After 49 years, a state basketball championship trophy returned to Wendell Phillips Academy High School.
At a celebration rally held Wednesday afternoon at the school’s gym, players from the 1975 championship team joined this year’s squad in celebrating the team’s win against the Benton Rangers in the Class 2A state championship on Saturday.
Marty Murray, a junior on the 1975 squad, passed the trophy to Coach Paris Martin, who hoisted it over his head.
“I want to congratulate all my boys for understanding the message and putting it out there to show the world that you guys are great,” Martin said.
Students, parents and community members joined the team at the school’s gym for the celebration, which featured speeches from school administrators, coaches, players and elected officials.
After speeches from school officials, the team entered through a blue, white and black balloon arch as their classmates cheered them on. Cheers of “Let’s go Wildcats!” flooded the gymnasium as the team emerged wearing jerseys and matching blue and white shoes.
Principal Rahad Talley then brought the three team captains up to speak. This included sophomore forward Claude Mpouma, who transferred to Phillips this year.
“People told me, ‘Why’d you choose Phillips?,” Claude said in his speech, then pointed to the trophy. “That’s why I chose Phillips.” At that, the crowd erupted in applause.
Local elected officials, including Mayor Brandon Johnson, U.S. Rep. Danny Davis and Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd), spoke at the event.
Johnson congratulated the team on its victory, saying the title will be one of many wins the teens will have in their lifetimes.
“Your success doesn’t end on the basketball court,” Johnson said. “We have future firefighters, educators, doctors or lawyers or community organization leaders, entrepreneurs, artists — these boys have more talents than basketball.”
This is Martin’s second season coaching the Wildcats. From the start, he and his staff knew this team was promising — they just had to get the players to connect with each other, he said.
“Once they mentally bought into one another, that’s when it changed the whole tide,” Martin said. “They became a team with each other. They’re out there communicating and building bonds.”
With only two players graduating, the team is in position to continue its success, Martin said, and players seemed to agree. Junior guard EJ Horton kept his goal for next season simple: another state title.
Though EJ had his sights set on next year’s efforts, he was still able to appreciate the importance of this year’s victory.
“At first it was up and down. It was bumpy roads, high mountains, high water, but we all just came together as one,” EJ said. “Everybody had one goal, one dream, and it all came true.”
For senior captain Michael White Jr., the victory was particularly poignant.
“When we won, it was big. I cried a little bit, because it’s the end of my high school career,” he said. “But I wouldn’t change nothing, not a bit.”
