LAPWAI, Idaho — Idaho history was made Thursday night in Lapwai when senior guard Kase Wynott became the state's all time leading scorer.
Wynott broke Jared Mercer's record of 2,589 points which had stood for 31 years.
This feat should not have come as a surprise considering how much work Wynott continues to put in to excel at his craft.
"It takes a lot. There is a lot of behind the scenes work that people don't see. I put up 500 shots before school every morning," Wynott said.
Wynott's insatiable work ethic does not include time off throughout the year.
"The summer is where you can make or break your career. You can get better during the summer and if you don't get better, you are getting worse because everyone else is getting better," Wynott said.
Witnessing Wynott's work ethic up close is a treat for head coach Zachary Eastman.
"To be a good basketball player, you have to love what you do and Kase loves the game. When you love something, you want to put time and dedication into it because it brings happiness to you and I see that every day. When he is in here working hard and we are yelling at him, he knows that we are trying to get him better and he enjoys it," Eastman said.
Due to that work, Wynott's coaches have the utmost faith in him on the court.
"We know that he is going to make the right play and as a coach, I don't have to tell him to shoot the ball or make a play, he can do it on his own," Eastman said.
"He is very unselfish. I am telling him to shoot, shoot, shoot, but he makes the right plays. That's Kase, that's who he is, he will play the game the right way. He deserves it because of the work he has put in," Wynott's father and assistant coach Jeremiah Wynott said.
Wynott had offers from all over the country to play for bigger high schools and earn more eyeballs from college scouts, but he chose to stay at Lapwai.
"The Lapwai community accepted us and it is a great community. Kase is a loyal kid. He shows that you can make it from a small school. You can do it from Lapwai, you can do it from surrounding areas if you have the drive and work ethic," Jeremiah said.
Kase knows he could not have accomplished this record without the support he has received from his family.
"I would not have gotten here without them. My dad is so knowledgable about basketball and played at a very high level and I would not be here without him. I love my mother so much and I am sad I am leaving her next year. Her support throughout my whole journey has been insane," Wynott said.
Last year, Lapwai was denied a third straight state championship, losing in the title game. Now that the scoring record has fallen, Kase has just one goal on his mind.
"I am focused on trying to win my third state championship. I still think about that loss every single day. I am just trying to get my get back and I am coming, that is for sure," Wynott said.
Following his pursuit for a third state title, Wynott will head to Logan to play for Danny Sprinkle at Utah State University.
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