OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Ben Allen lives by one one rule: "The more shots that fall, the more shots I'm going to take."
Never were those truer words than Friday night when his Shawnee Mission South Raiders traveled to rival Shawnee Mission North.
"I've been coaching 23 years," said SM South Head Coach Brett McFall. "It's one of the best shooting performances I've ever seen."
Allen hit four three-pointers in the first quarter, then four more in the second quarter.
The Hy-Vee Athlete of the Week made eight three-pointers in just one half of basketball.
"Second one, third one, fourth one, first quarter. Then I was like, 'Alright I'm hot,"' Allen said. "So I was pulling a little bit deeper, a little more contested and they were just falling for me."
McFall said: "Then he hits four more in the second (quarter) and I'm thinking, 'What plays can we call for him to get him looks?'"
North denied Allen the ball much of the second half, but he finished with nine three-pointers and 29 points.
"I've never had a game like that, said Allen. "With that crowd and that pressure."
He's shooting over 50% from three-point range for the season.
"It's almost to the point when he misses it, you're kind of a little surprised," McFall said.
Allen isn't the only thing going right for the Raiders, who are undefeated and the top-ranked team in Kansas 6A.
"It's been great," said Allen. "We've got a lot of experience. That's kind of our key right now."
"Just our team chemistry," said McFall. "These guys have all known each other since elementary school. They're a special group."