Kaubris surpasses 1,000 points in win

JAY -- Cam Kaubris scored a game-high 31 points and surpassed 1000 career points as Mountain Valley boys' basketball team picked up the pace to survive a scare with a 73-70 win against Jay.

Class B Mountain Valley and Jay were locked in a battle, with neither team giving an inch down the stretch. The Falcons led 71-66 following a Kaubris three pointer and two free throws by Izaak Mills (eight points) with 56 seconds left. But Jay scored two baskets; the latter on Jake Bessey (25 points) steal and layup 16 seconds left.

“We did make a few mistakes,” said Mountain Valley coach Rick White. “But some good things did happen. We know what needs to be done at the end of a close game and which players need to be out on the floor. But the team persevered and Jay deserves a lot of credit because they pushed us tonight.”

Kaubris made two free throws and Jay’s final shot was short.

Kaubris entered the game 25 points shy of 1000 and scored 17 in the first half. The Falcons led 56-49 after three quarters.

“I had no idea that I was closing in on the mark,” said Kaubris, who made one of two free throws early in the fourth quarter for 999. “My team had kept it quiet so I didn’t know.”

Kaubris made a free throw with 3:55 remaining, the horn blared and he looked over and teammates standing and cheering. The game was promptly stopped in honor of reaching the milestone.

“We still had the rest of the game to play,” said Kaubris, who cherished the event because it occurred against a highly-competitive Jay team. “It was still a game that our team needed to win and I knew I wanted the ball down the stretch because I’ve been in a lot of close games throughout my high school career and Jay would foul to put us on the free throw line.”

The Falcons made eight of 11 free throws in the fourth quarter and (18 of 24) in the game.

The Falcons' Jacob Theriault and Isaac Roberts scored 12 and 11 points, respectively. Center Justin Carter banked-in two baskets, while sharing time with Hanson Gorham guarding Jay’s Kyle Storer (22 points.

“We (struggled) executing offensively,” said Mills. “Not much was working, except for Cam’s drives and dishing off. But we need to rotate over more and be ready to receive the ball on the backside.”