As a teammate joked with him standing at the line, the usually stoic Cortes smiled as he began his free-throw shooting motion. He followed through and hit the shot that marked his 1,000th career point, as the nearly silent Silver Creek gym erupted once the shot went through the net.

Cortes then was congratulated by his teammates, one by one, before his family and friends joined him at center court to celebrate the accomplishment with a customized basketball. He was recognized by the Board of Education and Superintendent Dr. Katie Ralston at a meeting three nights later.

“We should also acknowledge when he scored his 1,000th point, he didn’t stop scoring,” Ralston joked. She counted down each bucket he made after the 1,000th point from the school record for the remainder of the contest. Cortes is closing in on the school record of 1,272 career points held by Ryan Mangano.

Monday night, there were photos of Cortes’ face held by fans in the stands, along with a countdown to the 1,000-point mark displayed and updated with every shot he made. While those details themselves were unique, the star player at the forefront of the moment was a familiar focal point for the Black Knights.

OBSERVER Photo by Ashleigh BrownSilver Creek’s Ray Cortes eyes the rim during a free-throw attempt for his 1,000th career point during Monday night’s non-league basketball game against Chautauqua Lake at Silver Creek High School.

In every gym Cortes plays in across Western New York, he is the center of attention. The 6-foot-3 forward is the catalyst of what the team does on the floor, often facing double-teams in the paint and face-guarding when he is on the perimeter. Cortes is also targeted by opposing fan bases, who often direct their attention at him with taunts and jeers throughout the game.

As Board of Education Vice President Matt Bogosian joked after the meeting, former Yankees great Reggie Jackson famously said, “Fans don’t boo nobodies.”

Despite all the attention he receives, Cortes is more comfortable dodging the spotlight. He has often politely declined media interviews after victories; he keeps his excellence as a lacrosse player largely out of the public eye; and he did not say a word throughout multiple speeches given to highlight his character at the Board of Education meeting, except for a sheepish, “Yeah, kind of,” when asked if it was weird for him to look up into the stands and see pictures of his face held proudly by onlooking fans.

Still, Cortes’ quiet and reserved demeanor doesn’t stop many around him from saying the words necessary to highlight his greatness, even if he won’t do it himself.

“Obviously, Ray is a tremendous player,” said Ralph Jackson, Cortes’ varsity basketball coach throughout his time at Silver Creek. “Ray is, hands down, the best player I’ve coached. He’s a once-in-a-career player.”

OBSERVER Photo by Ashleigh BrownRay Cortes is surrounded by his family and friends after scoring his 1,000th career point for Silver Creek on Monday night against Chautauqua Lake.

Scoring 1,000 points is an accomplishment that often happens in the final moments of many great, long varsity basketball careers. Although he is a senior, Cortes hit the mark in just his 41st game. He would have accomplished the feat last season if not for an injury that cost him seven games during his junior year, and his first varsity action came as a sophomore.

Prior to Cortes, five boys basketball players reached 1,000 points at Silver Creek since the turn of the century. Among the group is Ray’s uncle, Zed Williams, who is one of the world’s elite lacrosse players. Matt Woleben, a teammate with Cortes last season, finished 28 points shy of 1,000 in his career because of a season-ending foot injury with multiple games remaining on the schedule.

Cortes averages just under 25 points per game across his varsity career. With at least 15 games remaining this season, if he stays healthy, Cortes would need just over 15 points per game the rest of the way to claim the school’s all-time record.

If he does claim the record, it could not go to a more deserving player.

“As great as he is on the basketball court, I’ve been here three years and I have not had a single email of anything bad about Ray,” Jackson said. “Everyone says the same thing about Ray, how great of a kid he is.”

High School Principal Kyle Yelich echoed the sentiment Jackson shared. “Ray is such a wonderful young man. He is kind, he is compassionate, he is a great friend, he is timely, he is just the sweetest kid,” Yelich said.

Ralston presented Cortes with a Certificate of Achievement to recognize his 1,000th career point. She also bragged that she received his autograph after he accomplished the feat.

The recognition ceremony ended the way it often does when the Silver Creek basketball program is surrounded by a crowd, with a round of applause and universal admiration for Cortes, one of the greatest players to ever wear a Black Knights uniform.