Karns City hoops standout Beighley eclipses 1,000 career points
As Karns City’s Taite Beighley ventured to the charity stripe, teammate Hobie Bartoe encouraged him not to fret over the milestone in front of him.
“That made me think about it even more,” Beighley said about his contemplation prior to surpassing 1,000 career points in a recent 75-60 home basketball win over Brookville. “I hit the first one, then I hit the second one. I just couldn’t believe it. I like that it was on a free throw, you know, build the suspense up a little more.”
Beighley became the 14th boys player to reach the mark for the Gremlins.
“Standing at the line, thinking, ‘This is for the No. 1,000’ — I’m sure there was a little bit of added pressure to that free throw that he made,” Karns City coach Zach Kepple said. “He’s always been really good in pressure situations of knocking those types of shots down.”
It wasn’t quite the situation that Beighley had dreamed up in his head before. He entered this season needing 279 points to accomplish the feat.
“(It coming on) free throws was not expected,” he admitted. “I’m a guard, so I don’t get to the free throw line as much as some of my teammates. I thought maybe it would’ve been a three or something cool like that — if I was feeling it.
“But, I don’t think I would’ve wanted to do it any other way than I did it that night.”
After putting away both of the tries with a tick to go in the third frame, Beighley pumped his fist and embraced his teammates before pausing for commemorative photos.
“It was just cool,” Beighley remembered. “Seeing all those fans with a standing ovation and so many of my friends and family coming to see me score 1,000 points, it really means a lot.”
Karns City held a four-point lead at halftime. Kepple knew what it would mean for Beighley, who’s averaging over 14 points per game, to hit the mark on that night.
“I pulled him aside and said, ‘Goal No. 1 is for us to win the game. Goal No. 2 is for you to get your 1,000th point,’” the coach said.
Beighley being the offensive engine isn’t anything new for the Gremlins. The team has performed better as a whole when he’s on his game. Karns City has four players averaging double-digit points this season and another teetering on that line.
“When Taite’s firing, when he’s going full-speed ahead, those are the nights where we are getting five guys in double-digits,” Kepple said.
Beighley’s older brother, Chase, is Karns City’s all-time leading boys hoops scorer. The two played varsity together when Taite was a freshman.
“Chase doesn’t pass, he just shoots everything,” the younger Beighley said with a laugh.
Aside from the senior’s scoring aptitude, Kepple lauded Taite’s willingness to share the ball. He’s posting seven or more assists per night this season.
“That opens things up for him,” Kepple said. “When he’s driving to the lane and dishing and he does that continually, they end up leaving him open because they think that he’s going to dish it.”
Heading into Friday night’s matchup with Union, Taite was shooting nearly 48% on the season from within the arc and 38% from outside of it. Having been named the KSAC boys hoops MVP on Monday, he has his sights set on continuing his career at a Division II program.
“I’m going to get the highlight tape out at the end of the season and see what happens,” Taite said.
