Romeo Weems is in a class by himself.
The New Haven senior has always been an immensely talented player. But his drive to become a better player led him to what he accomplished Thursday night.
Weems had 30 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, six blocks and four steals in New Haven's 76-47 victory over Grosse Pointe South. In the process, Weems set a new school record for points in a career, breaking Eli Sims's mark of 1,840 points, set in 1971.
"I knew he was a great athlete coming in," New Haven coach Tedaro France said. "But he plays hard and competes. People don't see how hard he works. He is in the gym with me three or four times a week at 5 a.m.
"He's not just a scorer. He dives for loose balls. He takes charges. He leads us in sprints. It rubs off on the whole team.
That's great to coach. He's a great leader. He's showed maturity and strength and his ball skills and shot have improved. He's improved his weaknesses into a strength. He's one of the best players I've ever seen. He brings toughness. He doesn't just have skills. He plays hard."
Weems, a 6-foot-7 forward, is averaging 31 points per game as a senior. He has often leaned on his experience to take over games.
"I just wanted to continue getting better," Weems said. "It feels good to get the record. I used to say hard work pays off and it shows in a big way. I've been working hard and getting better every year.
"I think I'm more poised and more confident and more hungry. I know the situation I am in and how to get out of it on the court. I'm more experienced. I've had a lot of great experiences playing here and with USA Basketball."
"I've tried to be a good teammate and get everyone involved," Weems said. "We've played in a lot of big games and I've learned how to stay patient."
Weems will head to DePaul on a basketball scholarship this fall. But first, he has some unfinished business at New Haven.
"I can't wait to get to college," Weems said. "I just can't wait. But I'm trying to be patient and I'm just working on my game every day."
Contact Joseph Hayes at (810) 989-6268 or at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Joseph_Hayes11.