Dana King rewrites Valley Stream South's record books
Valley Stream South basketball player Dana King poses for a photo. (Jan. 4, 2013) Credit: Mike Stobe
Taking 300 jump shots almost every day last summer has paid off for Dana King.
The Valley Stream South sophomore broke his school's all-time career scoring record in a win against Glen Cove on Friday when he scored 30, giving him 924 points in his three-year varsity career. The record was set in 1965 by Rich Lobell, who had 914 points, according to coach Matt Johnsen.
"I didn't know it was going to come then but my teammates found me and I got it going," King said. "Getting the record tells me that things like that will come only if you work hard."
King developed his game playing street ball in parks and the Sorrentino Recreation Center in Far Rockaway, Queens, where he once lived. He established himself on the offensive end by driving to the basket and played AAU basketball when he was 11, his father said. A consistent jumper was lacking, however.
"All summer all we did was work hard on the shot," said King's father, Dana King. "He took 300 shots a day."
It translated to King emerging as an offensive juggernaut this year. King said going to the basket "is still my game and I still love it," but the improved jumper has given him the ability to shoot out of zone defenses designed to thwart his movement.
The 5-8 point guard has scored at least 30 points in five games this season. With King racking up points, Valley Stream South is in first place in Nassau Conference A-III with a 7-1 league record.
"He's no prima donna, either; he's always going after loose balls," Johnsen said. "I knew right away he was going to be a special player. He changed the culture here and he'll go down as the best scorer this school's ever had."
