Haines set record

Rich Schenck
Sports Editor/Lookout

During the Thanksgiving Classic Nov. 28 at Community College, Javon Haines added another milestone to his impressive LCC basketball career.

Haines scored 55 points in a 127-73 pasting of the Lumberjacks of Alpena Community College, breaking the LCC men's basketball single game record of 54 set in 1975 by Paul Stoll Sr.

"That performance when he scored 55, it was incredible," LCC Head Coach Mike Ingram said. "He was hitting shots. I think one time he hit eight three-pointers in a row. I had to settle down and start coaching."

This offensive outburst also earned Haines the NJCAA Division II Men's Basketball Player of the Week honors for the week of Nov.23-29.

He is the second player from the MCCAA to win this award. Schoolcraft's Ja'Christian Biles earned the honor for the week of Nov. 16-22.

"I never knew about the record," Haines said. "To have it now, it feels really good."

His 2015-16 season is a reason enough to be feeling good. Haines is leading NJCAA Division II in scoring with 30.2 points per game. He leads the nation in total points scored with 302.

"Javon is a great player," Ingram said. "He is very fluid; he can penetrate. He is like a running back with the ball."

Haines is also making his opponents think twice about sending him to the charity stripe. He is second in the nation in attempted free throws with 82 and is converting just under 83 percent.

Ingram has stressed that rotating his players has had great benefit to his team. Because of this, Haines has been able to stay fresh, which makes him dangerous every second he is on the court.

"What we are doing is making sure he gets six or seven minutes of rest," Ingram said. "Every time he gets rest, he comes back with bursts."

But Haines gave more credit to his teammates for his record-breaking performance. He explained that without their desire to see him in the record books, it would not have become a reality.

"Thanks to my guys; we all work hard," Haines said. "Everybody was in position and that's what got me the 55 (points).

"We were just playing together and I was feeling it, guys kept giving me the ball. They were supporting me, they wanted me to break the record."

After former LCC floor-general Tracy Edmond moved on after the 2014-15 season, the team was put on Haines' shoulders.

"It means a lot because this team has a lot of confidence in me," Haines said. "I also have a lot of confidence in them because I know they have my back just as much as I have theirs."

Ingram said he had a feeling Haines had the potential to break Stoll's after he tossed in 45 points in a 108-104 victory over Owens CC on Oct. 31.

"Yeah, because when he had 45 (points) the first game, we thought he could have had 50 (points) if he wouldn't have missed some shots," Ingram said.

For Haines, regardless of the records and the accolades, he says the joy of playing the game he loves with his team is what matters most.

"Just to be on the court with the guys and to run the floor,' he said. "It feels so good."

Photo provided by Kevin Fowler/LCC Photographer