year full ride to play football at the University of Richmond, he scored his 1,000th career point on the Bronco basketball court. The Tri-Rivers District game on Wednesday against Chesterfield Community High School ended with Franklin losing 56-54 and eliminating the team’s playoff chances.
That didn’t put a damper on Grant’s milestone.
“I was extremely excited for him,” Bronco Coach Danny Dillon said about Grant, who has averaged 21 points per game over the last three years, and scored a career-high 45 points on Dec. 16, 2009, against Chesterfield Community.
“He’s worked so hard and he’s such a great basketball player,” Dillon added. “I was extremely excited for him and all his hard work.”
After Grant scored his 1,000th point with four minutes remaining in the second quarter, the buzzer was sounded to stop the game. Grant was presented with the game ball.
“All of the guys and his teammates just jumped up and all around,” Dillon said.
Principal Rodney Berry said he was extremely proud of Grant.
“Justin is a role model for our students and our teachers,” Berry said. “He exemplifies what we are trying to do at Franklin High School. Scoring his 1,000th point is not only an indication of how well he’s doing on the basketball court, but is also representative of what he does in the classroom.”
Grant only needed 8 points on Wednesday to set the record; he scored 16.
Grant made 164 points during his sophomore year, 506 as a junior and has scored 338 this year. As a junior, he made headlines after shattering a backboard dunking in a game.
The last Bronco to reach 1,000 points was senior Josh Willis in 2008. Willis died three weeks later from heart failure. Prior to that, James Holemon and Hudson Bryant each scored 1,000 points in 2001, when Dillon was the assistant coach.
The Broncos will close their season with a 5:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 11, game in Charles City.
Charles City upset Surry on Wednesday, which coupled with Franklin’s loss, ended the Broncos’ chances for the playoffs.
“With all the new players we had this year, we never really got the chemistry that we needed to make the post-season,” Dillon said.