Kings set local all-time scoring record

By Ramon Scott
Updated: December 4, 2018

The Kings' Manny Perez goes for a jam.

2018 SAN DIEGO KINGS BASKETBALL

By Nick Pellegrino
East County Sports staff writer

SAN DIEGO (12-2-2018) – Professional basketball in San Diego has never been held in high acclaim, although owners in a variety of leagues keep trying.

Included is a local ballclub called the San Diego Kings, which many consider a semipro program, but it’s the best this city has at the moment.

In the past, among NBA teams, the San Diego Rockets lasted four seasons before moving to Houston. The Buffalo Braves then came to town to become the Clippers, but after six seasons again relocated, this time to Los Angeles.

The original ABA did no better, as the San Diego Conquistadors – the “Q’s” for short – failed after five seasons, so the franchise was rebranded as the Sails, yet folded for good after just a dozen ballgames.

Still, there were some highlights in these few years, ranging from the 1967-68 expansion Rockets until the mid-1980s.

Perhaps the single-most famous game was an ABA game when the Q’s hosted the New York Nets, featuring future Hall of Fame forward Julius “Dr. J” Erving, who would score a career-high 63 points.

However, San Diego outlasted the Nets in four overtimes, 176-166, at the San Diego Sports Arena on Feb. 14, 1975.

When it comes to a regulation, 48-minute game, it’s the San Diego Rockets which hold the city’s single-game scoring record. In a span of under a month, they scored 151 points in a road loss to the Cincinnati Royals, then came back to register 150 in a win over the Royals (now the Sacramento Kings) at the Sports Arena.

Why is this currently noteworthy?

On Saturday (Dec. 1), the Kings eclipsed the Rockets mark in regulation play by posting 158 points in a 158-107 decision over the San Diego Surf at Lincoln High School.

Kings guard Manny “Puerto Rico” Perez led all scorers with 29 points, as seven San Diego players reached double figures in scoring.

Considering the county’s poor history in pro hoops, the “record” scoring effort is as good as any, considering the expansion-year Rockets once had center Henry Finkle foul out of a game… in the FIRST quarter.

The Kings (4-1) next head for the road to play five games, including two this weekend against a pair of Top 20 teams: No. 15 Team Trouble and No. 2 San Francisco City Cats.

San Diego returns home on Sat., Jan. 5, against the Tucson Buckets, starting at 6 p.m., Further information is on the Kings’ Facebook page.