Wheeler-Thomas rewriting Tip-Off Class record books

Elgin Larkin's Damari Wheeler-Thomas has dominated in his first two games of this year's 205 Tip-Off Classic, bringing him within striking range of becoming the showcase event's all-time leading scorer.

The 5-11 senior has played varsity all four years for the Royals, who have played in every single Tip-Off Classic since it was launched in 2014.

Coming into this year's Classic, Wheeler-Thomas had 98 points in nine games from the 2018 and 2019 years. Then he scorched Rockford Guilford for 24 points on Monday and poured in 32 against Auburn on Tuesday.

That explosion tied him with Jefferson's Terry Ford for second-most in a single game. Ford scored 32 on Chicago St. Rita back in 2017. East's Sincere Parker had 33 against Huntington Beach Marina in 2018.

Wheeler-Thomas has three more tries to break Parker's record. Elgin Larkin plays Chicago Bogan at 2 p.m. at Jefferson and Harlem at 6:45 p.m. at East on Friday. The Royals wrap up their Tip-Off schedule on Saturday at East against the E-Rabs at 6 p.m. 

Wheeler-Thomas now has 154 points in 11 career games in the season-opening showcase. The all-time record of 211 points - in 16 games - is held by former East E-Rab  Chris Burnell. 

Wheeler-Thomas, who has signed to play Division I college basketball at North Dakota State, needs to average just under 20 points per game over the final three games to catch Burnell. That seems to be a tall order, but Wheeler-Thomas is averaging 23.2 points over his last five games in the Tip-Off Classic, dating back to his sophomore season in 2019.

Of course, if not for the coronavirus having canceled last year's Classic, Wheeler-Thomas likely already would have broken the record.

Updated 205 Tip-Off Classic Career Scoring Leaders