But with 1:36 remaining, the East Boston senior guard knocked down the first of two free throws to reach the milestone, letting out a sigh of relief as his teammates and coaches gathered to celebrate.
And before the opening tap, East Boston celebrated the legendary run of former coach, and headmaster, Mike Rubin, naming the court in his honor and unveiling a jersey that will be placed on the back wall of the gym.
Before his transfer to East Boston, Lau Quan played his freshman and sophomore seasons in Milford, N.H.
“Since he stepped foot in [East Boston], he’s been a leader, he’s put in a tremendous amount of work, and it showed tonight,” said East Boston coach Tyrone Figueroa.
As a senior, Lau Quan has averaged more than 20 points per game for the Jets (1-15, 0-8 BCL).
In the first against the Townies (10-4, 8-0), Lau Quan had tallied 1 point, and facing suffocating double teams, managed just one shot attempt. He hit two free throws in the third quarter, and two more in the fourth for 5 points.
Just when it looked like the “Congrats Kai!” posters and balloons reading “1,000” would have to be put aside until the next game, Lau Quan (9 points) was fouled on an aggressive drive to the basket. Two free throws and a closing layup, and he had his grand total.
The Townies rode strong efforts from sophomore guard Kamari Day (20 points, 8 assists), and junior center Jeremy Baez (14 points, 15 rebounds, and 6 blocks) to remain unbeaten in the city.
For Rubin, Tuesday was a long time coming. In his 24 years on the East Boston bench, he won 300-plus games, 10 City League titles, and four Division 2 state titles and is a member of the state basketball coaches hall of fame.
“You’ve got to give 110 percent, you’ve got to play defense, and you’ve got to be a team player,” Rubin said. “Good behavior on and off the court was non-negotiable. Wear a shirt and tie to all away games. If you didn’t wear a shirt and tie, you didn’t ride my bus — you walked.”
Webb Constable can be reached at webb.constable@globe.com. Follow him on X @webbconstable.
