Westborough ? When Katrina Joubert tore her ACL at the beginning of the year, the Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School (AVRTHS) basketball player never thought she would be able to play, much less make school history.
An excited crowd gathered in the AVRTHS gymnasium Feb. 10 to see how long it would take Joubert – known as “Tia” – to score six points and become the first female at the school to score 1,000 points.
A Westborough resident, she is the third Joubert sister to play basketball for the AVRTHS Lady Aztecs.
At the beginning of the season, she was 182 points shy of the record when she injured her knee.
“I wasn's sure if I would reach it, because my playing time was limited,” she said.
Coach Frank Ferreer moved her from point guard to shooting guard and Joubert played through the pain.
“It was painful, but worth it,” she said. “It was scary playing with it. I was always worried that I would reinjure it. I just had to suck it up and play because I love it.”
Her coach was impressed with her drive.
“Tia will definitely need surgery after the season, but she still gives her all out there and is a solid contributor in every game she plays,” Ferreer said.
At the Feb. 9 game, Joubert was not sure exactly how many points she needed to reach 1,000.
“I knew I was close, but I didn's know I had reached it until the crowd started cheering,” she said.
Athletic Director Terry Riley had confided to a few people, including Joubert's family, that she was six points away. The magic moment came near the end of the first half, on a free throw after being fouled. As the ball cleared the rim, the crowd, on cue from Riley, stood and cheered, and the game was halted to recognize her feat and award her the game ball, flowers and balloons.
“I am so proud of her tonight, this is quite an accomplishment,” Ferreer said after the game.
The senior co-captain will head to Salem State University in the fall to study nursing. She will have surgery in March and will “rehab like crazy” so she can continue playing the sport she loves.
“This has been the best four years of my life so far,” Joubert said. “It's so sad it's coming to an end, but I's looking forward to moving on to new things.”
Joubert said her coaches, particularly Ferreer, are among “the most influential people in her life,” along with her family who were out in force to witness her milestone.
“I think I had 15 family members in the crowd that night,” she said.
Joubert's high school basketball career ended Feb. 26 as the seniors on the team played their final game together. To commemorate the accomplishment, a banner will be placed in the AVRTHS gym to inspire future stars.
“It's a great legacy to leave behind,” she said.
