Basketball

Wayland Baptist's J.J. Culver gives glory to God after record-setting 100-point game

By Joshua Pease Dec 11, 2019
J.J. Culver (Photo courtesy of Twitter/@WBUBasketball)

Wayland Baptist senior guard J.J. Culver scored 100 points Tuesday night in his team’s 124-60 rout over Southwestern Adventist, making Culver just the second player in NAIA history to hit the century mark in a game.

>> Subscribe to Sports Spectrum Magazine for more stories where sports and faith connect <<

After the incredible night, Culver gave all glory to God.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B563tVIgBn9/

Culver was 34-of-62 from the field during the record-setting night, including 12-for-33 from 3-point range, and 20-for-27 from the free-throw line. The rest of Culver’s teammates combined to go 8-for-15 from the field, with the next-highest scorer, Jonathan Robinson, tallying eight points.

“We always script our first couple of plays, and J.J. scored on the first three or four,” Wayland Baptist coach Ty Harrelson said. “The guys realized he was hot and kept going to him. We figured as long as he’s taking good shots and shots out of our philosophy that he had a chance to do something special tonight.”

J.J.’s younger brother, Jarrett, is a rookie shooting guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves. The No. 6 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft was astounded at his big bro’s feat:

J.J. and Jarrett’s father, Hiawatha, serves as a pastor at Rising Star Baptist Church in Lubbock, where Jarrett’s alma mater, Texas Tech, and J.J.’s current school are located. Dad has had a big influence on his boys.

“My dad is a great role model, and just having him around the team and having him give motivational talks and prayers before games helps out,” Jarrett told The Undefeated. “If we practice on Sunday, my dad would come up and talk to us. If we don’t practice, I’m at my dad’s church. My routine hasn’t changed at all — God is the priority in my life.”

RELATED STORIES:
— T-Wolves rookie Jarrett Culver ready for Summer League with God ‘the priority in my life’
— Texas Tech’s Jarrett Culver feels God is with him while leading Red Raiders to Final Four
— Liberty one of five unbeaten teams as coach Ritchie McKay reaches 300 career wins
— NEW PODCAST: Dr. George Barber – Greenville University Men’s Basketball Coach
— Marquette’s Markus Howard leading NCAA in scoring, fellow athletes to Christ

Tags: