Get fired up.
With only a few games left, Michael Bacon, head coach for Abilene Christian High School varsity basketball team, and his players are fighting hard to make it to the state championship game for the second year in a row.
Winning a state championship game is a dream every sport team wants. For the ACHS Panthers, this is a dream that is quickly becoming reality. If they continue with the winning streak they have right now, then in just three more rounds of playoffs, the Panthers will be on their way to the state tournament.
Bacon played point guard and shooting guard for the Panthers and graduated from ACHS in 2008. He began coaching the Panthers just last year, along with assistant coaches Colby Carr and Nick Smith, and has enjoyed every minute of it.
“Coaching is really the only job I’ve ever wanted to have and getting to coach at my high school is even better. It’s like home,” Bacon said.
The journey to this point has not been an easy one. There is a great deal of talent on the team but not many of the guys on this year’s team were part of the team last year.
The 2A team has been ranked number one all year, except for two weeks. They have had a big bull-eye’s on their back all year.
“Coaching this year has been very different. We’ve had to reteach and be a little more patient, which isn’t one of my best things,” Bacon said.
The Panthers are a young team but that isn’t stopping them. Players who were only practice players last year have had to step up and be thrown into the fire. One player that has shown improvement is Trevor Tyson, senior at ACHS.
“My favorite thing about playing for the Panthers is the family aspect and the relationships we have with each other,” Tyson said. “I know everybody on the team is giving it all they have so why should I give any less.”
Despite the hardships, Bacon constantly reminds his team there is some light at the end of this tunnel.
“If all the players stick with it and buy in, it will all pay off,” Bacon said.
Every day after practice, they say how many more days are left of the season and how many more games. Bacon knows how it feels to win a state championship and wants his players to get the chance to feel that too.
“Life will be pretty good if we win again,” Bacon said.
#            Name                                   Position                               Grade
1             Kashus Lyons                    G                                           10
3             Reuben Byrd                     G                                            11
5             Trevor Tyson                     F                                            12
10          Trey Hampton                    F                                             10
11          Caleb Gravitt                      G/F                                          9
15          Samai Massaquoi              G                                            11
21          Harrison Hancock              G                                            12
24          Juno Wong                         G/F                                        12
32          Nick Murray                        G                                            10
34          Dale Bruton                         F                                              9
