April 16, 2024
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On this date: Rick Allen scores Princeton school record 46 points against St. Bede on Feb. 7, 1970

By Kevin Hieronymus
Here is the BCR sports front featuring the night Rick Allen scored a school record 46 points on Feb. 7, 1970, against St. Bede. He broke the record jointly held by Roger Angel and Rick Larson of 44.

Here is the Bureau County Record/Republican sports front featuring the night Rick Allen scored a school record 46 points on Feb. 7, 1970, against St. Bede. He broke the record jointly held by Roger Angel and Rick Larson of 44. (BCR files)

On Feb. 7, 1970, Rick Allen shot himself into the Princeton High School record book with a feat that still stands today, 53 years later.

Allen lit up visiting St. Bede for 46 points in nonconference play at Prouty Gym. According to Hugh Skinner’s account in the Bureau County Record/Republican, Allen made 17 of 31 shots from the field and went 12 of 15 from the free throw line.

The Tigers beat the Bruins, 93-73, with teammate Don Lind adding 25 points.

Allen was averaging 25.6 ppg, boosted by a 7-game stretch of 33.4 ppg at the time of his record. He finished with 1,017 career points, then ranked sixth for PHS, now ranked 10th best.

He was a two-time unanimous NCIC all-conference player and received All-State recognition.

Rick Allen shows the form that made him a two-time unanimous NCIC All-Conference player for the Princeton Tigers, graduating in 1970. He still holds the school single-game scoring record at 46.

Rick Allen shows the form that made him a two-time unanimous NCIC All-Conference player for the Princeton Tigers, graduating in 1970. He still holds the school single-game scoring record at 46. (1970 PHS yearboook)

Allen beat the record of 44 points jointly held by Roger Angel and 7-footer Rick “Huge” Larson. Angel scored 44 points as a junior against Lincoln in the 1960 Pontiac Tournament. Larson put in 44 points as a junior in 1968 at Morris.

Joe Ruklick, who held the school’s boys all-time scoring record with 1,306 points for 68 years until broken by PHS senior Grady Thompson last week, held the single-game record for five seasons with 40 at Sterling as a senior in January of 1955.

Here is the boxscore from Feb. 7, 1970, when Princeton senior Rick Allen scored a school record 46 points against St. Bede. His linescore was 17 of 31 field attempts and 12 of 15 free throw attemps.

Here is the boxscore from Feb. 7, 1970, when Princeton senior Rick Allen scored a school record 46 points against St. Bede. His linescore was 17 of 31 field attempts and 12 of 15 free throw attemps. (BCR files)