There's a special guest star in Hoiberg's 51-point Ames High story

 By Rob Gray

 Correspondent

 AMES - Sure, Iowa State Coach Fred Hoiberg's even-keel, modest and cool as they come.

Doesn't mean he's not a fierce competitor, though - from iPhone apps to memories of big games of the past.

So apply a grain of salt when The Mayor seems to have trouble recalling how many points he scored in games played a couple decades ago.

He remembers - and later was willing to add a couple details to the 51-point high school game he was asked about in the wake of Melvin Ejim's historic 48-point performance in Saturday's 84-69 win over TCU.

Hoiberg scored 51 in a 1991 substate game vs. Indianola.

He played three quarters and there's a good reason why.

Hoiberg's Ames Little Cyclones beat the Indians 108-60 that night en route to a state championship.

Oh, and one more thing:

Indianola featured several good players, including …

“Casey Blake,” Hoiberg said.

Yes, that Casey Blake - the one who went on to hit 167 home runs in 13 seasons as a major league ball player with teams such as the Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Ejim said Saturday Hoiberg hadn't told him about the 51-point game.

But even if he did, the also-modest and typically-deferential Ejim had a ready-made rebuttal.

“I think this beats high school,” he said with a smile.