LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — “That’s my boy!’ shouted Regina Gattling, the 57-year-old grandmother of Monticello’s star boys’ varsity bucketeer Josh Gattling. Her shout of pride came during a brief mid-court ceremony in recognition of her grandson’s 1,000th point during the Panther’s commanding 43-point (91-28) win over the home team Bulldogs of Sullivan West on February 25.

The senior guard is in his fourth year in the starting line and his third year as captain, leading the Panthers on the court under coach Chris Russo, who said of his leading scorer, “Josh is a better person than a player,” a reference to Gattling’s sportsmanship, motivation, drive and desire to give his team their first Section IX title since the 2001-2002 season of hoops.

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“His work ethic and leadership are second to none,” added Russo after handing Gattling an inscribed basketball noting his achievement of a high school basketball career milestone: his 1,000th point.

Gattling was tabbed the Maxpreps Monticello Player of the Game 23 times from December 22, 2016 through February 20, 2020, along with being named the boys’ basketball player of the year by the local press several times.

As an eighth-grader on the JV squad, he averaged 2.5 points per game in a total of 16 games played. As the seasons progressed from his freshman year to his senior year, his postings racked up accordingly: from 3.0 as a freshman to 7.8 as a sophomore, and to 18 as a junior, all the way up to his current nettings of 19.8 as a senior during regular season competition.

Gattling recently signed on the dotted line to play with the Colts of SUNY Orange under coach Tom Rickard, who has returned to lead the men’s basketball program.

When named head coach in 2006-07, he took over the reins of the Colts from his father Paul Rickard who led the team for a quarter-of-a-century, including an appearance at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) national championship in 2006.

Before coming back from a six year hiatus to the Colt’s stable, Tom Rickard racked up a 134-73 record, and posted four 20-win seasons including 25 victories in 2010-11, from 2006 through 2013.

Gattling’s take on posting his 1K point landmark at 5:30 in the third frame against Sullivan West?

“I take a lot of pride in the fact that the younger players look up to me as a role model, it’s all for the team,” he said.

Along the sidelines, you could hear what his grandmother called the “Road Dogs” cheering for Gattling from one end of the hardwood to the other.

“When we roll, we roll deep,” said Regina Gattling. “I’m so grateful that Josh made it. I hope he makes it even further and reaches more of his goals.”