Joe McVicker is one of six seniors at Anthony Wayne boasting a grade-point average of 4.599 on a 4.0 scale.
Of course, McVicker is the only one of the cerebral six up for valedictorian honors who also can boast about scoring 46 points in a basketball game or leading the Northern Lakes League in scoring at 24.9 points per game.
McVicker, a 6-2 guard-forward, admits one of the two honors means more to him.
“I d probably lean more toward the [scoring] because I ve always been pretty smart,” McVicker said. “This came more as a shock because I wasn t really a scorer.”
The straight-A student is enjoying one of the best seasons in Anthony Wayne history. His 46-point barrage in a win over Rogers on Saturday established a school single-game record, breaking the old mark of 44 set by Bob Mosher in 1993.
In the second game of the season there was an indication of things to come when McVicker had a 40-point effort in a win against Maumee.
He heads into tonight s regular-season finale against Springfield needing only 27 points to break the Generals season scoring record of 496.
What McVicker has been able to accomplish has been a pleasant surprise to second-year coach Scott Riley, whose team (8-11, 6-7 NLL) will finish below .500 overall for the regular season.
McVicker averaged just 14 points per game last season.
“I knew from the summer he d be a scorer for us, but at the level that he d lead the league, I didn t know that,” Riley said.
McVicker s goals seemed simple coming into the season.
“I wanted to average five assists and shoot 80 percent from the free-throw line,” he said.
To his disappointment, he will not succeed on either of his two goals. He s averaging 2.5 assists and shooting 73 percent from the line.
McVicker s high-scoring outputs have been unusual because he s only made six 3-pointers all season.
“I m OK right inside the 3-point line,” he said. “It s something about the 3-point line that throws me off.”
He knocked down 20 2-point field goals and six foul shots against Rogers.
“He hit the first five shots he took and I think he felt it was one of those nights when he was in a zone,” Riley said. “He catches the ball down in the post and he just finds a way to get it done.”
McVicker credits playing on the soccer team during the fall with benefiting his basketball.
“Soccer keeps me in shape,” McVicker said. “It s a lot of running and good for the competition. It s also helped me with my footwork.”
His footwork around the basket has led to many of his points. Oftentimes he scores driving to the basket or putting back offensive rebounds.
“Wherever the ball is going to go, you ll find Joe around it,” Riley said.
Establishing a single-game scoring record is something McVicker will never forget.
“I love it. I never thought in a million years I d be there.”
First Published February 27, 2004, 11:42 a.m.
