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SR’s Brooks reaches milestones

Correspondent file photo / Robert Hayes South Range’s Chris Brooks puts up a wide-open layup during the fourth quarter on Jan. 7 at Struthers. Brooks was the second Raider to pass 1,000 points in his career.

BEAVER TOWNSHIP — The 2019-2020 basketball season didn’t end the way South Range senior forward Chris Brooks had hoped.

However, he walked away from the season with a lot of great memories and a sense of accomplishment.

Chris became the second player in South Range history to top the 1,000-point plateau, joining Chris Hatch in the South Range record books. Hatch was a standout player for the Raiders from 1998-2001.

Brooks did more. In addition to reaching the 1,000-point milestone in a 63-47 win over Niles on Feb. 19, he set a school record for rebounds in a season. His 278 rebounds broke the previous mark of 259. Brooks ended his career with 1,046 points and 620 rebounds.

“Most of the teams double-teamed him,” Raiders coach John Cullen said. “We actually had one team that doubled him on box-outs. I’ve never had anybody do that before on one of my players. He really did a phenomenal job of meeting those challenges and not complaining about it. It was just the way it was.”

Brooks said reaching the 1,000 mark was one of his goals.

“Growing up, reaching a 1,000 points was something that I really dreamed of doing,” he said. “And, to hit that at home was really special for me. But, I couldn’t have done it without the great teammates that I have.

“Coach Cullen has been an inspiration to me. He has been a big part of all my success. I have had a lot of support, my parents. My middle school wide receiver coach, coach Frederick, has been a big influence for me — basketball, football, and life, everything. He has just been one person I have really relied on.”

Brooks appreciated playing the game. He suffered a compound fracture of his arm in the seventh game of his freshman football season. That injury resulted in two surgeries, 16 pins, two plates, and a long recovery period.

“Just staying healthy, I’m fortunate for it,” Brooks said. “Anything can happen at any moment. I don’t take being healthy for granted.”

Brooks scored 30 points against Cardinal Mooney on Feb. 18 — 17 points shy of 1,000 points. South Range hosted Niles the next night — a make-up game from earlier in the year.

He scored 16 points in the first half, needed one in the final 16 minutes.

Brooks missed an 8-foot jumper and then was fouled. He missed the first free throw, making him an uncharacteristic 0-of-5.

“I’ve never shot that bad,” he said. “The crowd was silent, and I’m thinking I have never heard this place this quiet. I shot the next one and it went in, and at that point, it was a relief and a special moment.”

Brooks was on the first-team, All-Northeast Inland District in Division III and third team All-Ohio.

He led the Raiders in scoring, rebounds, field-goal percentage and blocked shots.

Brooks was the Northeast-8 Player of the Year.

“He got about 40 percent of our rebounds and 40 percent of our points, so he meant quite a lot to our team,” Cullen said. “And the thing is, he is probably a better kid than he is a basketball player.

“He mentors young kids all the time. He just does a lot of really good things. He is a quality person.”

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