TWENTY-FIVE YEARS later, Reggie Isaac offers no exact thoughts on one specific matter.
All things considered, but especially because of his status as perhaps (definitely?) the best player in world history, is basketball better off that Wilt Chamberlain still holds Philly's male record for most points scored in a high school game?
"I never thought about that," Isaac said recently. "Honestly, as I get older, I just think about being happy that I had the chance to break it.
"Lots of high school players can't tell a story like this one. I'm glad I can."
Infrequently, albeit. Hardly ever, in fact.
On Feb. 20, 1986, as part of an orchestrated effort by his retiring coach, John Dougherty, to smash Chamberlain's 90-point record, accomplished for Overbrook vs. Roxborough in 1955, Isaac launched all but eight of his team's 77 field-goal attempts and rang up 84 points as John Bartram thumped visiting William Bodine, 99-69, in a Public League regular-season finale.
Isaac, who has long lived in the area (Baltimore) where he starred in college (Coppin State), is married with three children. The oldest, son Ronell, 14, is now making basketball headway.
"He's heard bits and pieces about [the 84-point game]," Isaac said, "but that's from other people. I don't bring it up. I haven't sat him down to tell him the complete story."
That's probably a good thing. There are significant parts Reggie Isaac can't remember, either at all or correctly, and it wasn't until recently, during an interview with the Daily News, that he was even informed of the complete reason the whole scenario unfolded.
That breakdown - the first time he has offered it publicly - came from Dougherty, who's now 85 and still energetic, and who remains a frequent spectator at high school games all over the city.
The day of the outburst, Dougherty said he'd come up with the idea of Reggie Isaac Day to honor the 6-2 senior guard's dedication.
"Reggie has put the most into our program," he said. "We felt he deserved a day like this."
Last week, Dougherty was more specific.
"I didn't mention this at the time," he said, "but all of that came out of our William Penn game. We still had a chance for the playoffs, but several of our guys thought it was more important to sit on a bus and hold hands with their girlfriends and to go the Poconos for the senior class trip.
"Reggie stayed loyal to us. He didn't make that trip. I felt he should be rewarded."
