Ep 61 - Sikeston Bulldogs Postseason Wrap Up - A Season Worth Remembering, A Standard Worth Chasing

29 wins doesn’t happen by accident, and neither does a Final Four run. We sit down for a full postseason wrap-up of Sikeston Bulldogs basketball, from the late-night ride home and that first wave of “it’s over” melancholy to the pride that hits when you realize how rare a season like 29-3 really is in Missouri high school basketball. The record matters, but what stays with us is the way this team and this town showed up for each other all year. 

We unpack the defining stretches of the season and the moments that shaped the run: the defensive toughness that showed up against Scott City, the statement win at Jackson, and the hard-earned Final Four victory over Raytown South. Then we get honest about the championship matchup with MICDS, where size, length, and athleticism made every clean look feel expensive. Instead of living in excuses, we talk about what the loss teaches, what it takes to get back, and why the best programs treat setbacks as fuel. 

We also give the seniors their flowers and tell the stories behind the stat lines: Kobe’s rise into a complete leader, Ben James’ comeback through injury and surgery, Jaharis’ gritty work against bigger posts, and the unselfish team basketball that produced the biggest shot of the year. Along the way, we shout out the coaches, student section, boosters, staff, and behind-the-scenes helpers who make the machine run and keep Sikeston basketball a point of community pride. 

If you care about winning culture, player development, and what small-town basketball can look like at its best, this conversation is for you. Subscribe to The Dog House, share this with a Bulldog fan, and leave us a review with your favorite moment from the season.

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Transcript

Welcome And Season Setup

SPEAKER_02 0:00

What is up, Bulldog Nation? Episode 61, Season 2, Episode 18 of Season Two. You are listening to The Dog House. You are Micah Harris. I'm Matt Tanner. Thanks for checking in again with us this week. And we are on our postseason wrap-up this week. We don't have a guest, but we've got a lot of terrific content to cover. We'll get back to our guests starting next week, or probably this coming weekend, when we get those podcasts put out, or that podcast, I should say. And uh we're excited to have you. Man, what a crazy, crazy good.

SPEAKER_01 0:43

Good.

SPEAKER_02 0:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 0:44

Yeah. It was a great year.

SPEAKER_02 0:45

Last two weeks of our Bulldog basketball, and uh we got a lot to talk about, a lot to cover in this episode. Bulldogs had just historic. I'm not sure really what other word to use. What is historic?

SPEAKER_01 1:01

I mean, there's some things in it, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:03

Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_01 1:04

We'll get into that in a little bit.

Sponsors And Weekly Shoutouts

SPEAKER_02 1:05

Exactly. We have have a lot of stuff to talk about. Before we get into that, let us pay some bills real quick, and then we'll get to the meat of what we're what we're here for. Shout out to our to our terrific partners, Mercy Phoenix, M-E-R-C-I, Phoenix, and that's spelled P-H-O-E-N-I-X, for your healthcare staffing solutions. See Jody Cheney or Tucker Cheney, his uh his son, and they can they can help you out. Again, if you're in that's if you are needing some healthcare staffing, but if you are needing a position, yeah, looking for gainful employment, they have very lucrative positions that that are available, working different parts of the area and possibly even closer. So they are they are a terrific partner of ours, and we are blessed to have them as one of our partners. And our other partner, Greengrass Guys, the I won't say newly minted, the newly newly mentioned on uh on Facebook, right? It's not it's not uh it's not official until it's on Facebook, right?

SPEAKER_01 2:13

Right. It's it's it's official now.

SPEAKER_02 2:15

It is official.

SPEAKER_01 2:16

And I think we even shared that post last week.

SPEAKER_02 2:18

We did. We did. David and D. Bizzle, they are green grass guys now, and they're focusing on turf management and all the things that go along with that, and they are unbelievable partners of ours. We're again, we are proud to have them uh uh to along this journey with us, and and both Greengrass guys and Mercy Phoenix see our our vision of what we're trying to do and what we're trying to promote and the things that we believe in, and they are along for the ride, and we couldn't be more pleased for that.

SPEAKER_01 2:50

I know. Interesting though. I mean, like they work with like small yards, our big big football field. Correct.

SPEAKER_02 2:59

Yep, they work with my small front yard and and my bigger well backyard, bigger than my front yard, backyard, but football fields, soccer fields, baseball fields. That's kind of what they're gonna be focusing on, not just doing that, but I mean like getting more commercial type turf management in general, yep. And they've got I forget D told me how many customers he had, about knocked me out of my chair when he told me I mean it was like in the thousands of customers, yeah. Yeah, just a lot of customers, and very proud of him for his vision and the things that he sees, and uh again having him uh as a partner is it's it's outstanding. And known Dee for a long time, known his family, known Jody for for a while, and known actually, it's interesting known Jody's wife Karen even longer. She went to school with my wife. That's correct. That's how I that's how I met her through through my sister. And so again, we're very proud to have them as our partners. Going to our weekly shout-outs. My wife Erin, she is she's not home at the moment, so she's she's getting prepared for an Easter cantata. I'm not sure what we're calling it. Not cantata, that's probably not right. An Easter program for she's playing for another church that seemed to fill in, and that that she Air Aaron, she is she rarely says no, especially to somebody that needs a fill-in piano player, and that's one of her of her many talents. One of them is that, and she's she's always gracious to bless those with so is that actually on Sunday, a Sunday, Easter, Sunday morning? As far as I understand, yes. Yes. And so she's she's uses her talents to to further the kingdom, as they say, and to to bless others, and so I couldn't be prouder of her for her being able to do that. Shout out to uh Luke, providing all of our graphics and everything here. You can see that on the camera when we get the video and everything out, you'll be able to see what we've got up there, and it's very similar to what we have each week. Shout out to him, shout out to our general counsel, Justin, Justin Tanner, for legal advice and IT-ish advice. I think he may be here this weekend. Okay. Okay. Maybe we can We may not be.

SPEAKER_01 5:24

I don't know how much time he's gonna have, but yeah, all good. We're finishing up a house.

SPEAKER_02 5:28

Yep, yep. And shout out to Tucker Cheney, again, the aforementioned Tucker Cheney. Thank you, Tucker, for the help with our video editing and all that stuff. And he's he's a wealth of knowledge, and he's always happy to share that with me and with others, I'm sure. Uh shout out to uh Derek James, Brian James, all their stats, behind the scenes things, information, historical data for all things, certainly Sykston sports and SEMO sports as well. SEMO area sports, I should say. And last but not least, Tyler Anderson, Twisted Arrow Woodworking. Shout out to him for the cool sign we've got on the wall, the doghouse sign, and he created that himself. If that's something you're interested in, give Tyler a shout. He's obviously works here in town, he's from Sykston. Uh Twisted Arrow Woodworking, give him a shout.

SPEAKER_01 6:19

And my wife, Becky.

SPEAKER_02 6:20

Yes, yes, for putting up with us, allowing us to be able to.

SPEAKER_01 6:25

I think she was headed to eat supper.

Where To Listen And Connect

SPEAKER_02 6:28

Yes, yep, yep. Well, we appreciate her for allowing Micah to come out and play for a little while, right? Again, uh, don't forget to like, share, follow the doghouse on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, and catch all of our podcasts on Apple, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Amazon, and a whole host of others, along with our embedded player on our website, thedoghouse.bussprout.com. If you need to get in touch with us, send Micah or me. Email, email Yeah, message, text, DM, whatever. Our email to the doghouse is doghouse.sexton at gmail.com. I get those on my phone. I reply, I try to reply quickly if I get them. I'm usually pretty good about uh keeping my phone halfway near me. I guess that's a could be a weakness because I've always got my phone near me.

SPEAKER_01 7:25

So I guess you can send a message on on the doghouse page.

SPEAKER_02 7:29

That's correct. You can go to our Facebook page and send us a message and I will reply.

SPEAKER_01 7:33

And you can write reviews and likes on there too.

SPEAKER_02 7:35

Yes, absolutely. That's what we're looking for. We're up to 965.

SPEAKER_01 7:40

I've seen that. We're about 35 away from a thousand.

SPEAKER_02 7:42

Yep, yep. If you're pleased, if you haven't followed us or liked us, we ask, you know, please do that.

SPEAKER_01 7:48

It does help us.

SPEAKER_02 7:49

Absolutely, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 7:51

Algorithms trying to get messages out there.

Postseason Blues And Gratitude

SPEAKER_02 7:54

Right, right, absolutely. And if again, I say this, we'll keep saying this. If you're interested in being a partner, give us a shout. We'll be happy to sit down and discuss that with you. And we'd love to help promote your business and you help promote us as well. So, Micah, let's get into kind of what we're here for. Our postseason wrap-up. And the what an unbelievable season. I I unbelievable is a term that I keep using. You know, it's to me, the day after, whenever our season ends, I I for I sort of have the the blues, the melancholy as as I saw it.

SPEAKER_01 8:42

Especially when it was 2.30 when you got home.

SPEAKER_02 8:44

Oh my gosh, yeah. We drove back after the game. But you know, I enjoy uh Aaron and I talked about it yesterday. You know, we sat around the hot house a lot. We didn't do a whole lot yesterday because again, we got in late and tried to sleep in, but you can't sleep in forever. But you know, we enjoy the time with you and Becky there. We enjoy that's something that we do as a family. You know, we all went to Columbia.

SPEAKER_01 9:09

It is a social event.

SPEAKER_02 9:11

It is a social event.

SPEAKER_01 9:13

But it's also a time to celebrate some kids that work very hard.

SPEAKER_02 9:17

Yes. I mean Yes, exactly. But as far as on yes, but like on the you know, the the melancholy side, we're like, okay, we don't get to see and not that we we don't see them, but you don't see you know some faces that we see on a regular basis. Right, right.

SPEAKER_01 9:31

And that's the that's the sad uh Well, it's an adjournment almost like in next year, you know, you'll probably form relationships with new people. We will. I mean, like new parents come along, new whatever, you know, somebody in the community moves into the community, they get hooked to blue dog basketball. You get to see them, you go through a season, and then you know, you may not see them again until next fall.

SPEAKER_02 9:56

Yeah. Yeah. And hopefully not. You know, we hopefully we've forged some some really good relationships with a lot of people. Obviously, your family, we're gonna see you, and we're gonna see a lot of our friends and things like that.

SPEAKER_01 10:09

But there's not only that is good, like when you play like local teams or even, you know, like you you get to see people that I mean, like I'm from Charleston. Yeah. I mean, uh Aaron's from New Madrid. Yeah, you know, and and we know people throughout the whole boot deal. I mean, and you get to see those people, and I look forward to that too. I mean, like I I do. I mean, like going to other towns, giving a little ribbon to whoever, you know, or whatever.

