Tounde Yessoufou, a Baylor-bound senior at Santa Maria St. Joseph High and a McDonald’s All-American game selection, became the all-time career scoring leader in California high school boys basketball history Saturday in a 93-62 nonleague victory against visiting Weston Ranch.
Yessoufou scored 30 points, including 19 in the second half, to increase his career total to 3,467 points in 120 contests, surpassing the previous all-time mark of 3,462 points accumulated in 130 games by DeMarcus Nelson from 2001-04 competing for Sacramento Sheldon and Vallejo, according to Cal-Hi Sports.
Yessoufou, who had 23 points entering the fourth quarter, surpassed Nelson on a layup that led to an eventual three-point play with 5:38 remaining to increase the Knights’ lead to 78-45, then added one more field goal the rest of the contest.
Yessoufou scored 712 points in 27 games as a freshman, followed by 972 points in 35 contests as a sophomore, before accumulating 1,132 points in another 35 games as a junior.
Tounde Yessoufou of Santa Maria St. Joseph boys basketball | Photo courtesy of Santa Maria St. Joseph
Yessoufou’s production last year, which included a career-high 46 in a 94-77 victory against Duncanville High from Texas, ranks No. 11 in California prep history for the most points in a single season, according to Cal-Hi Sports.
Following his performance Saturday, Yessoufou increased his total this season to 651 points in 23 games for the Knights (25-1), with three regular-season contests remaining.
Yessoufou is averaging 28.9 points and 10.4 rebounds for his career, with 107 games of scoring at least 20 points and 10 contests surpassing the 40-point mark.
Although Nelson’s standard stood for more than 20 years, Yessoufou could have his all-time mark challenged next season by junior Jason Crowe, Jr. of Inglewood.
Crowe, Jr., who started his prep career at Lynwood and plays travel ball with Yessoufou, has accumulated 3,162 points in 88 career contests, according to Cal-Hi Sports, with Inglewood (23-6) playing its regular-season finale Monday against Beverly Hills, followed by the CIF-Southern Section playoffs.
Santa Maria St. Joseph has the potential to make a significant postseason run, including the opportunity to contend for Central Section and state championships, giving Yessoufou the possibility of another eight to 10 games in his prep career.