Roberts named to Maine Sports HOF

When Doug Roberts received the basketball, everyone knew where it was going because throughout a stellar career at Rumford High School he proved to be unstoppable.

Those exploits and a deep passion will be recognized when Roberts will be inducted into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame in May 2011.

Roberts helped lead Rumford to the Class A state championship in 1974, and to the Class A state title and the New England High School championship in 1976. He was also awarded the prestigious George Vinal Award in his senior year and was named Outstanding Player of the 1976 New England tournament played in Boston.

“We were all very lucky to have grown up in Rumford,” said Roberts. “We were lucky enough to have a coach that spent time with us. Coach (John) Shaw took us to Massachusetts and anywhere else he needed to take us to find competition. The state games were really just a great memory; the trips from Rumford to Augusta with the caravan of traffic heading to the Civic Center and filling our side of the stands.”

Roberts, who was well known for a turnaround bank shot, scored 1,480 points and had over 1,000 rebounds in three years (freshmen were not allowed to play varsity).

He averaged 28 points and 15 rebounds per game in his senior year, and 21 points and 12 rebounds as a junior. He was named to the Class A All-State First Team in 1975 and 1976, after receiving honorable mention in 1974.

“Doug was a power forward who could literally play any position on the floor,” said Shaw. "During his senior season, on a team with three double-figure rebounders and five double-figure scorers, he averaged a double-double a game. I would rank him as one of the top five ever to play basketball in Maine.”

Roberts lost one game with Rumford, a playoff semifinal in ’75, but was 22-0 in 1974 and 26-0 in 1976.

“My sophomore year, I had four great seniors,” said Roberts, noting Stan Kaubris, Jim Mooney, Ray McKenna and Joe Ziko. “Each of them were outstanding in leading by example: hard work, practicing hard and playing together were what they believed in.”

The ’76 team included guards Jack and Matt Kaubris, forwards Andy Shorey and Roberts, center Tim Ziko, a sixth man in Bob Reid and guard Chris Gorham.

“The following two years, I had a great point guard in Matt Kaubris, who just made my life easy with getting me easy baskets,” said Roberts, currently assistant principal at Sanford High where he won 258 games as basketball coach.

“Then all the other teammates that played basketball all the time. We just had a wonderful chemistry where we all just wanted to play hard and play together.”

Roberts, a 6-5 tight end, earned football all-state in '75 and '76.

"Doug was very strong on the low block and knew how to use his body to gain good offensive position,” said teammate Matt Kaubris. Back in '76, there was no three-point line, so our first option was to pound the ball inside to Doug to get a high percentage scoring chance.”

Roberts spent countless hours honing his game during the offseason and summer working at the outdoor courts by the junior high. Back in the day, there were no restrictions on players working with their coaches after the season was over and Roberts took full advantage of Coach Shaw's willingness to help any player who wanted some extra work.

He bounced around in college, leading Acadia University to the Canadian National Championship in 1977. In 1978-80, he made first team All-New England at Becker Junior College and Clark University. He was honorable mention to the All-American team in 1980.