SPEAKER_02 10:32

Oh, yeah, it just comes along with the territory, but it's it's you know, the I I think Brian James, we were standing around, again, Brian's one of my dear friends, a classmate, I think we've talked about that before. We are we were standing around after the game and the uh just outpouring to the kids and to the coaches afterwards. We met them as they walked out, you know, and we were just kind of sitting around, and of course, he it it it hits them a little different, as they say, you know. They've got a s they've got a senior. Yeah, they they've got a senior, and now they've got Brady, and he's a freshman, but it's still different. It's your oldest, you know, and I I get it, and I'm not and not downplay that's not even trying to downplay that because that's a big deal, certainly. Brian, you know, we were kind of just sitting around, kind of reminiscing a little bit, you know, about the season and things like that. And he's like, you know, don't be sad we lost, be sad it's over, kind of thing. And that's probably very succinctly put.

SPEAKER_01 11:33

And so, you know, you no matter what, these kids, that team is winners.

SPEAKER_02 11:40

Oh my gosh. The record has nothing to do with that, right? Right. The record has zero to do with the those kids are gonna go and do big things.

SPEAKER_01 11:47

Yes. In in this community and beyond.

SPEAKER_02 11:49

Yes, correct. That is absolutely correct.

SPEAKER_01 11:52

I mean, uh, I them we're them we're special kids. Yep. I mean, I think I was talking to Justin the other day, and I'm like, those are gym rats, but I mean, whatever they do, they're gonna put their mind to to it. I mean, I Kobe, I know Kobe and Ben have been gym rats forever. I mean, Ben's had access to a gym since he was crawling. Right, right. Or even before he was crawling. And and and I know a lot of time's been spent, and that's been a lot of their relationships weren't like going through that. I mean, like I I don't I mean I I remember watching Kobe and Ben. I mean, like you probably know them even before me, but I remember them being junior high. Oh yeah. And they'd be at the gym. Oh yeah. I mean up putting up baskets, you know, I mean, together. You know, I mean uh I mean there was others there, but I mean those are two that I remember that right, especially like when we used to go over into Tennessee and in the spring and stuff.

SPEAKER_02 13:20

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:20

Oh yeah. They were different, different breeds.

SPEAKER_02 13:22

Absolutely, absolutely, and that's what's getting us done. You know, we we got a bunch of people think, you know, are the people that follow us here on here, the people that listen, excuse me, obviously the players, coaches, the families that that do that, our students, you know, that come to the games, and and certainly last but not least, but our community. I mean, what we and we've talked about this before. We talked about homecoming and all that stuff, but just bringing the community together.

SPEAKER_01 13:54

I I didn't get to go up there, but I watched Friday, and man, that that I you knew you could tell it's Ike's and crowd. I mean, like we've been around them enough.

SPEAKER_02 14:03

I mean we had the most fans there of any team by five.

Historic Records And Conference Dominance

SPEAKER_01 14:06

They were there, the white was big, and then I've seen pictures and highlights I didn't really get to watch Saturday night, but I listened to what I could. And man, the cloud of red up there. I mean, like it was pretty cool. Yep. I mean, I and I even it showed, you know, on the on the TV it showed like after the game, like just I seen Aaron and and Emily both just hugging and each other. I mean, like that, I mean, that's family.

SPEAKER_02 14:33

It's uh that's right. That's right. That's what makes it you get so close and gets an emotional bond, and then you know, with the end, you kind of that that that that that that's the melancholy part, but we wouldn't have it any other way because now we have a whole lot to look forward to. And we'll we'll get into that. But the the Bulldogs finished at a record of 29 and 3, and and I call that a record because the class that included like Kevin Jones, Trey Jenkins, I'm gonna forget some names. That class of 2019, if if the freshman through seniors had 104 wins freshman, sophomore, junior, senior year. This freshman, Kobe, Ben, Jaharis, Drake. Oh, Will. Will late. And Mark Will was a late edition, but those those five. 105 wins. Now, I'm not good at math, so I'm gonna pull my phone out, Micah. But that is an average of twenty-six wins a year.

SPEAKER_01 15:48

That's pretty impressive.

SPEAKER_02 15:50

That is dang impressive.

SPEAKER_01 15:52

That's why I said they're winners. Yes. I mean they're gonna be able to do that.

SPEAKER_02 15:55

They they win, they do the things that win. That's right. Let's talk third straight SIMO conference champions, regular season and tournament, third straight.

SPEAKER_01 16:07

They haven't been beaten in two years in SEMO conference, right?

SPEAKER_02 16:11

We have 48 straight wins against teams from Southeast Missouri, and and and I and it may be even a little more 40 48 or 47 or 48 wins against Simo. I think it's against Simo Conference teams, not necessarily in Simo Conference play, meaning like we beat Cape in District or Papa Bluff in District, not the city.

SPEAKER_01 16:32

Or the Fountain City or something like that.

SPEAKER_02 16:34

Right. Cape at the Fountain City. Exactly. Yeah, exactly. Forty, I think it's 48 straight wins. We have now four straight district titles starting 23, 24, 25, 26. And again, you don't put one over the other because they're all special in their own right, but that twenty-three was Unexpected.

SPEAKER_01 16:59

Unexpected from most.

SPEAKER_02 17:01

There we go. That's right. That's right. That's exactly right. I I think the team and the and and the coaching staff, they came in with a mindset of why not.

SPEAKER_01 17:10

You know, I've seen a lot of you know, like people talk about them like overachieving this year like they've done better. I I don't know. I mean, I I know I kind of expect a a great season. I I always do. I think I think if you go back and listen to Andrew and Dave when they were on here, when they ask us, like same old, same old. You know what I mean? You are correct.

SPEAKER_02 17:34

I mean it it it was on paper, it looked like a lot to replace. And it was, don't get me wrong. I mean, two Division I basketball players, five players that are playing basketball at the next level.

SPEAKER_00 17:47

Right.

SPEAKER_02 17:48

Is that a lot to replace? Yes. Yes, yes, without question, it is. There's no doubt. But we had plenty capable guys that are stepping up to play, right? And as we say, the cupboard's not bare and it's not even close, and we'll get into some of that here in a little bit. But I I'd say what made this team special, Micah, was was probably maybe a little bit of them being doubted. And they knew it. You you've after we won quarterfinal game and they were talking to s some reporters and Luke Randall and this or that one. Hey, yeah, and Dennis. I think Dennis interviewed him too. Yeah, yeah. We we had people doubting us, saying we weren't gonna be good this year.

SPEAKER_01 18:32

We didn't get the I I think they took And that's kind of what I what what I've seen, you know, like and I'm not now playing them, but I mean like I'm just saying they knew in their mind, they knew they were going to be able to do that. Anybody close to that program knew.

SPEAKER_02 18:45

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 18:46

Correct.

SPEAKER_02 18:46

Yes, yes. I mean now, did I expect us to be 29 and three and playing for a state title? I don't I mean, that's there's so much that has to go right to be able to play for a state title. When in our district when Festus was probably a little better than we thought. They had that kid, that six foot four kid that's going to pitch at University of Michigan that came back late and gave them a boost, and they were big and strong and physical. That's what gave us trouble in our three losses. The the the big strong physical even gave us trouble against Festus. Now we ended up pulling away, and you know, though Dexter, they're big and strong. They some of that physicality gave us some issue. Now, doesn't mean we can't overcome it, but that that gave us uh some issue. But I think the main thing to, in my opinion, that what made this special was they were doubted and they knew it. I mean, we got the it's not being doubted, but we got the two seed in in in conference, right? Right, yeah, yeah. They're like, wait a minute. We've won this thing three times in a row, and y'all are doubting us again? Okay, okay. You know, it's kind of fine, let's go. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 19:59

All right.

SPEAKER_02 20:00

And so that that stuff kind of fuels you to me, to me, that made this team special. That that's one of the things I think.

SPEAKER_01 20:06

I totally do. I totally do. And and like I said, I mean, like I there wasn't a game that I didn't think that we could have played or won. I mean, yes, I think we can go back and play MS CDS three out of five. Yeah. And I think we would beat them three out of five. Yeah. It's because we would figure them out.

SPEAKER_02 20:23

Yeah. Yeah. We've got a coaching staff, and again, they didn't get to prepare for us much because it was the next day, and we didn't get to prep prepare for them. That's no it's no knock on either team. That's just the way, you know, the way the ball rolls. The tournament is laid out, and you you you gotta go. And so, and but I listen, the coaches as much as they could prepare, they did. They had film. You go into that and you and your focus, obviously. You gotta beat Raytown South, or you don't, you nothing happens, right?

SPEAKER_01 20:51

We've been there. Yes. But we've done been there, done that. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_02 20:54

But they you you can you can have a little bit of a game plan.

SPEAKER_01 21:00

You gotta have a little game plan.

SPEAKER_02 21:01

What if this team wins and what if we win? And then what happens with this team, what happens with this team? And so you you kind of have Lane talked about it, right? Lane Bellou talked about it in in his region tournament. By the way, they play they won in overtime and they play tonight at eight o'clock.

SPEAKER_00 21:17

Oh, really? Okay.

SPEAKER_02 21:18

Gulf Coast State College on ESPNU. They're playing in the that's at Hutch.

SPEAKER_00 21:22

Oh really?

SPEAKER_02 21:23

Yes, they're at Hutch. Which one they play tonight? 8 o'clock. 8 o'clock, okay. Yep. So we should we should be done plenty of time to watch them play. Okay. It's on ESP ESPN Plus. ESPN Plus. Yes. Yes. Did I say you? Sorry, if I did. Um, it's I got plus. Yes, if ESPN Plus, you can go on there and watch it. And there are other games too. I just know that they play at 8 o'clock tonight. You know, this season is memorable, you know, 29 and 3. Any any run, in my opinion, to the Final Four, of course we want to win. You know how competitive we are. I know how competitive those kids are. I know how competitive the coaches are. But any run to there is special. Right. Correct. Just is. This is not, Lord knows, this is not a knock against Scott Central or New Madrid or Charleston, because they've been a lot of times, and sometimes not them, but their others. Oh, it's just a district title. Man, those suckers are hard to win.

SPEAKER_01 22:59

There's always somebody there. I mean, like that's yeah.

SPEAKER_02 23:01

I mean, I C D S, by the way, will be class six next year.

SPEAKER_01 23:06

I was wondering that. I try I I even chat GPT it like to see like Well, I

SPEAKER_02 23:11

I tell you what I did. I chat Brian Jamed it. Brian James did it. Okay, okay. And he said yes, by virtue of them winning, I guess they have enough points that they will be moved up.

