Lind tops 1,000

By Paul Trende
sports@fillmorecountyjournal.com

Mon, Mar 19th, 2012
Posted in All Sports

Comments

Kenzie Lind of Rushford-Peterson scored her 1,000th point while playing against LeRoy-Ostrander. Photo submitted

With two regular season games left in her senior year, R-P G/F Kenzie Lind sat at 929 career points. Given Lind was scoring 11/game, she needed to be better than average to top 1,000. Her team also needed to make a play-off run. Twenty-three versus Lanesboro, 11 versus FC, and 21 more versus GM in a play-off win left her 16 points shy of 1,000 heading to the 1A East semi with L-O. After one half, Lind had 13 points, R-P a double-digit lead. The mark seemed so close. It was still so far away. Two missed 2’s, three (narrowly) missed 3’s, and a pair of missed FT’s later, the game was in its final 2:00. Lind still had 13 points. A lay-in got her to 999. At that point, R-P led by 14. It really wasn’t a matter of if, but when. A game with Spring Grove lay imminent.

Conventional wisdom figured Lind capable of scoring one point against the (vaunted) Lions. Nonetheless, best to get the milestone out of the way. Lind got the ball from classmate Katie Wolter on a post up, dribbled toward the lane, and tossed up a running right-hander. It banked off glass, down and through, about the time a referee’s whistle blew. The hoop put her a 1,001, the harm 1,002. Kenzie scored 16 more (in defeat) against SG, giving her 1,018 for her career (the 7th girl in R-P, or R/P, basketball history to do so).

Her 5-year basketball journey started in ‘07 down highway 43 in Mabel, where, as an 8th grader, she was the first girl off the bench (5.2 pts, 4.5 rebs, 2.8 stls, and 1.6 assists) for the Cougars. After a year hiatus, Lind re-emerged on the b-ball court in Rushford, starting as a sophomore (8.3 pts, 6.9 rebs, 2.5 stls, 1.6 assists). The past two years (11.3 pts, 8.0 rebs, 3.4 stls, 3.4 assists as a junior; 12.3 pts, 9.3 rebs, 4.0 stls, 4.3 assists as a senior), she’s been the Trojans MVP. She’s unique because, at 5’10”, she’s highly skilled. She is a ‘Jackie of all Trades’ basketball player. She rebounds, passes, and handles the ball all very well. She’s always around the rock. She scores when need be, from inside or out. As her dad and coach Dave Lind put, “She has been a real glue…she produces in so many areas.” Recording the 15th quadruple double (versus W-K, 18 pts, 14 rebs, 12 assists, 13 stls) in Minnesota girl’s basketball history is one testament to that versatility.

Being either one or two on her team in scoring, rebounding, assists, and steals, each of the last two years, is a second proof. Had she played as a freshman, she could’ve gone over both 1,000 points and rebounds for a career, a rare feat. A three-sport All-Conference athlete (VB, BB, SB), a captain for each, it will be the first Lind will concentrate on at the next level. She’ll play volleyball at MSU-Mankato next fall, leaving behind her coaching family (sister Tori, dad Dave). He best summed up their father/daughter, coach/player relationship; “Kenzie has always been a player interested in her team’s success first. As her dad, it has been wonderful being her coach, but a little cumbersome also…there are always benefits and disadvantages. We have done a very good job of leaving basketball in the gym and not discussing it at home. I have been very blessed to spend this quality time with my kids and their teammates who I enjoy very much. I am very proud of Kenzie.”

He should be. She’s a uniquely multi-talented basketball player, one who appropriately went out making the 1,000-point club.

No Comments Yet. Be the first to comment!