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Pugh joins McDonald’s 1,000-point club
By Greg Gulas
McDONALD
When McDonald guard Anthony Pugh was fouled early in the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s sectional semifinal game with Youngstown Christian, the only thing he had on his mind was to sink both charity tosses so the Blue Devils could extend their lead against the Eagles.
Prior to toeing the line, however, head coach Jeff Rasile called him over to the bench to let him know that by converting his free throws, his moment will finally have arrived.
It was a moment that the diminutive guard had been striving for since first putting on a Blue Devils’ uniform four seasons ago and a record-setting moment fans readily embraced since it was a milestone only six Blue Devils players had previously reached.
Pugh needed 13 points to hit the 1,000 point plateau and by converting his first free throws, he validated his place in Blue Devils basketball history.
“A lot of people looked at it as an individual accomplishment, but I kind of looked at it as a team. Without my teammates setting me up just to score and without my coaches putting me into position to score, I don’t this this is possible without them,” Pugh said. “Really, I was just focused on winning the game because if we lose, we’re done. I kind of knew I was close. I didn’t know how close, but I knew that I was approaching it. The No. 1 thing on my mind was to win and if that brought the 1,000th point in the process, then that just adds to it.”
Rasile, who is 221-42 at McDonald, has led the Blue Devils to five Inter Tri-County League crowns and two league co-championships.
He’s coached Pugh the last three seasons and called his four-year letterwinner (he’s also a two-year starter) a tireless worker who just got better each and every season.
“McDonald boys have been playing basketball since the late ’20s or early ’30s so we’re talking about 80, 90 years and only seven boys have been able to surpass the 1,000 point mark. Any time you do that you’re one of the elite players in McDonald history,” Rasile said. “He came in right away and played varsity as a freshman. He’s been consistent throughout his career and his scoring averages have increased every year. A hard-working kid, he’s in the gym all the time and in here by himself a lot of times shooting. He deserves all the recognition that he gets.”
Pugh has been a part of three ITCL crowns or co-championships and has helped the team to a 71-23 overall mark during his varsity career.
His admiration for Rasile extends beyond the hardcourt.
“He’s had a huge impact on my life as a whole. A lot of people want to relate it to basketball, but I think he has taught me more about how to become successful as a person and as a man more than anything,” Pugh said. “He’s done numerous things for me that I’ll never forget. As far as basketball goes, I’m never going to forget the experiences and chances and opportunities he’s given me and when I become older and become a man, he’s helped prepare me. I consider him my second father.”
Pugh said his teammates were more aware than he was of the approaching moment.
“Without my teammates, this doesn’t happen. I can’t do it all, they knew I was close and I think they wanted it for me because they know how hard I work, how hard I play and how much I love basketball,” he said. “They knew it was coming; I think they were happy to be a part of it and I was happy for them to be part this moment as well.”
In addition to his work ethic, Rasile called Pugh a role model that others look up to.
“He’s a great kid. I tell the same stories about him as I have a son who is in seventh grade and him and Anthony are in the gym all the time; the two of them with me working out,” Rasile said. “He’s a good role model for my boy. He’s probably our hardest-working kid that we’ve had here. He’s here seven days a week. We can’t get him out of the gym.”
Pugh is 27 points behind Nick Testa and sixth-place on the all-time scoring list and will look to close that gap tonight when the Blue Devils host Sebring in a sectional final. Game time is 7 p.m.