SPEAKER_01 23:20

Well, evidently ChatGPT didn't understand me. He says that makes it kind of convoluted that a BI system doesn't even understand their system.

SPEAKER_02 23:28

That's a great point. I had something better than AI. I asked the expert. I asked Brian.

SPEAKER_01 23:33

Well, I'm just saying, I mean Yeah, no, no, no.

SPEAKER_02 23:34

I'm with you. He said yes, they will be. Because I think you've got to get three points, and I think they got a point for winning a district. District and maybe a quarterfinal and then winning the final four. I I think. I think that's how that worked. So they got that they will get bumped as long as Viani will be class six next year as well. So there'll be somebody else, right? That will have to beat.

SPEAKER_01 23:58

Right. I mean, sure there'll be but and Principia can't jump all the way up, but then you got Vashan, it may they'll probably be class four, I can imagine.

SPEAKER_02 24:07

Now they got beat twice this weekend. Oh, did they? They lost to Logan Rogersville, who that Branham kid.

SPEAKER_01 24:14

Did you get to watch it?

Final Four Weekend Game Recaps

SPEAKER_02 24:15

I did. I watched them play. We went to the game that day on Friday and watched it. Sure did. I did not watch them play the second day against I think Belton. Okay. And Belton beat him, but I did watch him play Logan Rogersville, and that Branham kid can ball. He had like 30 and 11, I think. Nine or eleven. Really? Yeah. He's the real deal. He can flat. He's like a big kid? 6'4. Super athletic, can shoot it, handle it, pass it, catch it, run, all the above. Now, I I heard not from certainly don't know the young man nor his family, but I heard that there's word that he is reclassing and will probably go to an academy somewhere. That's what I hear. Yep. He's committed to Indiana. That's don't take that for the gospel. Probably shouldn't even be saying that, but I heard that. And so that that was kind of the going around rumor. Could certainly just be rumors.

SPEAKER_01 25:12

Who knows?

SPEAKER_02 25:13

Yeah. But anyway, we don't want to talk about him. He's a great player.

SPEAKER_01 25:15

We're talking about the Bulldogs.

SPEAKER_02 25:16

We're talking about the dogs. You know, let's talk about let's talk about this weekend as far as the dogs got in that semifinal game against Raytown South. The final was what was it, 53-47? I think that's correct. Yeah. 53-47. Hard fought game. The coach, I don't know if we mentioned it on here. The coach for Raytown South was the coach at Grandview when they beat us back in 2018.

SPEAKER_01 25:44

Yeah. I think we did talk about that a little bit.

SPEAKER_02 25:46

And they won two state titles. Guess who was an assistant coach for Raytown South? Jordan Lathan, who was one of the players at Okay.

SPEAKER_01 25:56

Okay, yes.

SPEAKER_02 25:57

The kid that went to Was it Kansas? No, he went to I was thinking like Western Kentucky or something. Okay. Played Division I. I I I think. Don't hold me to that. Maybe Austin P or something like that. Okay. Yeah. He talked to coach on the floor after the game. Hey, congrats. You know, hey, y'all got me back for 2018. Kind of that thing, you know. Yeah. So he was very nice, very gracious, very nice young man. And hey, good luck to y'all kind of thing. So I don't wasn't, but it was that that's a really cool wrap-up. Dog play dogs played very well, basically kind of controlled that game most of the time, took the lead early. They tied it up and maybe went ahead one time, but then we went back for the lead late, like in the third quarter, I think. Yeah. And then we kind of keep stretching it, and they would come back a little bit, and we ended up pulling away. What a great day for Bulldog Nation. All the fans were there, the cheerleaders, the students, coaches. It was it was really cool to see. And then we get Saturday. You know, I've had a few people, you know, already. Well, what happened? You know, we were up at the end of the first quarter. Made a good team. Right. So I as as I had it told to me, M I C D S happened. That's what happened.

SPEAKER_01 27:20

You know, uh I watched a little bit of the game the night before with them in Hillcrest, and they just they 30-pointed them, didn't they?

SPEAKER_02 27:28

Close. Hillcrest, I'm not taking anything from them. I know West Plains beat them. And we we handled West Plains. Pretty handy. Uh-huh. Yeah. Uh-huh. Again, not knocking them. They're a public school. You play who you play. On and they were pretty young, too. I thought they had, I'm trying to remember, I think they had several sophomores and stuff like that. But uh in my C DS, listen, man. And you said it. Our tallest player is shorter than their shortest player.

SPEAKER_01 27:57

Right, right. When Jahars was on the floor and they had their lineup out there, their smallest player was taller than him.

SPEAKER_02 28:03

Yeah. Yep. I mean, they're too their six's eight guy. Uh their six's eight post is going to play football at Minnesota, I think. Okay. Yeah. So I mean, you you can see, I mean, he he's a big, strong kid, very athletic. There, it's really good guards. Maybe we're a little bit better than we anticipated. Not saying we didn't expect them to be really good, but it might even have been a little bit better. We They were long. They were long. It gave us trouble getting dribble penetration. The key to that is is getting around somebody and getting in there and that defense collapsed and you can kick. Or if they don't collapse, then you you know you've got some lanes to the basket. They made it very tough to score. The first half we hit we hit some open shots. Second half, some didn't go down, and that's they had a lot to do with it.

SPEAKER_01 29:02

And I know this doesn't matter, this doesn't matter, but I've also I've also and I don't know the stuff exactly, but historically you're better off being down one than up one.

SPEAKER_02 29:12

You've said that before, isn't that funny? Yes. You've mentioned that before. That's interesting. Well, we we were up one.

SPEAKER_01 29:20

It's a it's a mint mental thing, like as far as as far as like you feel a little more relaxed being up down one, you feel like, oh, I gotta work harder. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 29:30

I mean listen, we have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of, to hang our head about. I get I get it. The kids are upset that they lost. And I, you know, I well they should be.

SPEAKER_01 29:42

Yeah. I mean, not not not that not like live their life, but because they gotta move on. Right. I mean this is a lesson to teach them. I'm telling you. Good group of kids, you're gonna see a lot from them.

SPEAKER_02 29:55

Yep. I think so I talked to Julian Beard a lot after the game. He was around. He was an 06, and they got second. And I talked to a lot of kids that that are coming up. A lot of kids coming from eighth into ninth, some freshmen sophomores, and some juniors coming back. And I talked to them, not that I have all these magic words or anything like that, but hey guys, this is just a foundation, right? It's a stepping stone, one at a time. You see what it took to get here, you know what we have to do, you know what level you need to be, and now and as they said, I the Will, after the game, talked to Coach Will Hollifield. He said to her kids, like, hey, can can we get in the gym tomorrow? Or can we can we start Monday? I I think they're gonna start what I uh what I gather kind of take a week or so off and then they'll start in in PE start with Well their goal their go from now till next March is be a better version of yourself tomorrow than you were today.

SPEAKER_01 30:58

That's correct. I mean that's get better just I mean like at anything, but I mean basketball, like if they if they want to do that, they've got to they get they'll go in and commit. And that that's why I think that that group of the group of seniors that we have. Commitment is the commitment was has been there since they were little.

SPEAKER_02 31:15

And I think not I think I know this group that's returning is committed. We got a couple more. I mean, I'm telling you, I I Oh listen, we're well, we went over this before. We went over the records 78 and 5 at one point, and it only got better from there. I I should have added that up. I didn't do that.

SPEAKER_01 31:33

I thought about that right before we sat down.

SPEAKER_02 31:36

It was 78 and 5. I don't remember when we did that. That was through the season. Okay. So that was at the end of the season. That was after the Jackson game. We were 78 and 5, and we won three district games, quarterfinal. So it so it's 83 and 4. Uh excuse me. 83 and 6. 83 and 6.

SPEAKER_01 31:56

Hello. That's what 98, 99, something 98, let's see what that is. Let's see. It's got to be like 90, at least 95 or better.

unknown 32:04

83.

SPEAKER_02 32:07

93 percent. 93 percent. 83 and 6. Hello. No, no, yeah, yeah. Eighty-three and six. Yeah, that's right. Five more games at 78, 78 and 5. We're five and one. 83 and 6. Just let that sink in. Two seventh grade, excuse me, two junior high teams, seventh, eighth grade, 14 and 1, freshman 9-0. Excuse me, 9-1, JV, 16-0. Unbelievable. We'll we'll we'll we'll look ahead. We'll get to a look ahead here in a little bit, but that's that just gives you a little bit of taste. 83 and 6. Hello.

What MICDS Exposed And Taught

SPEAKER_01 32:44

So we played Ray Time South Friday night, and then Saturday we got M I C D S. Yep. Kind of not the way we wanted to end there.

SPEAKER_02 32:56

No, you know, there are there are some kids, and it it's tough to see them. You know, it's tough to see people that you care for uh hurting, you know. And not just the seniors, but especially the seniors. I know they were hurting, that was our last game, but you know what? Only 30 players got to play that night on both sides. We had we had literally the last game of the season. Literally.

SPEAKER_01 33:24

In the state of Missouri high school basketball.

SPEAKER_02 33:25

In the state of I'm sorry, yes, in the state of Missouri high school basketball for 2025-26 season, we had literally the last game. There's only two teams that can say that. I I get it. And and you know, the kids that are coming back, you know, we talked and like, hey, let that burn. No what don't want that feeling again, right? Use that to fuel you.

SPEAKER_01 33:50

We got some ballers.

SPEAKER_02 33:51

We do, we just do, and and we'll get to that. We'll get to that as well. Let's let's talk, let's talk a little bit about the season kind of kind of kind of recap there. What what do you think what do you think our biggest win was, Micah? Our biggest win.

SPEAKER_01 34:09

Well, obviously you would you would probably think maybe regular season then postseason. Jackson.

SPEAKER_02 34:15

Oh, yes, agreed. I I thought early our biggest win was get beaten Dexter. I know to win that conference. I thought that was a big deal for this team to get a lot of confidence.

SPEAKER_01 34:25

I thought Jackson should have been the number one seed in the CMO conference. They were. I thought Cape was. Oh no, you were right. Duh. You're right. It was Cape. Duh. That's right. That's right. Yeah, I I've I I've before the seat well before we got to the CMO conference, I I remember saying, but the the Jackson game at Jackson is probably the biggest win. Agreed. Regular season. Agreed.

SPEAKER_02 34:48

That was a big one. And you and I talked about this and we talked about this on the podcast a week or so ago. I thought that Scott City win showed us that we can shut somebody down because well, wait a minute. Jackson win was first, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_01 35:03

No.

SPEAKER_02 35:04

Scott City was first. Oh, that's right. Jackson was the last game of the season.

SPEAKER_01 35:07

Yeah, because remember Will even said that we wouldn't have won that if we hadn't played Scott City that Saturday because we had to know how to win a game.

