Independence County native Austin Reaves delivered a performance for the ages Sunday night, scoring a career-high 51 points to lead the Los Angeles Lakers past the Sacramento Kings, 127-120. With LeBron James sidelined, Reaves shouldered the offense, adding 11 rebounds and nine assists — coming just one assist shy of a triple-double.
The former Cedar Ridge High School star from Newark was nearly flawless from the free-throw line, sinking 21 of 22 attempts while shooting 12-of-22 from the field. His clutch fourth-quarter scoring helped the Lakers pull away late to secure the win.
Reaves’ breakout moment adds another chapter to a career rooted in small-town Arkansas success. At Cedar Ridge, he led the Timberwolves to back-to-back Class 2A state championships as a freshman and sophomore, later becoming a two-time Class 3A All-State selection.
File image: Erik Dorst
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