Dontaie Allen drops career-high 52 points in senior season opener

Kentucky fans love having one of their own on the court. Any time a player from the state of Kentucky suits up in Rupp Arena, it creates a different kind of energy. If his senior season debut is any indication, Dontaie Allen may blow the roof off of the place.

On Monday, the Pendleton County star opened his final high school season by scoring 52 of his team’s 76 points in a 30 point win against Williamstown. That performance surpassed his previous career-high of 51 points from last season. He also pulled down 12 rebounds.

In his junior campaign, Allen scored more points than anyone in the state of Kentucky. He is certainly on pace to repeat that achievement, but he is also proving that he will be more than a “token Kentucky kid” once he gets to Lexington.

Yes, Dominique Hawkins and Derek Willis were major contributors at certain times during their Kentucky careers. They made big plays and were adored by Big Blue Nation.

However, Dontaie Allen is showing that he has what it takes to potentially be a star in college basketball. He plays with the versatility and intensity of Hawkins, but stands 6’6” and can play multiple positions. He is working on his three point shot (he made four on Monday), and he is a more than capable defender.

Allen’s 1,019 points last year put him at No. 15 on the all-time single season scoring list in the state of Kentucky. That was with an average of 31.8 points per game. Scoring 52 points per game may not be sustainable, but it seems he is well on his way to cracking the top ten on that list.

Big Blue Nation had better get excited. Allen is going to be the best in-state product to play in Rupp Arena since Darius Miller.

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