SPEAKER_02 35:14

That's right. With our defense. That's exactly right. We did. We we defended and won those two games.

SPEAKER_01 35:20

Not to go back to football, but that's no that's the kind of mentality that we're looking for in football, too. So I mean, no, no, no.

SPEAKER_02 35:26

I I I totally agree with you. I thought the I thought the turning point kind of for our season, I thought was winning that CMO conference, and I thought that that really boosted us, boosted our and and and this was right after the C MO conference. I thought that Puxico game as well. Because it you know it was hyped up. Well we crossed to them. Yeah, yeah. Ended up being again, they've doubted them all year, right? You look back and look look where they doubted us. You can't win the C MO title, C Mold Conference.

Biggest Wins And Best Moments

SPEAKER_01 36:03

That that kind of mentality is why I think if we went back and played them five times, we'd we'd win three of them. Yeah, yeah. I agree. I guess MICDS because those kids I they a game they lost in summer ball, you know, that they probably had played two games before.

SPEAKER_02 36:18

I think that I think that was their fourth game of the day.

SPEAKER_01 36:20

Maybe, you know. But they got tired of people hearing hearing it. Yep. I mean, yeah, I mean, so that that's what we're dealing with, people. I mean, like, we're dealing with some kids that had some drive and they come back, and that's why they come out and turbo pux code. Yep. Not not to knock pux code. Nope, nope, not at all.

SPEAKER_02 36:42

They were a great team. But the but those kids come out and they like okay, ever that everybody's doubtless, doubtless this year. That was kind of the theme. They were doubted all year long. Well, you know, you lost this, you lost this, you're not gonna be as good. Oh, okay. Well, we won the Seymour Conference again, right? We won the district again.

SPEAKER_01 36:58

Kind of all that. I don't think I don't I think if we got beat by Jackson, Viani wouldn't have happened the way it did. If you if we had gotten beat by them, if we got beat by Jackson, I think we would have probably scribbled more with Viani.

SPEAKER_02 37:11

Could have.

SPEAKER_01 37:12

Could have. Yeah, for sure. For sure. And we're gonna be tough next year, too. Jackson.

SPEAKER_02 37:21

Oh, yeah, yeah, absolutely. What did you what did you think was maybe the best individual performance this year at some point in time? I can think of one right off the top of my head. Kobe against Notre Dame. I knew that's where you're going because that's what I was thinking of. Yeah. 10 threes. Ridiculous. That was yeah. Just ridiculous.

SPEAKER_01 37:43

That was ridiculous. And that literally would just worth Notre Dame down. I mean Kobe was just hot. I mean, like just keep feeding him the ball. Kobe's been consistent all year long. I mean, has he hit big numbers every night? No. No. But he's been consistent.

SPEAKER_02 37:59

He scores too. He can score. He doesn't have to just shoot at three. Right. Yeah, unbelievable. I thought I thought his was the best one.

SPEAKER_01 38:06

Probably probably, you know, Ben James hitting some big I can't can't pinpoint like what I know there's several times that he hit He had a big three at the buzzer against Jackson, if you recall.

SPEAKER_02 38:16

He had a big one at halftime. Right. That was huge.

SPEAKER_01 38:19

Right, right. Ben was big. Markel, man, he just he night in, night out, whatever the team needed, he did. Yep. I mean, if they need him, if they need him to score. Well, I mean, I'll be honest with you, Friday, Saturday night, it sounds like like I didn't watch all the first half or didn't get to listen to it.

SPEAKER_02 38:38

But we needed Quill to score in the first half.

SPEAKER_01 38:40

And he did. Yep. And he did. And then I think the big difference is we kind of didn't get as many points out of him in the second half.

SPEAKER_02 38:47

Well, and they again they had a lot to do with that.

SPEAKER_01 38:50

Right. I get I get that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 38:51

Yeah, they did. They did. What did you think the grittiest performance was this year? I can think of one right off the top of my head.

SPEAKER_01 39:02

Are we done regular season or old season? Either. I'm thinking Jaharis at Viani.

The Shot That Defined Teamwork

SPEAKER_02 39:09

That's exactly the one I was thinking of. Unbelievable. Just played his absolute guts out.

SPEAKER_01 39:17

Yeah, every time he was either grabbing a rebound or on the floor grabbing the loose ball or going to the basket and score. I mean, I know he didn't.

SPEAKER_02 39:23

Against a seven seven foot kid that, according to some folks, may have been seven one or two. They said he was long.

SPEAKER_01 39:30

I bet he had I bet he had an arm arm span of a seven four.

SPEAKER_02 39:34

Yep. I mean Yep. Big, big, big, large human, as we say. And good player. And Jaharis, I thought, in my biased opinion, that I thought Jaharis got the best of it.

SPEAKER_01 39:49

I think you shared that one layup from Ben, I guess was it Friday Saturday night that the IQ hoops or Gosh.

SPEAKER_02 39:58

Yeah, that was I can't remember if that was Misha. No, that was a Misha TV. Yeah. Holy cow.

SPEAKER_01 40:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 40:04

And by the way, they're a follower of ours now. Are they? Misha TV followed the doghouse. Can you believe that?

SPEAKER_01 40:09

Oh my goodness, that's that's crazy.

SPEAKER_02 40:10

So just showed Aaron today. Yep.

SPEAKER_01 40:14

Moving on up. Moving on up. Yep. Yep. We need some Misha officials on here. Maybe we talk about what we can where they're going. We can do that.

SPEAKER_02 40:25

All right. Let's talk about some seniors. Talk about our seniors in sp in in in specific and hold up, hold up.

SPEAKER_01 40:33

I gotta go back once.

SPEAKER_02 40:34

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 40:35

Best shot of the year.

SPEAKER_02 40:37

Sean Cole from the corner. No question.

SPEAKER_01 40:40

But that was a team team ball, but I mean Sean. He knocked that down. Big as a day. Oh yeah. I mean that I would I'd have to go back and say that.

SPEAKER_02 40:48

That was that was a big big play, too. No, absolutely. Absolutely. It was I mean, it was set up by he got the steal, kicked it to Marquell. Marquell ran his guy and kicked it to Ben in the corner.

SPEAKER_01 41:01

Ben took it into the lane.

Senior Leaders And Their Legacy

SPEAKER_02 41:02

Ben beat the big guy off the dribble. Kobe was there, but Kobe on that particular play was a role player, so to speak. Who are they going to shade? The kid that's knocked down 103s or whatever it was all year, or the kid that's not we know he can shoot, but he hadn't knocked down as many as Kobe. Who are they going to shade? Kobe. Duh. I mean, that's what you do. And guess what? When Ben jumped in the air, he looked that way. The defense shaded him, kind of like a quarterback using his eyes to hold the defense, right? Knowing the whole time.

SPEAKER_01 41:35

That was a clearly a team play. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 41:38

Yes. Yes, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 41:40

Yes. Which is what we did all we did a lot this year.

SPEAKER_02 41:43

Jaharis set a ball screen to get to get Ben. Yep. Well, I think Marquell set that screen to get around his guy, kicked it. Ben beat that big guy off the dribble, kicked it to Sean, knocked it down. That's right. Big shot. That's the biggest shot of the year. I mean, yeah, without question. But we don't do that unless we have unselfish kids on the floor, right? Correct, correct. If Ben thought that he had to take this shot, could he have beat the six the seven footer? I don't know. Don't know. But he passed up a good shot for a great shot.

SPEAKER_01 42:13

Sean had a Sean was open.

SPEAKER_02 42:15

Yeah. Right. Right. Find the open shot.

SPEAKER_01 42:17

Hey, they tried to do the same thing to us to win it. I mean, like we played it. I mean, like, that was a team effort, right? Yes, it was. I'm not trying to say, but I mean, like, I those are the things I'll remember about this team.

SPEAKER_02 42:30

Yeah. Let's talk about the seniors. Uh start with Kobe, leading scorer. Just came out today. Right. All district. And all district and and the district, excuse me, class five district one player of the year. Awesome. Yep. Yep. Just an unbelievable year. By a kid that's been, I mean, that played a big role. Now, Kobe's gone from, if you remember as a freshman against Escape Central. He had four points, I recall. He had a big bucket late when he beat Cameron Williams off Cam Williams off the dribble and hit a bank shot from about 12 feet straight on. Pop-poom. I mean, that's what he was trying to do is bank it in. But it that was two of his points, and I'm not sure. I can't remember the other one, maybe a layup or something he had. But he's gone from that, again, role player, right? Just because it's your role at that moment doesn't mean you will never have the That don't mean your role don't change. Correct. Play to play or game to game or year to year. And now then to the leading scorer. I don't know this. In my opinion, an all-state player. I think he'll be an all-stater. That's just my opinion. And frankly, I think he's got an outside shot to be classified player of the year. That's my that's my opinion. I think that Branham Kid will probably be the gator or Mr. or Missouri basketball, Mr. Missouri basketball or whatever would be my opinion. But I don't have an I don't I don't have a vote, but I think Kobe's all-state. That's my opinion.

SPEAKER_01 44:10

I think so too.

SPEAKER_02 44:11

But I mean, what did he mean to our program? Tough, uh not undersized on the smaller side of kids, but the heart that he had, the leadership qualities that he had, the day in, day out work effort that he brought, showed his teammates what they had to do. And he would he would not only be a vocal leader, but he was a leader in practice and on the floor.

SPEAKER_01 44:35

Shooting example.

SPEAKER_02 44:37

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 44:37

I mean, leadership written all over that kid.

SPEAKER_02 44:40

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 44:41

He's he's one of the ones I think about, and not trying to say not all the others, but Kobe's the one I see that can can do a lot of things.

SPEAKER_02 44:48

Yeah. The legacy, you know, kind of what he leaves behind is hey, dig in for four years, play your role. Again, he went from a role player to one of the leading players, right?

SPEAKER_01 45:04

Correct. That's what you want.

SPEAKER_02 45:06

You want improvement.

SPEAKER_01 45:07

I mean, like you look at I don't know. I I'm a I'm more football than I. Basketball, but if you look at like Web Cities and all them, those there's kids that play those roles on those football teams like Kobe did just to play on Friday night as a senior. Yeah. Yeah. They want to be they might be special. Yeah. But Kobe, Kobe stuck to it. You know, it could have been very easy to maybe skip out.

SPEAKER_02 45:37

I think I think I need to be playing as a sophomore. And he and he played plenty as a sophomore, but he played some JV too, right? Played a couple quarters.

SPEAKER_01 45:44

I mean, not trying to say that I'm not I'm not saying this about I'm gonna just we may cut this out. But like he didn't take the mentality, oh I can go over here to another school and start.

