Horky counts up career achievements

Tyler Horky.

By any measure, Tyler Horky has had a pretty remarkable high school basketball career.

The 17-year-old senior has played for all four years of high school on the varsity squad, but only played three games his freshman year due to a shoulder injury. Despite that, he still averaged 8 points per game that season. Returning for his sophomore year, Tyler averaged 12.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.

It was during his junior season that he really broke away and scored 518 points for the season, averaging 24.7 points per game, the best in the Jackson MLive area.

“That season he broke the school record of most points in a game, scoring 47 against Vandercook Lake,” said head coach Mike Ahrens, who was in his first year as coach during Horky’s breakaway year. “This past season, he broke his own record of most points in a game, accumulating 58, again against Vandercook Lake.”

He continued to excel in his senior season, scoring 644 points and carrying a 29.3 points-per-game average, which ranked him as the number one scorer in the state, according to MaxPreps.

“Tyler totaled 1,452 career points in 68 games,” Ahrens pointed out. “And at one point in the season, he was on the ‘bubble’ status for the Michigan ‘Mr. Basketball’ honor.”

Ahrens added, “Tyler was consistently pushing himself and teammates to improve every day. Tyler is learning how to test defenses and find a path for himself and teammates to score and how to make stops on defense. He will welcome any challenge to improve his overall game. His potential is still unlimited to accelerate at both ends of the court.”

Horky’s “Dutch Highlights” include being named the “D” Player of the Game in 14 games over the last two seasons; scored 30 or more points in 16 games over junior and senior seasons; voted Captain and Most Valuable Player of the Year the last two seasons; scored 58 points in a single game, which included 27 in the 3rd quarter.

He broke 11 school records during his senior season:

• Total Points per Game 58. The previous record was held by J. England – 44 (1957)
• Season Points: 644 Horky. Prior record holder in this category was S. Knull – 515 (1990)
• Career Points 1,452, breaking T. Mann’s record – 1,046 (1989)
• Free Throw Points per Game 17 Horky. Previous record in this category was held jointly by *J. Heuser – 16 (2015) & J. Decker (1975)
• He also broke the Season free throw points with 170; surpassing Heuser’s 111 (2015)
• Career free throw points: 328, breaking the record previously held by D. Hanewald – 222 (2000)
• Free Throw Attempts Game 20 Horky, breaking Heuser’s record – 18 (2015)
• Season free throw attempts: 203, again breaking Heuser’s 2015 record of 159
• Career free throw attempts were 415, passing J. Punches’ record of 352 (2002)
• Three-point Field Goals per Game (9), edging out J. Finley – 8 (2012)
• Career three-pointers – 149, passing up *B. Leverett, who logged 124 in 2002.

He also joined the Manchester 1,000 Career Points Club in the #1 position: Horky – 1,452 (2020); #2 Tom Mann – 1,046 (1989); #3 Curt Fielder – 1,018 (1978); #4. Nick Krzyzaniak – 1,000 (1981)

Highlights from the Jackson Area MLive honors include:

• Cascades Conference – First Team (2019 & 2020)
• Cascades Conference – Leading Scorer (2019 – 24.7 PPG) and (2020 – 30.2 PPG)
• Jackson Area – Leading Scorer (2019 – 24.7 PPG) and (2020 – 29.3 PPG)
• Jackson Area – “Dream Team” (2019) and (2020)
• Jackson Area – “MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARD (2020 *10,000+ votes)

Tyler’s Statewide Recognition included:

• BCAM (Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan) Academic All-State Team -2019 & 2020
• BCAM Showcase Participant – June 2019 @ Milford
• BCAM ‘s BEST All-State Team – 2020
• BCAM 3 Point Field Goal “Top Shooters Challenge” Nominee – 2019 & 2020
• MaxPreps #1. State Scorer with 29.3 PPG – 2020 (Division 3)
• MaxPreps #36. State Rank Assists with 2.5 APG– 2020 (Division 3)
• MaxPreps #38. Nation Rank with 29.3 PPG – 2020
• Associated Press, Division 3 “All-State” First Team – 2020
• MHSAA All-Time Basketball Records Application

Statewide, Horky also is tied for second best in MHSAA for Points Scored in a Quarter (27) in a 98-74 Win at Vandercook Lake on Feb. 12, 2020. The current record is held by Larry Fogle of Detroit Cooley, who scored 32 points in a quarter in 1972. His made free-throws percentage in the 2019-20 season was 83.7% with 170/203 in 22 games. This gives him the 24th best in MHSAA history. The record is held by Dustin Orns of Tekonsha with 255 (2007-08). His record of 328 free throws made in his career puts him at 43rd in MHSAA history. Orns of Tekonsha holds that record as well with 629, set in 2008.

Ahrens said, “I’m very proud of how Tyler has served as an role-model for our program on and off the court. He has played a major role in building our program and raising the bar of expectations at all levels. Tyler has worked countless hours in our summer camps, youth clinics and player development.”

In addition to basketball, 6’1″, 165-pound senior played football throughout high school and was the team’s quarterback, while holding an Academic record of 4.02 GPA and attaining membership in the Manchester Chapter of the National Honor Society.

Congratulations, Tyler, on an outstanding high school career. Your hometown will be watching for your decision of a college and wishing you continued success!

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.