Ring golden in scoring 1,000 career points

• Friends help Ring celebrate milestone

There were many fans attending the game so they could share in the celebration of Kellie Ring scoring her 1,000th career point. Photo by Dave Newman

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Somerset’s Kellie Ring was clearly tickled that she was able to reach the 1,000-point destination in her high school basketball career.

She was even more pleased that the mark was accomplished during an outstanding performance by the whole Spartan team. Ring reached the mark during last Thursday’s game, when the Spartans upset Prescott 52-43. Prescott came into the game with a 12-1 record.

For Ring, success has always been team-related. For most of her life she has been the younger member of the lineup. The Class of 2008 was one of Somerset’s most talented. Ring recalls in third grade being asked by the fourth graders to play with them. That group, including the likes of Kayla Solum, Ali Marson, Bre Krohn, Megan Plourde, Trellany Steinlicht, etc., was an excellent fit for Ring. Ring said she was always able to play aggressively, but never felt pressure to score because she was surrounded with so many talented players.

Ring moved onto the varsity team as a freshman, scoring 163 points. She followed that with 274 points as a sophomore and 343 as a junior. So far this season she’s scored 223 points.

Somerset coach Bill Powers said it was fitting that Ring’s 1,000th point came on a pull-up jump shot from the perimeter. He said when Ring first reached the high school level, nearly all her points came from fastbreaks or drives to the basket. She has worked diligently through her high school years to hone her shooting from different distances.

“Every year her shooting has gotten better,” Powers said.

Ring is the seventh player in Somerset varsity basketball history to reach the 1,000-point level. On the girls’ side, she becomes the first guard to reach that mark. Post players Sarah Wishard and Ann Schachtner previously reached the mark. From the boys basketball program, Brian Moulton, Derek Anderson, Garret Belisle and Mike Schachtner have scored more than 1,000 points in their careers.

In looking to her future, Ring is strongly leaning toward attending the University of St. Thomas. She laughed at the thought of playing against Solum, her best friend, who plays at the College of St. Benedict.

College coaches have to love the idea of adding Ring’s spirited play and her innate ability to create things on offense.

“I’ve always felt like I have to be a leader and a team player,” Ring said. “Taking it to the basket is my first goal, because it creates so many opportunities.”

Tags: sports, girls, basketball, somerset, kellie, ring, 1000, points