King (Riverside) High School then junior Ryan Lough became a local pop star following this dunk at the 2012 MaxPreps Holiday Classic. Lough went on to win the slam dunk contest.
File photo by David Hood
admits that he loves to live incognito. At least around basketball circles. He takes on more of a skateboarder persona than a mad hoopster, which helps him to catch opponents off guard.
Unfortunately, the price of fame has caught up with the now 5-foot-10
King (Riverside, Calif.) senior and after winning the 2012 MaxPreps Holiday Classic slam dunk contest, he's a made man.
Ryan Lough goes up for a hanging layup Friday
in a MaxPreps Holiday Classic win over Green
Valley.
Photo by David Hood
Lough will defend his title late Saturday night at what should be jam packed
Rancho Mirage (Calif.) High School. He will be one of 44 dunkers participating in a warm-up dunk-off extravaganza for 15 minutes before judges selected their five finalist.
As the defending champion, Lough has already qualified to be the sixth and final finalist.
"I lot of people know me and approach me from last year's contest," said the soft spoken standout after scoring a game-high 22 points in a 63-55 I HOOP Gear Division win over Green Valley on Friday. Lough grew two inches from last season.
"I had all sorts of people congratulating me and saying they saw it, so that's very cool," he said.
See last year's storyMost of the reaction came after the King TV station got a hold of the video and posted it continually for weeks around campus. Even though he's one of King's top all-around players, he is known now largely as the slam dunk king.
That or the skateboarder turned high-flyer.
Last year's story was exceptional as he arrived late to the competition which drew about 2,000 fans at Palm Desert, but was allowed in at the last minute.
Despite his lack of height and never having entered a dunk contest, Lough sent the crowd into a tizzy by throwing down a 360 slam on his first attempt. From that point he because a fan favorite.
Ryan Lough with a baseline jumper Friday.
Photo by David Hood
"That was probably the best part, having a lot of people cheering for me," he said. "It was really exciting."
Lough, extremely low key, said he hopes to repeat as champion but isn't banking on it. Besides, keeping King on the winning track is way more important.
The Wolves are 10-1 and play Marantha in a semifinal game Saturday. Lough is a starter for coach Tim Sweeney, who isn't much for all the flash and individualism of dunk contests.
But he did call Lough immediately after winning last year's event.
"He was definitely happy for me," he said. "A lot of people are. I hope I can go in there and repeat and make some people happier."
Lough is a fine all-around player for the Wolves, acting as the team's glue guy. He can score, as he did on Friday, on an assortment of driving shots and short jumpers. He also made 3-of-8 shots from beyond the 3-point line.
Any chance he'll sign up for the 3-point contest?
"I'll stick with dunking," he said.
