BUCYRUS — Enter Alex Kish Memorial Gymnasium at Bucyrus High School and look around. You will see five jerseys hanging on the wall worn by 1,000-point scorers — all girls.
There currently are no boys’ jerseys hanging there because no male had cracked the 1,000-point mark — until this year.
On January 6 at Carey, senior Malachi Bayless scored his 1,000th career point to shatter the glass ceiling that has hovered over the program for its 112-year history.
Walking the halls of BHS, the unassuming, lanky 6-foot-1 Bayless may not jump out as the most prolific scorer in Redmen hoops history. Once he puts on the Bucyrus uniform, Bayless becomes that person.
Three players had passed the 900 mark prior to this year. The scoring leader coming into the season was Kade Dillon with 976. Dillon played from 1996-1999, thus holding the record for 25 years.
Prior to Dillon, Page Watts scored 963 points from 1977-1980 and had the top spot for 19 years. The last 900-point scorer was Kyle Teynor who scored his 903rd point in 2006.
Bayless has not stopped at being first to 1,000 in making Bucyrus basketball history. As a junior, he tied the single-game record of 44, held by legendary Jim Kirkham, replicating the feat against Galion.
At that time, Bayless showed his awareness of BHS basketball history.
“I knew a little bit. At the same time, I wasn’t sure what (the record) was,” Bayless said. “I wasn’t sure if it was 42 or something a little bit higher than that. I’ve been checking the leader board for a while. I knew it was in the 40s.”
Bayless topped himself this year when he dropped 45 on Buckeye Central on January 12, making him the first player to score more than 40 twice in his career. Kirkham is the only one in the 40 class with him. John Seele came close with 39 in 1968.
Bayless remained self-effacing in the bright lights of becoming a historic scorer at Bucyrus.
“I think the biggest thing I can say is it’s surreal,” Bayless said after setting the mark at Carey. “It does not seem real that I’m the first guy. Why me? I don’t understand why it came this way, but I am very grateful that I’m the first person to break the record.”
One thing Bayless can add to his resume this year — the single-season scoring record currently held by Dillon at 470. It would take bumping his scoring average to 20.5 points per game or for the Redmen to win at least one tournament game or both. Only Seele, Kirkham, and Bayless — who scored 431 as a junior — join Dillon in the elite 400 Club. Bayless would be the first to accomplish it twice.
But winning is more important to Bayless than any more school records, as evidenced by his willingness to share the basketball with his younger teammates, even freshmen.
Rather than being a volume shooter, Bayless is an accurate one. He currently is, not only the leading scorer in the N10, but also leads in 3-point shooting percentage at .479, hitting 23 of 48 attempts. He is third in overall percentage at .616 with the two players ahead of him both being post players.
Scoring 1,000 points was a goal Bayless has dreamed of and worked for since middle school and even before.
“I told my dad when I was young, ‘I want to be the first boy (to score 1,000 points),’” Bayless said. “I had that mindset coming in. Coach (Barry) Egan gave me a good start to my career. He believed in me as a young freshman, real naïve. Other than that, I pushed myself.”
Mission One accomplished. One team goal that Bayless’ scoring prowess could assist is for Bucyrus to win its first ever sectional tournament.
He also hopes that his record-setting year sets the tone for the program moving forward.
“That’s what I’m hoping for. A lot of the guys on the team are saying, ‘I’m next, I’m next,’” Bayless said. “I love to hear that. I hope I’ve pushed them in a way they’ve never been pushed before.”
Bucyrus fans should appreciate what they are witnessing with Malachi Bayless. If history is any indicator, it could be decades before his record is broken or even challenged. It was 19 years from Watts to Dillon and 25 from Dillon to Bayless.
Current Bucyrus coach Brian Hargis said it best following the team’s 69-57 win at Ridgedale.
“We’ve got the school’s leading scorer,” Hargis said. “He just set the (single game) scoring record. If you haven’t seen him, come out and see him before he’s gone.”
Top 10 Bucyrus scorers
- Malachi Bayless 1064
- Kade Dillon 976
- Page Watts 963
- Kyle Teynor 903
- Dan Bumstead 895
- Joey Clime 874
- Jim Kirkham 847
- Gordy Teynor 839
- John Seele 808
- Travis Utz 780