SPEAKER_02 45:58

Yeah. No, no, he he knew where he wanted to be. Yeah. Yeah. There's some kids that we and we say this a lot. You know, we got no we got kids on our bench that could go somewhere else and be st and be and start maybe the star player, right?

SPEAKER_01 46:11

Most of them.

SPEAKER_02 46:12

Yeah. But what's more important? Is winning more important or is scoring 20 points and being on a five and seventeen team? That's not a good thing.

SPEAKER_01 46:19

Not only that, going against competition every day. I mean, I mean, I'll be honest with you, these kids like the sophomores, freshmen, I mean, especially the sophomores, juniors. Well, there are not too many juniors, actually. Yeah, but but they're going against some of the best players in the state every day. Yep.

SPEAKER_02 46:39

Yep, for sure. I mean that's what that's what these kids provide. Let's talk about Ben. Man, what a what an unbelievable story, and it was almost a Hollywood story.

SPEAKER_01 46:52

Comeback player of the year.

SPEAKER_02 46:54

Well, I mean, that, but us winning a state title when a coach's son is playing, right?

SPEAKER_01 47:02

Right, right.

SPEAKER_02 47:03

We had a big win. Of course, Coach Olifield and Will played, and they won a state title. Caleb, Coach Olifield's stepson, we got to the quarterfinals and got beat by one point. Would have been another great story to get over the hump again. Go to 23, Coach Sarakis' son. We win an unbelievable district that nobody in their right mind thought we would win. Got stopped at the quarters. That was our first year losing quarters. And then we moved now to another another coach's son. Get to the final four. Oh man, we win that semi. What a what a what an unbelievable ending wasn't. But where I'm going with Ben is Ben was uh starting to contribute more and more and more and more as a sophomore. Unfortunately, we had the ankle injury at at St. Dominic and thought it was a twist, ended up being a lot worse than that. Didn't have so he lost the rest of that season, rehabbed it, and tried to come back in his junior season.

SPEAKER_01 48:09

Ended up having to have surgery.

SPEAKER_02 48:10

End up having to have surgery right around Christmas. He just he just couldn't play on it. It hurt, it ached. I and I'm just relaying what he said and his dads told me, and had surgery at the Christmas of 2024. Junior year was expecting to be a big year for him, being a real big contributor.

SPEAKER_01 48:34

He probably played what five, six games.

SPEAKER_02 48:36

I don't know. I have to go back and look, I'm not sure, but this just shows you that the the kind of kid he is. And shout out to Kyle Lamar as well. Help him rehab and get back and and work to get there and see the joy of basketball again. I I know Ben, it's a grind when your foot hurts all the time and not being able to play like to the to the level that you want to play that you know you can play, right? It's one thing if you're 54 years old, no, you can't do that anymore. That's different.

SPEAKER_01 49:10

But being a you can only you only got so many, you really, I mean, like that's tough too, because you only got so many high school basketball games. Right. And and I I would almost bet you Ben realizes that. I mean, oh yeah, he did.

SPEAKER_02 49:23

And his parents, and they talked about that, and again, them being good friends of ours, and I'm not I don't want to spill like but but you know, they uh that that's emotional for them to see their kid who literally grew up in the field house and all these plans, and I don't know why it happened like that. There's a bigger plan for that, right?

SPEAKER_01 49:42

All things work together for the good.

SPEAKER_02 49:44

They do. Could it have been that he I oh no, tore his knee and not been ever ever play again? I don't know. And maybe this saved him from that. I I that that's the things that I choose to take from that is there's a bigger plan on what he and what he had spent.

SPEAKER_01 49:58

I think it'll make him a better person in life.

SPEAKER_02 50:01

And knowing the adversity that he faced.

SPEAKER_01 50:03

But he had a great senior.

SPEAKER_02 50:04

Oh, he had an unbelievable. Just the just the the tough. The scoring on that big kid was Ben James personified bingo. One if I can think of one play, him scoring where the odds were totally stacked against him and made that, that's that's Ben James, when I think of that. From from where he came overcoming this injury, getting to where he was getting his skill back to the level to where he could start and be a huge contributor, class five, district one, all district player. And get to that level from where he was is just remarkable. It is.

SPEAKER_01 50:45

It is a good kid, too.

SPEAKER_02 50:47

Yeah, unbelievable kid. Great parents, obviously, great family, great support, all the above. Let's move to Drake. Drake is the kind of kid that makes Sykston basketball. And I'll tell you why. Drake was a junior high kid, like most of the kids in the program, play seventh and eighth grade for our for our junior high. Come in and play as a as a freshman and play on the freshman team, playing the J V. Kid that played J V, even some in his junior year, but as a as a development tool, right? Correct. Some some kids take that the wrong way and like, oh, well, coach, yeah. No, no, no, no, no. It's the actual, it is the unbelievable opposite that coach has that much faith in you that he wants you to contribute, that you that develop more. Get I don't mean get better in a bad way, but the the the grind that he showed, the effort that he showed, the the attitude that he had, the work ethic to be able to do that, and knowing he might not play as much as he wants. But that's how that's the culture of Sykston basketball.

SPEAKER_01 52:07

Correct.

SPEAKER_02 52:08

Period. And he enjoyed his robe.

SPEAKER_01 52:10

Well, I don't know if I mean like he he Yes. He got in he bought his robe.

SPEAKER_02 52:14

He play he would played his role. And there has to be that role. Just like at the bank, I talk about it there. Not everybody can be a loan officer, not everybody can be whatever. We gotta have tellers. We gotta and not one is more important than the other. I and I'm not saying that at all. But not everybody can be a boss. But we all have a role we have to play. In any organization, we all have a role. And if we don't, that's when things get thrown off. If Drake had not been a good practice player and not played his role, it could have not screwed up. It could have caused a rift in the in the clubhouse and led to issues, right? Drake chose not to do that and put the team above himself, and that's what that's what this culture is. That's what Coach Hollifield teaches them. Because just there are other kids that have done that that have excelled in other sports and come play football, come play basketball, and it's not their top sport, but they knew that if I want to be part of this, this is a role I play. Drake played such a role, even in practice, to where other teams had shooters, Drake can just flat shoot it. Drake knew in practice he had to be the guy that can shoot the ball on to for for our kids to uh to focus on. That's the role that he took, and that's the role that he had to play. And I Bulldog Nation is is thankful for that. Correct. Let's go to Mark Quell. One way to describe him is how Coach Olifield described him. God just hung that talent wind over him just or no, not even just a lot longer than a lot of people. Unbelievable kid, a very nice kid, very humble kid. Took him a minute to figure out where he fit, understand the culture, the expectations, the effort that Coach Hollifield expects and demands and puts that level of expectation on his on his kids, on his as men as he calls them. And once he figured it out, he thrived. He did. I mean, how cool is that to see him have an unbelievable senior year? And he's not done either because he was class five, district one, all district team.

SPEAKER_01 54:39

He'll probably be at y'all state too.

SPEAKER_02 54:41

Very possible. Don't know that. Good chance of it. Very yes, very good chance of that. He'll probably play at the at the another level, and I think and Kobe will play at the at the at the next level.

SPEAKER_03 54:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 54:53

Marquell was a joy to be around, unbelievably talented, again, very humble, helps the younger kids, helps the other kids, always willing to focus on his teammates, as we talked about. Could he score 30 a night? Easy. No, no. Literally, like falling off a log, he could score 30. I mean, you saw how he got to the rim against, even like Viani. He'd take two steps and he was around his guy, and he was in there scoring. But that's not what the team needed. If he wanted to be a me, a me kid, he could have tried to score 30 every night. That's not what we needed.

SPEAKER_01 55:32

Because he can shoot anywhere on the floor. At the rim, at three. I mean, like he's he's mid-range, falling away. But I'm telling you, his his vision of the court.

SPEAKER_02 55:42

Uh-huh. His passing might be the most impressive.

SPEAKER_01 55:45

That's probably the most impressive.

SPEAKER_02 55:46

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 55:47

I mean, I've seen him make some passes, and I'm like, how in the world does he do that?

SPEAKER_02 55:51

Yep. The athleticism that he showed on that ball came off the rim against Viani, the putback, just off the charts kind of stuff.

SPEAKER_00 56:00

Great player.

SPEAKER_02 56:01

Yep. And we've got, see, we went Kobe, Ben, you got Johass and Will. Johars and Will. I'm trying to remember here. Let's talk about Will.

SPEAKER_01 56:10

Talking about accepting a role.

SPEAKER_02 56:12

Yes. Yes. Exactly. I just wasn't going to say Will is a kid that he and he and like he and Ben and they played together as kids coming up. Same thing in junior high. Will knew his role is to knock down threes.

SPEAKER_01 56:27

And play defense.

SPEAKER_02 56:28

Draw charges. That's his role. Could he have, again, could he have gone to a different school and maybe been a star on the team? Yeah. Absolutely. Because he could have been a guy that could easily put up 12 or 13 threes a night and hit four or five every night. He, again, knew his role. He knew that they needed him to be a weapon, another weapon on the floor that the team had to worry about.

SPEAKER_01 56:55

Correct. I mean, and I'll be honest with you, he gave up a lot of playing time this year, too. I mean, like he started. Yep. But I mean, like, he understood that Sean was going to come off the bench and probably get the majority of the minutes. I mean, he got they And he and he accepted that.

SPEAKER_02 57:11

He he was a leader in practice. He worked hard. Again, part of the same culture that we talk about. He he started as a freshman. He's part of these 105 wins as a freshman. He's part of that. Drake is part of that. Ben is part of that. Correct. Kobe is part of that. That's the legacy that they leave. And Will, again, he he knew his role. He knew he was going to start. He knew that he had him in there for a purpose. Right? And he accepted that. Was it to score every possession? No. It was to hit open threes and cause the defense trouble and another shooter on the floor. Right. And he absolutely played it to perfection. And last but not least, move on to Jaharis.

SPEAKER_01 57:55

Jaharis, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 57:56

The king, probably, of the undersized post player of Southeast Missouri. Just absolute battle. Battled being outsized basically every game.

SPEAKER_00 58:12

Correct.

SPEAKER_02 58:13

As a 6'1, 6'2, whatever. Battled, I mean, Dexter, the Ibrahim kid, was 6'4, bigger than him. Scott City, there was 6'4 or 5 bigger. Jackson, obviously bigger. Puxico, a 6'6 kid. New Madrid, they had a 6'4 kid, I think. I'm just thinking off the top of my head. Cape Central, Goliath was 6'4 or 5, whatever he was. Popper Bluff, they had 6'4 and 5s in there. West Plains. Did Haytai have a big kid? Hata had a 6'6 kid. I mean, literally, up St. Dominic, every team was bigger than him. I'm trying to think of a game, Micah, where they had a somebody had a post for it. I'm not, I don't, I I can't recall, and somebody correct me when you hear this. I I could be wrong, but I do not recall Jaharis being bigger than another team's post. It just That's just the way it worked out. I mean, Notre Dame, they had six fours and fives in there.

