Building a basketball program: Tyler Classical finally takes its shot
Published 11:15 am Monday, November 8, 2021
- Tyler Classical Academy prepares for its first basketball game in program history on Friday night in its home gym.
“They got on the court and knew what they were doing, it was awesome”, Tyler Classical Academy head basketball coach Mason Simmons stated immediately after the first game in program history.
It was the perfect closing statement to a night that began with years of built-up anticipation.
You could feel the energy in the building from the time you walked inside the on-campus gymnasium. Even an hour before the game, students were congregating in what would be the student section. The anxious students couldn’t wait to cheer on their Eagles for the first time.
“I told all of the kids how special it was going to be for them to be the first. No one can ever take that away from you. Being the first at something, win or lose, you’ll always be the ones who got it started,” Simmons said before the game.
Simmons, who’s been at Tyler Classical for two years and looking forward to this moment, added his own excitement from the sideline throughout the night. As he shouted and screamed and jumped for joy every time one of his players scored a basket, got a rebound or made a great defensive stop.
“I just want to see my team play hard and improve as the season goes”, Simmons said.
This is Simmons’ first season coaching, as a head coach or assistant, but you couldn’t tell from the stands.
“I’ve always been a student of the game, Simmons said. “I love the fluidity of the game, the constant having to change on the fly and adjust your strategy.
“Starting a program from scratch is as equally rewarding as it is exhausting. Just the logistics of putting it all together, getting buy-in from the kids and trying to establish a culture for athletics has been challenging but very rewarding. Kids’ grades have improved with the promise of getting to play on a team; physical fitness and individual confidence, also. It’s all of these aspects of being a student and they’ve all improved because we’ve added sports to our school now. “My goal for this season is to just get better each week, and if we get a win, that’ll just be the cherry on top.”
Logan Stelter, a senior, has been at Tyler Classical for six years. He is excited to get to close his high school years by playing basketball for his school.
“As a senior, it feels awesome to be a part of this,” Stetler said. “I was thinking we’d never get sports here, but Coach Simmons and headmaster Daniel Carter have made it all possible with their hard work and dedication.”
Joseph Osborne, also a senior, says he’s always wanted to play basketball and was super excited when he learned a basketball team was on the horizon.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to show school spirit”, Osborne said.
Osborne will also have the distinct claim of scoring the first point in program history. He was fouled in the first quarter and had the opportunity to step up to the line and drill the free throw, and he did just that.
“I was really nervous about the shot,” Osborne said. “It’s a lot different shooting in front of a crowd. All I could think was, please don’t miss, please don’t miss. I was so relieved after I made it.”
Lauren Gibbs, sitting in the stands, got to watch her son, Jacob, sink the first field goal in program history.
“My son has always played basketball growing up, so having a team now is great, because we’ve been missing it,” she said.”
Of the first made field goal in program history, Jacob Gibbs said, “what went through my mind was I’ve done this shot a million times and what my coach told me in practice is what I need to do. When I made the shot and the crowd cheered, I mean there is no better feeling in the world.”
Maybe roar is the better way to put it. The crowd roared as though they were a stadium filled with thousands.
You can see that the vision has always been there. With a glistening new gym that’s been waiting for this moment. TCA is building something special for their students and families and that the entire Tyler community can be proud of.
“It was great to play our first basketball game on our home court with the support of our school community,” Tyler Classical headmaster Daniel Carter said. “The players did a great job of playing hard until the end.”
Even Coach Kevin Murray, the opposing coach from Bishop TK Gorman was excited. He’s actually a former staffer from Tyler Classical as he once taught the special education class.
“The atmosphere was amazing and it was great to see kids, teachers and staff that I loved working with during my time at TCA,” Murray said.
The outcome of the game, Bishop Gorman winning 41-17, could not dampen the school spirit on this night. Bishop Gorman players and coaching staff showed great sportsmanship the entire evening.
The top scorer for the TCA Eagles was Gibbs with 10 points. Osborne led the way with seven rebounds.
With each made basket, hustle play that resulted in a steal or every box out that got a rebound, the TCA fans erupted in excitement.
As a lifelong basketball junkie, myself, this was a first for me. Being a part of a program’s first game, even I couldn’t help but stand up and cheer along with them.
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Rushing is also the head boys basketball coach at King’s Academy.