Patrick Hite, phite@newsleader.com
STAUNTON - There was a time, during his freshman year, that Jarvis Vaughan had to wonder if he would ever be a productive member of the Robert E. Lee basketball team.
He spent all but one play on the bench that season, the result of a knee injury suffered in football. The only time he got on the court for a game came in the conference championship game against East Rock.
He had just been cleared by his doctor to play again, so with two seconds left in the game, Vaughan was inserted into the lineup to guard the inbounds play.
East Rock called a timeout and Vaughan came back out. And that was it. One appearance with no time off the clock and no offensive touches.
That's a long way from where Vaughan is now, averaging more than 18 points and nine rebounds a game; verbally committed to Old Dominion University; and, as of Saturday afternoon, part of Lee High's illustrious list of 1,000-point scorers, one that now includes 16 players.
"To see him score 1,000 points, to see him grow up as a player and as a person, means a lot," Lee teammate and fellow senior Jahleel Pettiford said. "Jarvis works hard. He's a good person in the school and the community."
Vaughan almost got the milestone Friday night in Fishersville as Lee was beating up on Wilson Memorial. The senior scored 22 points, but, because Lee was leading comfortably for almost the entire game, sat long stretches on the bench as Lee coach Terrell Mickens rested his starters.
That worked out well on several fronts. The reserves got valuable minutes, the starters got to rest in the middle of a three-games-in-three-days stretch, and Vaughan got to get to the 1,000-point mark at home, in the Paul Hatcher Gymnasium.
Vaughan is the second area player in three days to reach the magic 1,000 points, with Wilson Memorial's Sarah Sondrol getting there on Thursday night. He's also the second Lee High player to get there in the last three years. Darius George, now a Marshall University freshman, reached the mark as a junior in a 2016 game at Harrisonburg.
"It's a great feeling knowing that I get to join that club that we have here at Lee High, the 1,000-point club," Vaughan said. "And it's good to know that I'll be in the history of Lee High, matched with all the greats that have 1,000 points."
aughan wasn't even aware that he was so close to the mark, finding out from his coach when he walked into the gym Saturday for the game.
His mom didn't know either. Triska Beverage was at work Saturday when she got a feeling that she should be at the game to watch her son. So she left work, telling her co-workers she'd be back in a couple of hours. As she walked into the gym, someone told her congratulations, the first time she had heard Vaughan was about to reach 1,000 points.
Luckily, a friend had hastily put together a sign and got some balloons to congratulate the Lee senior, giving them to Beverage when she arrived minutes for the game started.
With 5:29 left in the first quarter, and Lee already in front 6-0, Vaughan got a pass, turned around and knocked down an 18-foot jump shot. He would have preferred something more spectacular, like a dunk, but he had the wide-open shot and decided to take it.
After Vaughan got the game ball, he looked into the stands, not sure if his mom was there or not. Finally, he found her and went into the stands, hugging his mom.
Then it was back to business. Vaughan finished the game with 15 points, playing sparingly in a 70-26 blowout win over Stonewall Jackson. Lee led 41-2 at halftime.
"I was very overwhelmed," Beverage said of the moment.
Beverage described Vaughan's high school career as a "roller coaster."
"It's been great," she said. "I'm very proud of him."
Vaughan's breakout season came as a junior. While he had some solid games as a sophomore, he was part of a one-two punch with George last season that carried Lee High to the Class 2 state championship.
After being named honorable mention to The News Leader's All-City/County team as a sophomore, averaging almost 13 points a game, he became a first-team member and the offensive player of the year last season when The News Leader handed out postseason awards.
Vaughan, who averaged 16.6 points and 8.7 rebounds a game a year ago, was also named first-team Class 2A all state by both the Virginia High School League and Virginia High School Coaches Association last year.
It was the postseason where he really took over, scoring 84 points in three state tournament wins, a big part of the reason Lee survived two overtime games in the state quarterfinals and semifinals.
Vaughan's coach, Terrell Mickens, who missed the 1,000-point club by 78 points during his playing days at Lee, said, "It's an honor to get to coach him. He's joining an elite group. He's worked his butt off."
Vaughan had a lot of potential during his time on the jayvee team as an eighth-grader, but missing his freshman year hurt. It took him time as a sophomore to get back to where those around the Lee program had always hoped he would be.
Now, he's probably surpassed all of those hopes. He hasn't officially signed with Old Dominion, possibly heading to a post-graduate school next year before enrolling in college. He still plans to play for ODU, even wearing ODU sweats after the game Saturday, but by not signing yet he's kept his options open.
But for now, all Vaughan is worried about is the remainder of his high school season. With the 1,000 points behind him, he, and the rest of the Leemen, can turn their complete attention to defending that state title from a year ago.
"To defend the state title is, like, a big deal to us," Vaughan said. "All of the seniors, it's on all of our minds, all of the time, constantly. All we talk about and think about is how are we going to be prepared for the next game that gets us closer and closer to the state championship."