SPEAKER_00 59:17

Correct.

SPEAKER_02 59:18

Going through a conference. Maybe Kenneth. Maybe Kenneth. I'm not sure, but maybe Kennett. Maybe Kenneth had a 6'2 as their post. Only thing that I could even remotely come up with.

SPEAKER_01 59:35

I don't remember.

SPEAKER_02 59:36

I mean, West Plains didn't. Vestus certainly didn't. They had a big 6'8 kid in there. Cruthersville.

SPEAKER_01 59:44

I don't remember.

SPEAKER_02 59:46

Maybe. Maybe Cruthersville too. Maybe.

SPEAKER_01 59:49

But they had probably somebody to jump out of the gym.

SPEAKER_02 59:52

Oh, they had several of those jump out of the gym kids. Yeah. Yeah. Charleston, no, they had a 6'3 or 4 kid, didn't they? Don't they have a big kid? Yeah. Yeah, his big kid. So literally, he accepted his role for me to play, for me to help my team. I'm going to be undersized. I'm just going to have to have the dog in me. And he does.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:17

And he's had a dog in him since he was a freshman.

Coaches, Standards, And Buy In

SPEAKER_02 1:00:20

Just a motor. Probably before that, but a majority of the dog. Oh, yeah. He's had it. You don't just get that office. You don't wake up and go, okay, I'm going to be a dog today. You either have it or you don't. Right. And he's been a dog. And he played, he knew for him to be on the floor to help his team, he had to play and be an undersized post. And absolutely, again, more the culture.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:41

Know the role.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:42

Yep. And accept it. Yep. And the sacrifice that those that that that those kids did to accept their role. Ben knew what his role was. Kobe did. Marquell, Jaharis, Drake, Will. They all knew what their role was.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:58

Did Jaars make all district two?

SPEAKER_02 1:01:00

Yes, yes. Thank you. Yeah. Jaharis, Kobe, Ben, Marquell.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:03

I was thinking there was four.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:04

Yes. Thank you for mentioning that. They all made class five district one all district. Kobe Thomas was player of the year in our district. Greg Hollifield was district coach of the year. Yeah. Thank you for mentioning that. He sure was. And that's the legacy that they leave behind. Showing the younger kids, hey, just because you might be undersized, you can still get in there and battle, right? You can still play. Or just because you're this and just because you're that, it doesn't matter. We're playing basketball. All that goes out of the window. Let's talk a little bit, Micah, about our coaches. I mean, it goes without saying, I mean, Coach Hollyfield's record. I mean, we've we've talked about that this year, 83 and 6. 93 per 92 or 93% winning percentage this year. 93, wasn't it? Yeah, 93. What'd you say? 81% winning percentage since 2005, including district. I mean, what? And we talk about that too. The it just goes to show you what class five, what kind of level of talent that you have in there. Our record is is a little under 500, about 40, 40 percent, 45 percent uh winning percentage at that. But it helped it it improved a lot this year.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:31

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:32

Winning two out of those three. But it's it's just mention them by name. I obviously we got the goat, Greg Hollifort.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:40

Well you you even you talked about early in the season. I don't know if we said it on here or not, but you you said he seen something special in this team and was fired up before when summer.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:51

Yep. I mean Yep, he does. He did. He saw it early. He of course he has a front row seat, so to speak. He he he he know he But he knew what he had. I mean, yeah, oh yeah. He nothing surprised him. Now, did it surprise him 29-3?

SPEAKER_01 1:03:06

I think if you ask him I think any coach that gets above 25 wins is probably gonna be surprised or something.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:11

Yeah, you know, he's not surprised how we finished. I think it it's always special to get to a Final Four and stuff like that. Did he think we had a good chance to win our district? Yep. I think he did. Did he have a good chance to win our conference? Yep. I think he thought that. I'm not one put words in his mouth, but he he he he he thought we had something that we could we could work with and have a really good season.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:33

Well, I just remember you back in the fall talking about like Coach Hollifield's ready to go. I mean, like he I mean he's working already, you know, and planning and all the stuff.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:43

So yeah, for sure. You know, the team I I think early we were able to push the ball, we scored a lot of points, and then we showed toward the end that we can grind them out too, right? I mean, we had to grind that thing out against Jackson. We had to grind it out, even though we scored basically 80 points against Scott City, but we had to grind that one out.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:08

We grind out Viani.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:10

We grinded out Raytown. And and and even though we tried to assert your will, we did we had to evolve for the situation. Before I forget, let's mention the coaching staff. Head coach Greg Hollifield, assistant coaches, Brian James, been there 25 plus years. Assistant coach Will Hollifield, head head JV coach, been there, I think he told me twenty fourteen or fifteen. Yeah, yeah, that's right. So he's been there twelve years now, roughly. Over 10 plus. Assistant coach Caleb McGee. Assistant coach Trevion Dennis and assistant coach Derek James. What top to bottom, unbelievable, impeccable men, impeccable character, impeccable leaders of young men, examples of what how men should be. Do they get it perfect all the time? No. None of us do, right?

SPEAKER_01 1:05:21

If we did, we'd be perfect.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:23

Yeah, exactly, exactly. And then we might be crucified. But the examples that they set for these kids and and and put in expectations on them, right? We want to have expectations to put on them. To I I say this every year with with with coach and and with with this staff of coaches. It's remarkable to me, and I heard this from somebody, and I think it was Andy McGill that said it, what he sees in coaches, not just across the board, but what he thinks makes a good coach, and I've never really considered it like this, is can you take the sum of your team and get 110% out of it? Meaning, if you just looked on this team on paper, we might have been an 18 to 20 win team. Right. Right? He got 29 wins in a final four. Now, that's that's from a an expert's opinion. Coach Holyfield knew, but he knew that he could raise the level of this team. And he does it every year. Every year.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:28

And not only he does it, they do it.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:30

I mean, like, the coaching staff, yes, they are bought into what he is doing. And then by virtue, the team buys in.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:38

And not only that, I mean they all contribute something too, because I mean, like I he's willing to listen to them.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:45

Oh, absolutely. I mean Yeah, yeah. He he may or may not do what they say, but he's willing to now, but there are things that he he does do. It was funny. Cord Sheeh texted me during I don't know what game he was watching, maybe the Viani game. I can't recall. It's been just a few weeks ago. Maybe it was in district. Man, what's up with all these different color shoes?

SPEAKER_01 1:07:06

And I'm like he picks his battles.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:10

Exactly. He used to be, you're wearing these shoes, these are the team shoes, everybody's wearing them. I think that's some of his coaches. Will Caleb like coach, man? Hey, don't fight that battle, man. Let's let's move on to something that's more important, kind of thing, right? And and that's how, you know, that's how the coaches talk to him. As Brian says, I he doesn't do as much coaching anymore as he does kind of handling Greg from time to time, getting him wound down sometimes. But they all have a role, right? Right. Brian is there. He's just an unbelievably knowledgeable person of uh of basketball. Great ideas. You'll see him in the huddle, drawing up plays. That's that's because he's, in my opinion, he's a probably an assistant head coach or a vice head coach or not really co because Greg is. I mean, it's undeniable the head coach.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:05

Well, as my wife says, anything with two heads is a monster.

SPEAKER_02 1:08:08

That's a good point. That's a great point. That's right. So you have and you know, and you see Will drawn up play. So it's not Greg's not so ego-driven that he doesn't have his guys' input because he does. He trusts them all. He understands what they all, what they all bring. Tre Vion, as we talked about, he's our hype guy. I love it. Man, you see him off the bench, you saw him in that Beyonce game, he was pumping up, he was getting his guys up, getting the bench up.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:33

That's why he went viral. I mean, the kids love it.

SPEAKER_02 1:08:36

Exactly. The kids love him. That's exactly right. That's why he got eight million views on his TikTok. That's exactly right. Because the kids love him.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:43

Yes. And that was genuine. Of course it was genuine. And he's that way with the kids. I mean, that's or the boys, the men.

Unsung Heroes Behind The Program

SPEAKER_02 1:08:49

Yes, the men. That's what he calls them, the men. And that's why that's why this culture matters. That's why they have each of those kids. Deege. He keeps his stats. Somebody's got to do that. When he's not there, you know, Brian fills in, especially like home games, basically. But sometimes Brian said he'll go back the next morning and look at it because he'll watch it on Huddle or something, because you get the flow of the game and you miss stuff. So but if it's an away game, Deeds I I would not question him. If if if the scoreboard's wrong against what's Deech, I'd go with Deech a hundred times out of a hundred. Every time.

SPEAKER_01 1:09:29

Didn't we fall into that at a freshman game or something?

SPEAKER_02 1:09:31

Yes. Yes. Yeah, they said they wouldn't look at his book. No, no, no. Said Brady fouled out. And he didn't foul out. He had four fouls. Oh, I mean, he did, because they had to go by that book, but he only had four, truly. But that's that's that's what they bring. And it this is again, this is not just it's not one year, it's what coach everyone. Year in, year out. That's what this staff is doing.

SPEAKER_01 1:09:56

So you don't have to go back and Coach Hollifield doesn't have to teach his coaches every year. No. I mean, they might bring something new to the table, but they're gonna probably do it as a collective.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:05

Yeah. Yeah. Let's let's talk about some unsung heroes. We talk about our we talk about a lot of our role players, kids that don't after kind of that stuff after that what we call the rotation eight to ten, got some guys that you know what, it's a big deal to be a freshman and be on this varsity, sit on the bench and dress and get a letter and be part of what's going on and be around. And then the kids that didn't finish the year on varsity that Coach Hollifield brings with him to these games, they went to state with them to be around. Let's don't forget Austin Rudassil.

