Three-point king takes parting shots
CONWAY — Brandon Fenner connected on a state-record 418 three-pointers during his career at Charleston High School. Expect the 6-4 sharpshooter to add a few more long-range shots to his resume at tonight’s Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star boys basketball game.
“I’m kind of in a rhythm right now,” said Fenner, who admitted to having a recent hot streak during a summer-league game. “So if I can have one more night of shooting like that, it would be awesome.”
Fenner and his West AllStar teammates are hoping they can end a seven-game losing streak to the East at tonight’s game at the Farris Center. Fenner is getting one last chance to play for Charleston Coach B.J. Ross.
“Naturally, [Fenner] is a good shooter, but his work has put him over the top,” Ross said. “He’s easy to coach. On the floor, he’s loud. But off the floor, he’s really quiet. He keeps to himself and does his own thing. He was easy to coach because he worked hard.”
Fenner finished his career with 2,546 points. Charleston’s overall record during the past four seasons is 101-32.
Ross said Fenner’s breakout game came during the eighth grade.
“We were at Paris, and I’ll never forget it,” Ross said. “We were down, and we weren’t supposed to win the game. He went off for six threes in the second half. Every time he touched it, he just hit it.”
Three years later in a game against Lamar, Fenner scored his team’s first 25 points, hitting seven consecutive three-pointers in the first quarter.
“He’s had numerous big games for us, but that’s the one that stands out to me,” Ross said. “They were doubling him. They were jumping at him. They were all over the place.
“But he was in a zone. That was a fun night for me because all I did was sit down and watch. I couldn’t do anything.”
“It was all back-to-back-toback possessions,” said Fenner, who finished with 42 points that night. “It was pretty crazy.”
Fenner scored a career-high 48 points during a 84-69 victory over Perryville in the first round of the regionals on Feb. 22.
Fenner will continue his career at Neosho County Community College in Chanute, Kan.
“Honestly, they made the biggest push in recruiting me,” Fenner said. “They came to more of my games than anybody. They also came at random times just to hang out with me. They really seemed like they wanted me there, and I felt comfortable with them.”
Fenner said tonight’s game means a lot to him.
“I get one more chance to play high school ball in front of anyone who wants to come see me,” Fenner said. “I get one more chance for my family to come and see me. Since I’ll be playing in Kansas next season, they won’t be able to see me that much.”