STAUNTON - There was a time, during his freshman year, that Jarvis Vaughan had to wonder if he would ever be a productive member of the Robert E. Lee basketball team.
He spent all but one play on the bench that season, the result of a knee injury suffered in football. The only time he got on the court for a game came in the conference championship game against East Rock.
He had just been cleared by his doctor to play again, so with two seconds left in the game, Vaughan was inserted into the lineup to guard the inbounds play.
East Rock called a timeout and Vaughan came back out. And that was it. One appearance with no time off the clock and no offensive touches.
That's a long way from where Vaughan is now, averaging more than 18 points and nine rebounds a game; verbally committed to Old Dominion University; and, as of Saturday afternoon, part of Lee High's illustrious list of 1,000-point scorers, one that now includes 16 players.
"To see him score 1,000 points, to see him grow up as a player and as a person, means a lot," Lee teammate and fellow senior Jahleel Pettiford said. "Jarvis works hard. He's a good person in the school and the community."
Vaughan almost got the milestone Friday night in Fishersville as Lee was beating up on Wilson Memorial. The senior scored 22 points, but, because Lee was leading comfortably for almost the entire game, sat long stretches on the bench as Lee coach Terrell Mickens rested his starters.
That worked out well on several fronts. The reserves got valuable minutes, the starters got to rest in the middle of a three-games-in-three-days stretch, and Vaughan got to get to the 1,000-point mark at home, in the Paul Hatcher Gymnasium.
Vaughan is the second area player in three days to reach the magic 1,000 points, with Wilson Memorial's Sarah Sondrol getting there on Thursday night. He's also the second Lee High player to get there in the last three years. Darius George, now a Marshall University freshman, reached the mark as a junior in a 2016 game at Harrisonburg.
"It's a great feeling knowing that I get to join that club that we have here at Lee High, the 1,000-point club," Vaughan said. "And it's good to know that I'll be in the history of Lee High, matched with all the greats that have 1,000 points."
aughan wasn't even aware that he was so close to the mark, finding out from his coach when he walked into the gym Saturday for the game.
His mom didn't know either. Triska Beverage was at work Saturday when she got a feeling that she should be at the game to watch her son. So she left work, telling her co-workers she'd be back in a couple of hours. As she walked into the gym, someone told her congratulations, the first time she had heard Vaughan was about to reach 1,000 points.
Luckily, a friend had hastily put together a sign and got some balloons to congratulate the Lee senior, giving them to Beverage when she arrived minutes for the game started.
With 5:29 left in the first quarter, and Lee already in front 6-0, Vaughan got a pass, turned around and knocked down an 18-foot jump shot. He would have preferred something more spectacular, like a dunk, but he had the wide-open shot and decided to take it.
After Vaughan got the game ball, he looked into the stands, not sure if his mom was there or not. Finally, he found her and went into the stands, hugging his mom.
Then it was back to business. Vaughan finished the game with 15 points, playing sparingly in a 70-26 blowout win over Stonewall Jackson. Lee led 41-2 at halftime.
"I was very overwhelmed," Beverage said of the moment.
Beverage described Vaughan's high school career as a "roller coaster."
"It's been great," she said. "I'm very proud of him."
Vaughan's breakout season came as a junior. While he had some solid games as a sophomore, he was part of a one-two punch with George last season that carried Lee High to the Class 2 state championship.
After being named honorable mention to The News Leader's All-City/County team as a sophomore, averaging almost 13 points a game, he became a first-team member and the offensive player of the year last season when The News Leader handed out postseason awards.
Vaughan, who averaged 16.6 points and 8.7 rebounds a game a year ago, was also named first-team Class 2A all state by both the Virginia High School League and Virginia High School Coaches Association last year.
It was the postseason where he really took over, scoring 84 points in three state tournament wins, a big part of the reason Lee survived two overtime games in the state quarterfinals and semifinals.
Vaughan's coach, Terrell Mickens, who missed the 1,000-point club by 78 points during his playing days at Lee, said, "It's an honor to get to coach him. He's joining an elite group. He's worked his butt off."
Vaughan had a lot of potential during his time on the jayvee team as an eighth-grader, but missing his freshman year hurt. It took him time as a sophomore to get back to where those around the Lee program had always hoped he would be.
Now, he's probably surpassed all of those hopes. He hasn't officially signed with Old Dominion, possibly heading to a post-graduate school next year before enrolling in college. He still plans to play for ODU, even wearing ODU sweats after the game Saturday, but by not signing yet he's kept his options open.
But for now, all Vaughan is worried about is the remainder of his high school season. With the 1,000 points behind him, he, and the rest of the Leemen, can turn their complete attention to defending that state title from a year ago.
"To defend the state title is, like, a big deal to us," Vaughan said. "All of the seniors, it's on all of our minds, all of the time, constantly. All we talk about and think about is how are we going to be prepared for the next game that gets us closer and closer to the state championship."