SPEAKER_03 1:10:41

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:42

It's a big deal to make sure that the gear is gathered up, to make sure the basketballs are all in the bag, to make sure there's water there. I know people you can kind of overlook that. That's important. That to make sure, again, it's ready. He's got to go on the bus.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:59

And he wants Austin wants to be part of it. I mean, like, maybe he knows he's not a basketball player. Right. Right. He'll tell you because he plays other sports.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:08

I was gonna say he plays football.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:09

Yeah. So his basketball is not as good. Weightlifting.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:12

I mean he done that, he's doing that while doing the basketball stuff.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:16

Yes, and he wants to be around this, around this team. Around winning draws you in, right? Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:23

Well, I could I'd be honest with you, Brody last year.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:25

Yes. Same thing with Brody.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:27

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:27

Yes, exactly. He played baseball. He's a baseball guy. He absolutely wanted to be there. Can't forget our student section, our bums. Great.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:38

Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:38

Yeah. Cheerleaders. Thank you. What a what a great what a great season. Red peppers. Red peppers. Yes. Red peppers. Thank you. All the students that were at the games. All the fans. The boosters. Boosters cannot forget them. Friends of the program. They do stuff behind the scenes that most may never know, and that's okay. That's not what it's there for. It's not to get the limelight. But they do lots of things for kids. Making sure meals are paid for.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:06

Yeah. Equipment every now and then.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:09

Equipment. Just stuff like that. That's kind of yes. Yes. It's it that people don't know about. And that's not that's not the purpose of it. Transportation expenses sometimes. Bingo. Yep. Yep. Yep. Shout out to those guys. Yep. All of them.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:28

Faculty and staff.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:29

Yep. Well, they they work their hineys off during the home games and simul conference. Simo Conference. Man, that's a long week for those guys. They tell me all the time, they're like, man, we love it, but man, we're so glad when that Friday night's over. It's a it's a lot of games. Because you know, Sykston will play, you know, three times that week or whatever. But they're they're there for every game. They don't just play for just it's not just Sykston.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:52

There's nine teams in it, right? You got a playing game.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:55

Then you got I forget how many uh 20-something games or whatever. It's it's quite a bit. It's a bunch. It's a bunch. It's up like four. There are four nights.

SPEAKER_01 1:13:05

Monday, Tuesday, I think Monday and Tuesday are almost four games.

SPEAKER_02 1:13:09

Yeah, there's a bunch. Yeah, exactly. So you're you're there, they're there a long time.

SPEAKER_01 1:13:14

But they're there year day and I mean every game. I mean, like we wouldn't have concessions if it weren't for them.

SPEAKER_02 1:13:20

We wouldn't have our admin on staff.

SPEAKER_01 1:13:22

We wouldn't have we have you know janitorial staff there that's cleaning the bathrooms or making sure the floor is swept and during the trash after the game.

SPEAKER_02 1:13:31

Yeah, absolutely. All that all that plays a role into it.

SPEAKER_01 1:13:34

The folks that work the tickets office and the Is it the ones that is it quant is it hand out who hands out the uh Rotary. Rotary hands out the programs program.

How Basketball Unites Sikeston

SPEAKER_02 1:13:43

Yep. The folks that work there work the gate and then work the weapons detector security. Yeah, yeah. Shout out to all those folks. DPS providing them county sometimes during the conference. Athletic directors. Yes. Matt Shirley.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:00

We got tickets and all that together.

SPEAKER_02 1:14:02

Got the schedules and put together the tournament and be involved from that end. Matt was involved this weekend with the up in, you know, at Final Four. He's involved with the district tournament, he's involved with the quarterfinal game, kind of all that. Yeah. Uh-oh. And all the team behind Matt as well.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:21

They're they're all There's a lot of unsung here. A ton of them. We probably are missing the majority of them.

SPEAKER_02 1:14:27

Yes, yes. And there were kids that stayed on that weren't even dressing that were practice guys that helped. Cool. Yeah. Shout out to them at the end of the season. That they that they were around, wanted to be around the program, wanted, wanted to help in whatever way they could. Knew they weren't even going weren't even going to dress.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:49

But they were willing to do whatever.

SPEAKER_02 1:14:51

Yes. Yes. Yes. And that's why. That's why this is successful. This is the program that at Coach Hollyfield's built. And let's talk a little bit about what we talk about, we've kind of hit on a little bit. Let's talk a little bit about what what is the team, what does that mean to our community? I mean the the pride that, you know, when when we I do, and maybe I'm I'm weird. I get it. I know I'm I'm a I'm a nut when it comes to this, but when I walk in the gym, they're like, oh man, he's a Syston fan. Like, okay, okay. I have a lot of pride. I have a lot of pride when when we go in the summer, they're like, oh, he's from Sexton. Okay. Yeah. Right. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:15:39

They're or even over in Tennessee and playing a game.

SPEAKER_02 1:15:44

When when we would coach our those kids, they're like, oh, y'all from Sexton. Mm-hmm. And I'm like, no, don't get me wrong. I'm not the I'm not the architect of this.

SPEAKER_01 1:15:52

I'm just the I'm just the person here doing what I need to do right now. I know my rope.

SPEAKER_02 1:15:56

Exactly. Exactly. And they're like, man, you got them. I'm like, no, no, no, no, no. Hang on, time out. They're doing exactly what Coach Olifield and his team.

SPEAKER_01 1:16:04

These boys over here telling us what they're gonna do.

SPEAKER_02 1:16:07

Right. Right. We're we're we're just getting them here on time and getting their their jerseys clean.

SPEAKER_01 1:16:12

And bringing you a chick.

SPEAKER_02 1:16:14

And paying for this to let the kids play. That's right. That's right. So let's but so yeah, you're right. We knew our role. But but the pride that this team that the town has in this program.

SPEAKER_01 1:16:27

And I'm I know I'm saying we want to miss people, but Brian Hansen. Oh, yeah. I mean, like, it's pretty cool to be able to go to a arena and fill it up with all these psyches and shirts and stuff.

SPEAKER_02 1:16:39

And I know there's people that help him do that too, but I mean that was uh actually so he printed the district champ t-shirts, but we were out of school last week.

SPEAKER_01 1:16:47

I think they say that that that that was probably a that that well, that was actually FTI printing.

SPEAKER_02 1:16:53

Because, well, I mean, Brian, we're out of school.

SPEAKER_01 1:16:55

You can't No, there's no way he could get that done.

SPEAKER_02 1:16:58

No, no. I mean, you can't expect the guy to come in on his days off.

SPEAKER_01 1:17:01

And I kind of figured that, but I mean, I'm I just still though, I mean, like it's there is somebody in our community willing to take that on, right?

SPEAKER_02 1:17:08

Yes, they made money, of course. They wouldn't do it otherwise, but we had some really cool shirts. We've got some really cool shirts now to to remember this season by. Not just our own memories, but we got a shirt. That's that's it's awesome. Yeah. That's that that they were willing to. Yes, that's the pride.

SPEAKER_01 1:17:27

Prideful to be a part of that.

SPEAKER_02 1:17:29

Yes, yes, exactly. The support, man. We had the the team is so supported. The the games are almost always packed, even like a random Tuesday game, you know, against a team that I'm probably gonna beat pretty good. Still people there, still supportive. Just I can't thank that. And and again, we talk about how the team brings our town together. We for for those times, do you think and I know you know the answer to this, I suppose it's a rhetorical question, but we're at we're at Columbia, and we're in the final four, and we're all standing up, cheering. We are we are Sykston. Do you think at that moment we're worried about what what he vote? What is a political belief? What is his religious belief? What uh what what's his socioeconomic, what's his ethnic background? No.

SPEAKER_01 1:18:30

We are Sexton.

SPEAKER_02 1:18:32

Yeah. She's my sister, he's my brother. It didn't matter, and man, it was echoing in there. It was even we even stood up and cheered that even as we were losing against M I C D S and it basically the the game wasn't over, but it was the final outcome had essentially been decided. We stood up and said, We are Sykston. The whole both sides, the students, us, everybody around. That's the pride that that we have. That's why this team matters to us.

SPEAKER_01 1:19:09

Coach Coach Pratt, when he was on here, he's like Sykston, they're different.

SPEAKER_02 1:19:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:19:16

I mean, like, wherever you go, they're different.

SPEAKER_02 1:19:19

Yes, yes. These kids are just different. And our our town is to thank for that. Yeah, absolutely. Our town is is to thank that they should take a lot of pride in that there our kids are different in a good way, and that our town is noticed. As Shannon said when she was on here, as your school goes, your town goes. And we've talked about this. Our our town is on a big upswing, and I'm so proud of it.

Way Too Early Look Ahead

SPEAKER_01 1:19:52

Driving through town, like, man, there's concrete businesses probably like rocking right now because I mean, like, they're putting in the drainage stuff, they're putting in the fire station. Yep. We're building uh building out on our church property. You know, we're actually gonna have church out there on that's awesome. Well, on the property on Easter morning. I mean, like that's the goal is to do that. Right. So I mean, like, and I forget where where else oh, we got the yummy buffet being built. Yep. Uh and I think they're gonna be doing some work downtown for drainage. There there's new water pot. This town is I mean, it's not just basketball, but it's no, no, but it's the overall momentum is is up. We've got an overpass out here. I don't know if they're ever gonna decide what they're gonna do with it.

SPEAKER_02 1:20:42

Hopefully, we get that open soon. That'll be that'll be so good. That'll be terrific. Yeah. When we get this bond passed, we're gonna have some new schools. We're gonna have uh it's it's it's remarkable. Our grades, our APR scores is how the state looks at us, is going this way.

SPEAKER_03 1:21:00

Good.

SPEAKER_02 1:21:01

Absolutely. So we have so many things to be proud of. And are we perfect? No. I it don't I'm not trying to gloss over that stuff, but that's not what we we know there are things that there's not 100% perfect. Are all our kids perfect all the time? No. Do we do everything right all the time? No. But man, we are on a tremendous upswing.

SPEAKER_01 1:21:24

And we always come back to where do we all gather? Yes. Absolutely. Our and football and others, but I mean, like Yes.

SPEAKER_02 1:21:32

But I mean, like, yes, Sykston, yes, the pride that it brings into us. Yes. Yes. And getting close to finishing this thing, Micah, but let's let's talk about the way too early look ahead. And try and I don't I I don't want to mention a lot of names just for. I don't want to put the undue pressure on kids, you know what I'm saying? Right.

SPEAKER_01 1:21:59

But but there's a few that you could because they're gonna be.

SPEAKER_02 1:22:02

You you you I mean, we know there's three of the other sophomores that got a lot of time, right? Quay Allen, Sean Cole, and J. Ray. So we know that they're gonna be big contributors. They were big contributors this year. So we know their their role will be heightened even next year, so we know that their role will be even bigger next year because they they played a big role this year. Uh our JV was 16-0. Our freshmen were nine and one. I mean, our next crop is coming. We have I say it over and over and over, the cupboard is not bare. The standard has been set now for these kids.

SPEAKER_01 1:22:42

There's gonna be some freshmen coming in.

SPEAKER_02 1:22:44

Yes. Yes. There's some freshmen now that are going to be big contributors next year.

SPEAKER_01 1:22:50

We got some sophomores that were on the bench that that are going to be big contributors next year, yes. I'll be honest with these size, probably will be a little bit bigger next year than what we I mean. Correct. Not saying I mean, we definitely got a couple couple boys that are gonna be really big.

