When Top-Shot Kimble Scores, Ball Has Gathers’ Name on It

Bo Kimble has said every point he scores for the rest of his life will be for his friend and fallen teammate, Hank Gathers.

That figures to be a lot of points.

Though Gathers’ death has cast a pall on the basketball season for Loyola Marymount, Kimble is working on one of the great scoring seasons in NCAA history, leading the nation at 35.3 points per game and standing within 12 points of joining the exclusive 1,000-point club.

Kimble already has the 16th most prolific season in Division I annals. With a good game tonight against New Mexico State in the NCAA Tournament, Kimble can eclipse Gathers’ total of 1,015 last season and join his boyhood friend as one of 13 players to top 1,000 points.

If the Lions manage to advance to the regional finals next weekend, Kimble could approach the 1,100 mark, a total only Hersey Hawkins has topped in the last 19 years.

Kimble has scored 50 or more points four times this season--not even counting the 57 he scored in an exhibition against Athletes in Action--and averaged more than 40 points for a six-game stretch when Gathers missed several games in December and was sub-par for several games thereafter.

Part of the increased scoring came from moving Kimble from a wing to a low post spot. “Once I get the ball down low, I have so many moves they can’t stop me,” Kimble said this week. “I guarantee I’ll shoot 20 free throws.”

When Kimble is scoring inside, he is doubly tough for defenders, who have to be aware of his three-point range as well.

During his scoring spree, Kimble made 63 of 68 free throws and was 12 for 12 against Athletes in Action. Later in the season he made 32 straight foul shots over three games.

There will be a slight difference tonight, however, and for the rest of his career. Kimble said that to honor Gathers, who switched to left-handed foul shots this season, he will shoot his first free throw of every game left-handed.

“I made 22 of 30 this week and hit about 12 in a row,” Kimble said. “It needs some work, but it’ll get there.”

DIVISION I SINGLE SEASON SCORING LEADERS

Season Player, School Pts. 1970 Pete Maravich, Louisiana St 1,381 1968 Elvin Hayes, Houston 1,214 1954 Frank Selvy, Furman 1,209 1969 Pete Maravich, Louisiana St 1,148 1968 Pete Maravich, Louisiana St 1,138 1988 Hersey Hawkins, Bradley 1,125 1970 Austin Carr, Notre Dame 1,106 1971 Austin Carr, Notre Dame 1,101 1977 Otis Birdsong, Houston 1,090 1972 Dwight Lamar, SW Louisiana 1,054 1989 Hank Gathers, Loyola Marymt 1,015 1960 Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati 1,011 1977 Freeman Williams, Portland St 1,010 1962 Billy McGill, Utah 1,009 1972 Rich Fuqua, Oral Roberts 1,006 1990 *Bo Kimble, Loyola Marymount 988 1958 Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati 984 1959 Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati 978 1979 Larry Bird, Indiana St 973 1965 Rick Barry, Miami 973 1978 Freeman Williams, Portland St 969 1978 Larry Bird, Indiana St 959 1987 Dennis Hopson, Ohio St 958 1987 Kevin Houston, Army 953 1977 Anthony Roberts, Oral Roberts 951

* still playing