KARNS CITY, Pa. (EYT/D9) — Taite Beighley’s friend and teammate Hobie Bartoe offered some advice.
“Try not to think about it too much,” Bartoe said.
Beighley laughed. How was he supposed to not think about it?
(Pictured above, Taite Beighley drives the baseline against Brookville/photo by Holly Mead)
After a 32-point explosion on Thursday night against Redbank Valley, Beighley, the senior point guard for the Karns City boys basketball team, needed just 15 more heading into a home game against Brookville on Friday night to reach 1,000 in his career.
Doing it at home was suddenly attainable.
Beighley wasn’t as sharp from the perimeter as he was against Redbank Valley, but he adjusted, getting to the rim and to the foul line to score 18 points and reach the milestone.
His 1,000th point came at the line in the packed gym during the Gremlins’ 75-60 victory.
Quite a 24 hours for Beighley.
“I was looking and I didn’t really think it was going to be this game,” Beighley said. “Then I dropped 32 at Redbank and I was like, ‘Man, I’m only 15 away now.’ Then I realized I could get it tonight.”
Even last season, Beighley crunched the numbers and didn’t think he would be able to reach 1,000.
He didn’t play much as a freshman, which hindered his chances, he thought.
But since entering the starting lineup as a sophomore, Beighley has shined as both a passer and a scorer.
“Taite has been the leader of the team for the last three years,” said Karns City coach Zach Kepple. “He’s obviously a very talented scorer, but he is just as great of a passer. A thousand points is a big milestone — he’s the 14th in school history (boys) to accomplish it, and he certainly deserves it.”
(Taite Beighley poses with a basketball commemorating his 1,000th career point/photo by Holly Mead)
What makes it even more special for Beighley is the fact his older brother, Chase, is the all-time leading scorer in Karns City boys basketball history.
Now Taite joins him in the 1,000-point club.
“Man, it means everything,” Taite Beighley said. “After all the work me and my teammates put in and with my brother’s scoring record. For both of us to be on that banner soon, it’s so cool.”
Beighley was happy to get this out of the way.
With it rapidly approaching, he didn’t want it to become a distraction from the bigger goals he and the Gremlins have for the season.
Winning the KSAC. Winning the district. Making noise in the state playoffs.
Karns City is playing well now. The Gremlins’ offense is clicking with another 75 points in the win over Brookville. Beighley was joined in double figures by Shane Peters (also 18), Bartoe (12), Cole Johnston (12) and Jacob Callihan (10).
Karns City scored 44 points in the second half to pull away from the Raiders, who got 21 points from Jack Pete.
Beighley also had seven assists, Peters had 10 rebounds and Callihan nine boards.
“We’ve had a couple of hard losses where we should have won this season,” Beighley said. “All of our losses are within five points except for one. We can be the best team on the floor every night. We just have to bring that intensity every night.”
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