When Marietta High School junior Erica Dawson eclipsed the single game scoring record by tallying 41 points on Jan. 9, many people thought it would stand for a long time.
Turns out it lasted five days.
That's because Dawson simply turned around and shattered her own record when she scored 52 points against the Meadowbrook Lady Colts on Saturday.
"I feel like if you just go out and play the game and play hard your points will come. I don't go out thinking about how many points I can score," Dawson said.
Dawson, the standout guard for the Lady Tigers, has simply been having one of those seasons.
"She's starting to play free and easy. That could mean trouble for a lot of people," said Marietta girls' basketball coach Scott Cozzens.
Over 12 games this year Dawson, a lanky 5-foot-9, is averaging 29.1 points a game, having scored 350 points already this season.
But she's not just scoring.
In the game on Saturday when she scored the school record 52, including 38 before halftime, Dawson also had eight assists as she factored in on 70 of the Lady Tigers 89 points.
"All the fans up there appreciated it. They knew they were seeing something special," Cozzens said.
Special definitely describes what Dawson is doing on the court.
Along with her scoring, Dawson is also averaging 8.0 rebounds a game, 5.3 steals a game and 3.6 assists per contest.
She's shooting 77 percent from the free throw line and 41 percent from both beyond the arc and inside it, having connected on 43 three-pointers and 80-of-194 from two-point range.
Perimeter shooting was a focus during the offseason for Dawson, as she's committed to becoming the complete basketball player.
"I feel like this year I finally started being able to do that (shoot from outside). Last year my game was more inside and driving and foul shot points. This year I'm able to shoot more outside," Dawson said. "Part of being a complete player is being able to shoot from the perimeter or go in and drive."
The hard work has certainly paid dividends early.
Dawson hit 10 three-pointers against Meadowbrook as she scored her record 52 points.
Those 10 threes tie for second with five other players, including former Fort Frye standout Kourtney Booth, in state history according to figures provided by the Ohio High School Athletic Association.
"She worked hard this summer to extend her range. That makes her nearly unguardable," Cozzens said.
The 10 threes aren't Dawson's only appearance in the state record books, either.
In a game against Warren at the Parkersburg Holiday Tournament she hit 20 free throws, which is good enough for 13th in state history according to the OHSAA.
Individual records are nice, but team records are even better which is why Dawson is glad to be on a 10-2 team.
"To get the win for our team is the most important thing," Dawson said.
Range is certainly a nice commodity to have, especially when a girl's on fire the way Dawson has been.
Scoring 38 points in the first half on Saturday, Dawson is cementing her reputation as one of Ohio's most elite players with her deadly accuracy.
In her two record setting games Dawson hit a combined 37-of-54 attempts from the field for a 69 percent shooting percentage. All told last week, in three games, Dawson scored 124 points as she had a double-double of 31 points and 12 rebounds against Claymont.
"I worked a lot over the summer on my shooting. Coach Cozzens and Coach (Terry) Wallis were really good about opening up the gym for whoever wanted to shoot," Dawson said.
Shooting hasn't been the only aspect of her game that Dawson has been working on.
While she is primarily known for her offensive firepower, Dawson is truly becoming the complete player she seeks to be.
No where is that more apparent than on the defensive end, which was once considered a weakness for Dawson.
"Coach Cozzens, he used to get on me my freshman year and most of my sophomore year about my defense because that was one of my weaker spots," Dawson said.
That's clearly no longer the case now.
"Her defense has improved more than anything the last three years," Cozzens praised. "In crunch time in a big game, Erica's going to guard whoever the other team has."
Hard work has accomplished a lot for Dawson, but she also has the raw tools to make her successful.
In addition to basketball, Dawson is also a standout runner competing in both cross country and track.
This past fall Dawson was a member of the Lady Tiger cross country team that advanced to the regional meet after placing 11th at the Division I District meet. In track, Dawson also advanced to the regional meet in her sophomore campaign in the 300 hurdles where she was fifth, with the top four finishers going to the state meet.
As athletic as Dawson is, it would be easy for her to just let that carry her to success where ever she wants to go.
But she doesn't.
Instead, it's a constant work in progress for the Lady Tiger superstar.
"I just want to get better and be the best player I can be. I really want to be a complete player," Dawson said.
Part of being the complete player also means being a leader.
And that's a role that Dawson is a little more hesitant to take, instead deferring to senior guard Amanda Brown.
But when her voice needs to be heard, Dawson is slowly stepping up.
On a team that has a tendency to sometimes be in awe of her, it was Dawson who helped turn the Lady Tigers from a one-girl scoring machine into a more balanced offensive threat, Cozzens noted.
"Early in the year they watched (Dawson) too much, and she got on them in the (Parkersburg) Holiday Tournament," Cozzens said. "Since then, our season has changed."
Perhaps the scariest thing for opponents about Dawson, aside from the fact that she's only a junior, is that she hasn't yet reached the peak of her ability.
"There's a lot of room for improvement and she'll work really, really hard," Cozzens said.
Even Dawson admits she has room to grow, but she's committed to it. And that cements her even more as one of Ohio's best. "Basketball is a sport I love, so I'm going to put everything into it," Dawson said.
