Pueblo Central’s Mike Ranson (5), pictured in a game earlier this season. (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
Pueblo Central senior Michael Ranson had a game for the ages on Monday night, dropping 59 points, including the game-winning layup in his team’s 90-88 overtime win over Falcon in boys basketball.
Ranson also hit the 3-point shot at the end of regulation which sent the game to overtime.
“He was on fire … what a display,” Pueblo Central coach Brad Ranson — Michael’s father — told the Pueblo Chieftain. “He was taking good shots and had eight or nine assists as well.”
Ranson was also 19-of-19 from the free-throw line. The 19 attempts and 19 makes are also career highs, and the 19 free-throws made are tied for the 14th-most in a single game.
He also made eight 3-pointers on Monday.
Ranson, who led the entire state in scoring last season with a 25.6 per-game average, has scored more than 35 points in four of the five games he’s played in. He is averaging 40.6 points, which leads the state in all classes this year.
The 59 points is a new career high for Ranson, who has signed with Northern Colorado. It is also tied for the sixth-most in a single game in state history.
In his career, Ranson is averaging 21.4 points per game. The record for scoring average in a season is 38.8, set by Kim’s Lane Gooden in 1976.
As of last night, Ranson has 1,455 career points. He has a very good change to break into the top-10 in career points should he continue to average above his pace last season.