Daron Russell scores 1,000th point as Imhotep rolls

Preparing to capture Imhotep junior guard Daron Russell's 1,000th career point, a photographer wondered aloud Tuesday night, minutes before the Panthers hosted rival Martin Luther King.

Russell, a 5-foot-11 point guard who can score in bunches, needed 13 points to reach the milestone.

"He'll probably get it in the second half, right?" the photographer asked.

The answer came with 1 minute, 23 seconds left in the first quarter after Russell hit a step-back three-pointer opposite the King bench, landing him squarely on 13 and 1,000 points.

"I knew I needed 13, but during the game I wasn't worried about it," Russell said after Imhotep roasted King, 75-40. "I came out really strong, but I wasn't expecting to come out like that."

Imhotep (12-2, 7-0) remained undefeated in Public League play thanks in part to Russell's 16-point first-quarter outburst. He finished with 28 points on 10-of-12 shooting, with 6 of 7 coming from behind the three-point line.

In quarter No. 1, Russell scored on two breakaway finishes (one a thunderous, one-handed dunk) and four three-pointers.

"I knew I was in a rhythm when I hit my first three," said Russell, who shot 6 of 7 from the field and 4 of 5 from three-point range in the first frame. "It went in really clean so I knew I was in a rhythm after that."

King (12-8, 4-4) found no such groove.

By halftime the Cougars had shot just 3 of 24 overall, 1 of 12 from three, and trailed, 48-16. Nasir Bell led King with 10 points.

"Definitely a statement type of win," said Russell, who added four steals and four assists. "We wanted to show everybody in the Pub that it doesn't matter what game it is. We're coming out strong every game."

Bernard Lightsey (12 points) and Jaekwon Carlyle (10) added to a Panthers attack that could be more dangerous than that of last season's Public League championship team.

"I think the biggest thing that has changed this year," Imhotep coach Andre Noble said after praising Russell's shooting ability, "is that he is a much better distributor than he was last year, and it's making us really hard to guard."

Russell, who has offers from Virginia Commonwealth, La Salle, Temple, and Penn, among others, hopes that trend continues.

"I'm never satisfied," he said. "I want a Pub and a state championship this year. That's the main goal."

Imhotep 26 22 19 8 - 75

King 10 6 13 11 - 40

I: Daron Russell 28, Jaekwon Carlyle 10, Koby Thomas 9, Khatib Cousins 3, Bernard Lightsey 12, Wesley Fatayn 6, Chereef Knox 2, Josh Townsend 4, Dhamir Bishop 1.

K: Jabri McCall 7, Nahim Lee 7, Kahssian Kay 6, Ishum Horn 2, Qadir Burgess 1, Nasir Bell 10, Ricardo Monteiro 6, Shannon Bibbs 1.

cartera@phillynews.com

@AceCarterINQ