Kennedy High School senior breaks Colorado High School Activities Association single-game scoring record
There are two sides to Kennedy High School senior Keilani Venegas-Alvarez.
"Nice sweet girl, always smiling, always positive," says Kennedy head coach Jamar Baker. "But on the court, she's ferocious."
On Jan. 13, Venegas-Alvarez dropped 64 points in a 104-6 victory over Hinkley, breaking the CHSAA girls single-game scoring record. Venegas-Alvarez scored 34 points at halftime thanks to a stout Commanders defense taking advantage of fast break opportunities.
Shortly after half, with the game already decided, her coaches began to take notice of the history at stake.
"I went to take her out mid-way through the 3rd quarter when I heard from the scorer's table she only needed 6 points to break the record," Baker said. "We only have seven girls on the roster, and this is a lifetime moment she'll never forget. So I told her, 'Go out, get the record.'"
Keilani broke a 19-year-old record set by ThunderRidge's Abby Waner. Waner scored 61 points in the Grizzlies regular season finale back in 2005. Water went on to play at Duke and was selected in the second round of the 2009 WNBA Draft.
Venegas-Alvarez is still figuring out her collegiate hooping plans, but holds a 4.2 GPA at Kennedy and plans to go to medical school to be a surgeon.
As for that record? Venegas-Alvarez gives all the credit to her team.
"I really wasn't expecting to do that, but I really couldn't have done it without them."
