PULLMAN – A world record was set for basketball half-court shots per minute as WSU senior Charlie Vernon scored nine to reclaim the title Wednesday night.
Vernon is listed in the Guinness World Records with seven baskets. But he was unseated in late January by Eric Valentin, a University of Wisconsin-Green Bay basketball player, who scored eight.
Determined to regain his title, Vernon, a manager with the WSU women’s basketball team, took to the hardwood. He placed a few rounds of practice shots as a small crowd of friends and women’s basketball players cheered him on.
After a few tries, the 10th round of shooting landed Vernon back on top.
He said he tried to clear his mind to focus on one thing.
“Once I hit about five or six, then I know I have a real chance,” he said.
Documentation of the event will be sent to Guinness for confirmation, Vernon said. The process could take days or weeks.
But for now, he said, he’s glad to be back on top.