SPEAKER_02 1:23:08

I think, yeah, I talking to Coach Holyfield and some just him mentioning some names and that could be on this back line, we might have one of the longest teams he's had in just overall arm length and wingspan. That's the word I'm looking for. Yeah. If if if things kind of keep progressing the way they're going and the way they're playing and the way they're working toward these things, you know, you can't just say, oh, oh, we're gonna guarantee win state title. No, I will.

SPEAKER_01 1:23:44

Nothing guaranteed.

SPEAKER_02 1:23:45

There's nothing guaranteed, but they will start and they will put the work in. They will start they'll start now.

SPEAKER_01 1:23:54

Now the kid now they'll start having those kids are driven. They're gonna start. I guarantee there's probably several of them to why right now.

SPEAKER_02 1:24:02

I guarantee it. I I know that for a fact that they are, or they're lifting or whatever, and I know they will put in the work, and I know that during PE starting in a week, coach gives them a couple weeks off just to kind of relax a little bit. They deserve it. They do, of course. It's a long season. And then the the kids that aren't you know playing spring sports, they're not in track or baseball or golf or whatever, coach will have them working and they'll probably, especially like in PE, they'll have a lot of stuff you know, getting better every day. And then come mid-May and they'll they'll be right into summer stuff.

SPEAKER_01 1:24:42

But by Memorial Day, don't they have the first rib city by then?

SPEAKER_02 1:24:45

Uh-huh. Especially since we're out about the 15th ish, something like that. They'll start rolling into to workouts or open gym. Open gym. Yeah. Yeah. And you get 20 days or 25 days. Coach, he he spreads it out really good. It's usually like a couple of days a week. Then they'll go to Rib City, you know, not have like a open gym days that day. And then he'll go into late July and then Usually by mid-July, he's probably Yeah. Mid to late July, you're kind of wrapping that stuff up just because football's football's getting ready to get started. Soccer. Right. Kind of the fall sports is you know, you're just a couple of weeks away, then you got dead period in there and kind of all that stuff. So you're, you know, school's getting ready to start, kind of, kind of that thing. So he he spreads it out pretty good. But again, I we'll we'll talk more. We'll have our it it'll be here before we know it. I mean, it's already April. I mean, basically April.

SPEAKER_01 1:25:50

I know I looked at the calendar today because I was arguing something, somebody's talking about opening day Thursday, and I'm like, what?

SPEAKER_02 1:25:55

Yes, it's a it's it's uh today's the 23rd of March.

SPEAKER_01 1:25:58

I think the 26th of the Cardinals have their opening day to me. I'm just like that used to not be till April.

SPEAKER_02 1:26:04

I mean, like Well, the final four is April 4th and 6th.

SPEAKER_01 1:26:07

Yeah. Well, that's Easter weekend.

SPEAKER_02 1:26:09

Right. Right. So that's what I'm saying. It's already Easter, it's already April. We got April.

SPEAKER_01 1:26:13

Sunday is Palm Sunday.

SPEAKER_02 1:26:16

Right. We roll into May and we start summer basketball. June, July, we start summer basketball, and then we hit rodeo and then we're right into football.

SPEAKER_01 1:26:25

I think men are posted last night they got 33 days of school, 33 and a half days or something at Charleston. I mean, yeah, it's we're making 32 now.

SPEAKER_02 1:26:33

We we're close to that number. Yeah, here.

SPEAKER_01 1:26:36

We may be less. I think well maybe not, because I think they got I think they got a late spring break because they do it around the Zaya Festival.

SPEAKER_02 1:26:45

Oh, okay. Yeah. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 1:26:46

So I mean, I don't, whatever it is. It don't matter, but yeah, we're less than 40 days of school left. Right. Right. Of actual school days.

SPEAKER_02 1:26:55

Oh, yeah, for sure. For sure. We are again shout out to the coaching coaches. Shout out to Bulldog Nation.

SPEAKER_01 1:27:10

We're blessed, y'all.

SPEAKER_02 1:27:11

Oh my gosh. We're gonna look back and 20 years ago, my gosh, how blessed were we? How fortunate are we to be fans during this time? We are so fortunate.

Spring Sports Shoutouts And Goodbye

SPEAKER_01 1:27:23

I hope we still bless. Well, and we still will be, no matter what. No, no, right, right. But we're blessed with the the talented, the talent and the coaching staff that is able to use the talent.

SPEAKER_02 1:27:35

Yes. I mean correct. Our our sponsors, we talk about them ad nauseum. Thank you. Thank you for being part of this.

SPEAKER_01 1:27:43

We wouldn't be able to do this without them.

SPEAKER_02 1:27:44

No, that's right.

SPEAKER_01 1:27:45

And looking at other things, you know, like just trying to make this as we do this, we get to talk about basketball, we get to talk about football, we get to talk about baseball. Talking about baseball, you're talking about April. They're playing tonight.

SPEAKER_02 1:27:59

Yep. Don't know how that finished. They won their first game last Saturday or Thursday. Yeah, it was Thursday. It was Thursday against St. Vincent's.

SPEAKER_01 1:28:07

I think they were supposed to play Cape this Saturday, last Saturday. But I I guess it got rescheduled. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:28:12

Thank you, Cape, for doing that. I'm sure that's what happened. Yeah. The kids, yeah, it's baseball season. So we'll be we'll be talking about trusting tomorrow. Here or there?

SPEAKER_01 1:28:22

I think it's here.

SPEAKER_02 1:28:23

Okay. There we go.

SPEAKER_01 1:28:25

So we're playing Kelly today. They were down when I come in.

SPEAKER_02 1:28:29

Yeah. I'm not sure how it finished. Listen, don't forget about baseball. Go out and support them. Go out and watch girls' soccer.

SPEAKER_01 1:28:35

It's got golf.

SPEAKER_02 1:28:35

It's got golf.

SPEAKER_01 1:28:37

Seen them stretching on the track.

SPEAKER_02 1:28:38

Yep. Track. I know they had a mat or meet in Popper Bluff today. So yeah. Shout out. Shout out to all them. Guys, thanks for the all your players. Thanks for representing our town, our community well. Thank you for being part of this.

SPEAKER_01 1:28:56

You forgot one. I think there's a girls' soccer game today, too.

SPEAKER_02 1:29:00

Okay. Yep.

SPEAKER_01 1:29:02

When I drove by there, there was a bunch of cars.

SPEAKER_02 1:29:03

Okay. Yep. Shout out to the girls. Yep. Let's get the win. I want I want every Sykes and sport to win every game.

SPEAKER_01 1:29:10

Give me both.

SPEAKER_02 1:29:11

Absolutely. Absolutely. Without question. I don't know how they did it. Was that Anna Jonesbury? I saw that today. They played Anna, I think, wasn't it? Oh, I saw the the deal, like the little thing that talked about all the things today. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:29:22

I only had a chance to look at Facebook. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:29:25

Yeah. And so You know, the the banners matter, the wins matter, but the way they represented our our school and our community really matters. Yes. Yeah. It it mattered as much or more than those things. Those those things are very important.

SPEAKER_01 1:29:47

I promise you. They'll be talking about this to their great-grandkids.

SPEAKER_02 1:29:52

Oh my gosh. So will we?

SPEAKER_01 1:29:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:29:56

You remember in 26 we went to the final four? Yeah. Absolutely. I remember. I remember them all. We haven't been back in eight years. Eight years is too long. Let's make it one year. We hadn't been to the final four since way back last year. That's what we want to say, right?

SPEAKER_01 1:30:13

I think I'm going to skip out on he all next. No.

SPEAKER_02 1:30:15

I would. I love my brother and I love what he's involved in, but Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:30:20

It was good though. I know. It was really good.

SPEAKER_02 1:30:23

I'll go if we don't go to the Final Four. How about that? You'll have to buy tickets before then, but maybe I'll have to make a donation then.

SPEAKER_01 1:30:30

It's for a good call. It is for a good cause.

SPEAKER_02 1:30:33

It is. Well, Micah, we're what an unbelievable season. Again, let's recap real fast. 29 and 3, 105 wins by this group of seniors is now a new record. And the the freshmen that started are on a real good number. 29 wins. I mean, you get 29, 29, 29. 29. That'd be 30, 30, that'd be 120 minus 4, be 1, I mean 120, be 116. They blow that away. You won't set your sights that high, but you know, will we get to play 32 games every year? Hopefully. If we do.

SPEAKER_01 1:31:13

Nice. We'll be hey, we'll be looking at a banner or something if we do. I mean I don't I don't want to say. Which I I don't know the we don't really hang banners. There isn't any.

SPEAKER_02 1:31:26

They hang down on the deal. Yeah, not in the rafters. All all I will say is this, and I and I'm not I don't I don't do predictions, but I got to coach, again, coach, you and I last year, the seventh and eighth grade kids. And I asked them the other night, I said, if you were I said, Do you remember the first thing I told you in the first practice we had after I watched them play a little bit and they were like mm-mm Those kids way too soon but they have all the aspects that they need to be to do something special. How about that? I'll I'll stay short of I don't I don't put that kind of pressure on you, but they can be a special team over a number of years. Got size, got speed, got ball handling, they got shooting, and they've got guts. Man, what a team that makes. They got guys that know what their role is, they got guys that are willing to dive on the ball, to to be gritty in there and knockhead, so to speak, and rebound and be physical. They got all of that. And they've got a chance to do something now. Take a lot of work. It's a long time between now and next year.

SPEAKER_01 1:32:48

And you know, I I there are I think some of them were up there actually playing in Columbia this weekend.

SPEAKER_02 1:32:56

There were I saw I think there was an AAU turn. Yep. I know there was because I saw Chris Sledge up there with his son. They were playing. Yeah. I know that there were I I saw several seventh and eighth graders and talked to them myself after the game. So I know they saw.

SPEAKER_01 1:33:13

Yeah. I know I worked with a girl that her son was going to play Saturday, or they're playing, I think they were done three o'clock Saturday, and then they were gonna play some more Sunday too.

SPEAKER_02 1:33:21

Yep. Yep. So they saw they saw that and they'll want to be a part of that. And that's what you do. That's that's how you continue to build that program. Keep feeding that program, right? That's how you continue to build it. Well Micah, what again, what a great season. We're so blessed to have been part of it. Thanks for uh thanks for the ride. Thanks for hanging with us this week. Thanks for listening. Be back next week with our with our guest, and we'll we look forward to it as well.

SPEAKER_01 1:33:50

I'm Micah Harris.

SPEAKER_02 1:33:51

I'm Matt Tanner.

SPEAKER_01 1:33:53

Go Dogs. Go Dog.