MACKINAW - In 1972, self-proclaimed defensive specialist Glenn Hudson scored 26 points in one game for the Gibson City High School basketball team.

More than 30 years later, Hudson, 51, invented a product to help high schoolers enjoy the same experience.

Now, he's touring the United States, in part, to promote his product, a basketball-rebounding machine that allows players to shoot repetitively without having to chase down the ball after every shot.

"That repetitive shooting gets you in a groove and really helps you develop a good shot," said Hudson, who now lives in Mackinaw. "I've sold them to Canada, Australia, all over the East Coast. I've had people interested in Alaska but because of the cost of freight, it didn't work out."

As a member of the 1972 Elite 8 Gibson City Greyhounds, Hudson never scored many points. But one night before a game, he and a friend went to a local gym to practice shooting. As Hudson fired up shot after shot, his friend rebounded and quickly passed back to Hudson for another shot.

At that night's game, Hudson dropped in 26 points, and the experience has been the inspiration for his invention, called the shootAndstar rebounder.

The device attaches to the backboard, dropping a net that returns the ball back to the shooter. Two poles attached to the net at the opposite end of the backboard allow the player to angle the net differently so the ball can be returned to different parts of the court.

Hudson has products, which sell for around $200, to fit any size backboard. A new version will be one-size-fits-all, he added.

The net also can be extended several feet away from the backboard for longer shots or shortened so players can practice short, 8-foot jumpers.

"If people want to buy one for kids as a toy, they can do that. But this is a serious practice product," Hudson said.

Tom Embry, who'll be a senior next year for the Dee-Mack basketball team, expects the rebounder to give him and his teammates a shooting edge next year.

He's been working with the machine for about a week and is starting to see his shot improve.

"It's better than going to the gym. You can really only shoot threes (with the rebounding apparatus) at the gym. It takes up so much of the court," he said. "This is really nice.

"Plus, it's easy to get (Hudson's rebounder) out of the way if you want to play a game," said Embry, as he practiced with Dee Mack teammates Cody Snyder and Ben Vetter.

To gauge interest in his invention, Hudson took the rebounder to college basketball camps throughout Illinois.

Hudson, who's made most of his money in the stock market, came up with the idea in 2003 and sold his first product in 2004.

"I haven't really spent anything on marketing. A lot of times, (inventors) spend all of their money early before they get feedback on the product," Hudson said.

"I'm building it like a fire, starting small. I guarantee you, this will be a successful product. I'd already be rich if I had money for everybody who told me what a great idea it is."

For more information on Hudson's product, visit www.shootandstar.com .