JaQualon Roberts hits 1,000 point mark, Speer racks up 200 victories, South keeps winning

For the third year in a row, the Bloomington North boys' basketball program has produced a 1,000-point scorer.

That's a feat few teams can boast and it's also, not surprisingly, coupled with one of the stronger four-year runs the Cougars have had. So JaQualon Roberts did it while playing with several other strong scorers.

He's had a solid cast around him from the start, including the 2020-21 squad that also featured future Century Club members Isaac Vencel (1,090) and Nick Klaiber (1,097).

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"As a freshman, I didn't know what to expect," said Roberts, who had 1,046 points following the win over Edgewood. "And they really helped me get into the flow and find myself and who I am as a basketball player and who I am off the court."

Five or six years ago, who Roberts could be was already evident.

"I think it's one of those things, when you see him in sixth or seventh grade and meet him and think he could be one of the best that Bloomington North has ever had," North coach Jason Speer said. "And that's where we're at I think. He ranks up there around the best."

Sean May (1999-2002) leads the Cougar scoring list at 1,664, second in the county only to Edgewood's Garrett Butcher (1,820). Then come Duany Duany (1,532) and Jared Jeffries (1,418), Klaiber and Vencel, Rusty Fishel (1,089 at North and U-High). Roberts has plenty of time left to move up the list.

"It just makes me want to work even harder," said Roberts, who has signed with Vanderbilt. "Of course, you reach the 1,000-point mark, what do you do after that? Do you sit down and say, 'I've got 1,000 points' or do you keep going and as a player, keep getting points and accolades?

"Seeing my name up there with the greats just makes me want to work harder."

From that first point in his debut against Bedford North Lawrence to No. 1,000 at Terre Haute South, Roberts has plenty of good memories and people to thank.

"Growing up being in basketball, you've obviously seen those players get 1,000 points through the years," Roberts said. "Nick Klaiber just got 1,000 points last year and he was my guy. So to get that milestone myself is a huge accomplishment. It's basically a testament to my growth, my effort, to the amount of time I've put into basketball. It's just an unbelievable accomplishment."

When he got the chance, he ran into the stands to hug his mother JaQuita.

"She's the biggest inspiration I've ever had for myself," Roberts said. "It was a great night, being able to get that W and Coach Speer's 200th win. Just the amount of accomplishments we've had as a team and individuals is amazing."

North is 68-18 with Roberts in the lineup for a 79% winning rate, and that's an important stat to him, too.

"He did it building around what it takes to win," Speer said. "There's been times he's been asked to play defense, play under the basket, asked to play a guard position.

"So he's been more than happy to do everything we've asked him to do and obviously, the most important thing to him is winning. And he's done a lot of that."

The 200 Club

Speaking of winning, Speer also picked up No. 200 that same night (not counting the six wins he had as North's girls' coach).

"Whenever you have a 1,000-point scorer, obviously, they're a great player," Speer said. "And usually from where I stand, it's a little bit sentimental, because you've coached them for four years, through every single practice, and they are probably winding down their high school career.

"So it was super special to share with all the guys who have scored 1,000 points for me. But the 200th win with JQ was kind of nice."

Like Roberts, his head coaching debut, at Columbus North, was also against BNL and a 56-43 victory in November of 2008. Current assistant Anthony Lindsey was also a Speer assistant then, coming on board as a student teacher after graduating from St. Joseph's College.

"I think I have the coaches curse like everyone else," Speer said. "I think I remember the losses maybe more than the wins. so when you do hit one of those milestones like that, it does allow you the opportunity to look back on some of the championships you've won, some of the kids that you've coach and even that first win."

South keeps winning

South coach JR Holmes talked about using up some his team's nine lives after back-to-back overtime wins, but didn't put the Panthers' next close win, 64-59 at Terre Haute South, in the same category.

"It was a good game, back and forth," Holmes said. "We got up nine or 10 and they got it back down to three. But we were always ahead three to five points and we went 9-of-10 at the line to ice it."

Holmes was happy with his bench play, as sophomores Tucker Simpson, Vincent Moutardier and Cruz Sanchez pitched in some extra minutes to cover for early foul trouble. Senior Gavin Wisley also had a good shooting night, hitting four 3s in the second half to finish with 20 points.

South took care of Silver Creek in a high scoring game the next night, 78-68. Zach Sims had the 20-point outing this time, helped out by Wisley (16) and Moutardier (13), with his first double-digit game since the Richmond Tournament.

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Simpson, averaging 8 ppg in his last four after not scoring in the previous six, had seven and Aiden Schmitz, coming off his first game all year without a 3, hit three of them.

"They're run and gun, up and down the floor," said Holmes of the Dragons, who hit South for its most points given up in regulation since a 77-76 win over, you guessed it, Silver Creek four years ago. "So we played with them."

It was close throughout before South got up 14 in the fourth and finished 17-of-22 at the line, where the Panthers are shooting 79% on the season.

"We're playing four sophomores, a junior and three seniors and there were a lot of opportunities to make plays," Holmes said. "It was our fourth close game in a row, so we're getting experience in that and I hope it can pay off in the state tournament."

With a win at Mitchell, Holmes inched closer to two more milestones of his own, he's six away from win No. 900 and 10 away from his 1,000th game at Bloomington South.

Contact Jim Gordillo at jgordillo@heraldt.com or 812-331-4381 and follow on Twitter @JimGordillo.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: North's JaQualon Roberts joins 1,000 point club, coach hits 200 wins