2006-07 Season Won 15 - Lost 0

"What keeps a team from being great is when they get satisfied with just being good!"...............(Author Unknown)

11.11.06_____EAGLES 38 - EPISCOPAL 10
After working past the first game jitters, the Eagles 7th Grade Boys settled in and took it to Episcopal winning 38 - 10. Coach Brian Ross was able to substitute freely during the game without any dropoff in play. Coach Ross has been quoted as saying, "This is a very fast team with lots of depth". Parents and fans in the stands were excited by the play of the team. Look out Bigelow!! Here come the EAGLES!!

"Learn to do things right and then do them right everytime". (Bobby Knight)

11.13.06_____EAGLES 19 - BIGELOW 9
The Eagles jumped out to a 5 - 0 lead and never gave it back. Tonights game was one of Defense by both teams. It did not matter that Bigelow overall was a taller team, the Eagle "Man Defense" was solid all night keeping the ball from getting to their "Bigs" in the middle. Well done Eagles!!

"Confidence comes from being prepared."(John Wooden)

11.16.06_____EAGLES 34 - ANTHONY 12
After winning the first two games on the road, the Eagles opened their "Home" schedual against Anthony at ABHS. The Eagles offense sputtered in the first half scoring only 13 points. In the locker room at the half, Coach Ross made adjustments and the offense came out on fire scoring 16 of their 34 points in the third quarter. The Eagle "Man Defense" was again too much for their opponent, allowing only 6 points in three quarters of play and only 12 points for the game. The highlight of the game was #14 Garrison Marshall hitting two buzzer beaters. A 3 point shot at the end of the third, and a 2 point shot at the end of the game. Way to go Garrison!

"Teamwork is not a preference, it is a requirement." ....... (John Wooden)

12.7.06_____EAGLES 27 - ABUNDANT LIFE 23
It's been a week since the last game and it showed. AB started the game flat. The Eagles had trouble getting the ball inside because of a good zone defense by the Owls along with outside shots not dropping. The Owls jumped out to a lead which they kept until late in the 4th period. Heads up play and a basket by Carson Miller and timely baskets and foul shots by Brandon Rook put the Eagles out front to stay. These guys didn't quit and it moved their record to 4 and 0 because of it.

"First master the fundamentals."....(Larry Bird)

12.9.06_____EAGLES 36 - HARDING ACADEMY 27
The Harding Academy Wildcats came to the "Eagles Nest" looking for a victory. What they found was an Eagles team with their "Talons" out looking for prey! This was an up and down game of speed, steals, tight man defense and full court pressure from both sides. Everyone on the team contributed with points or great defense. After the fur and feathers settled, the Eagles flew off with a 36 - 27 victory. The Wildcats went home with the loss.

"In life you make choices, and your choices make you." ...(John Wooden)

1.6.07_____EAGLES 26 - HARDING ACADEMY 19
It was the Eagles turn to go to Searcy and battle the Wildcats. AB knew they would have to bring their "A" game to the match. Harding, using a tough man defense, led at the half 13 - 7. The 3rd quarter was no better with the Eagles down 16 - 10. In the 4th quarter, the Eagles pressing man defense kept HA in check giving up only 3 pts. Ryan Perkins, off the bench, sparked an offensive surge with the Eagles scoring 16 pts. in the 4th quarter. At the final buzzer, it was Arkansas Baptist 26 and a stunned Harding Academy 19.

"Spectacular achievements come from unspectacular preperation." ...(Roger Staubach)

1.8.07_____EAGLES 26 - ANTHONY 9
Defense was the name of the game for the Eagles as it has been all season. This was a total team effort with everyone on the team taking part. It was the 4th quarter before Anthony scored their first points. Game Over! AB 26 - ANTHONY 9.

"Learn from your mistakes. There are four things you should do with a mistake: 1) recognize it, 2) admit it, 3) learn from it, 4) forget it. ...(Author Unknown)

1.11.07_____EAGLES 33 - BIGELOW 30
Bigelow came to Arkansas Baptist looking to revenge their 10 pt. loss to the Eagles at Bigelow. Bigelow, playing well, came out with a bang and took an early lead. The Eagles fought back, got the lead, and never looked back. Coach Ross was able to empty the bench and play everyone in the fourth quarter. Again, the Eagle defense was AWSOME. Coach Ross commented, "Number 35 for Bigelow was a very good player and Ben (Ben Gipson #24) shut him down and schooled him!" Bigelow made it close at the end, but still rode the bus home with a loss.

"It doesn't matter who scores the points, it's who can get the ball to the scorer." ...(Larry Bird)

1.15.07_____EAGLES 24 - ABUNDANT LIFE - 12
Could the Eagles win nine in a row? The first half saw the Eagles having a tough time getting the ball in the hoop from the inside or outside thanks to the Owl's zone defense. After making adjustments in the locker room at the half, the Eagles started getting the ball to their "Big" (Drake Newkirk) in the paint. After scoring multiple times this way, along with a great full court press and a tight man defense, the Eagles pulled away from the Owls for good. The answer? "Yes they can!"

"Its not the will to win that matters, everyone has that. It's the will to prepare to win that matters."("Bear" Bryant)

1.20.07_____EAGLES 42 - WILDCATS 23
It was a rainy Saturday outside, but inside, perfect for basketball. The Eagles scored the first 2 pts. and added 40 pts. more as they crush the Episcopal Wildcats 42 - 23. The Eagles are becoming known for their tight "Man" defense which drove the Cats wild all day. Drake Newkirk added a team high 10 pts. in the victory. Well done Eagles!

"Every time I stepped on the field, I believed my team was going to walk off a winner, somehow, someway." ... (Roger Staubach)

01.22.07_____AB EAGLES 37 - MAYFLOWER EAGLES 17
Arkansas Baptist wins their 11th game in a row and remain unbeaten for the year. AB came out slow, but, by the half they held a 17 - 4 lead. By the end of the 3rd quarter the lead had stretched to 28 - 9. Coach Ross emptied the bench in the 4th and still out scored Maylower 9 - 8 in the last quarter. A great team win for a hard working bunch of young men. Way to go Eagles!

"Perfection is an impossibility, but, striving for perfection is not. Do the best you can. That is what counts." ... (John Wooden)

1.27.07_____EAGLES 37 - ABUNDANT LIFE 26
It's very hard to beat the same team three times in a row. That's what AB was faced with in this game. The Eagles were down 8 - 6 after a very sluggish 1st quarter. The game was still up for grabs at the half with AB up by only 2pts., 17 - 15. In the 3rd quarter the Eagles came out using a full court press disrupting the Owl offense for the rest of the game. Brandon Rook took charge at point directing the Eagles to a 37 - 26 win. Brandon finished with a career high 18 pts. with Drake Newkirk scoring 15pts down low. 12 - 0! Way to Go!

"Winning is about having the whole team on the same page." (Bill Walton)

1.29.07_____ARKANSAS BAPTIST 36 - MAYFLOWER 10
As a fan and parent, some games are just fun to watch. By watching, I mean watching the players themselves. This was one of them. Every player, all sixteen of them, contributed to this win. It didn't matter who was on the floor, AB had control of the game. Players on the bench jumping up to cheer their peers. Smiles on every face, excitment with every basket. They were having fun! That's what playing basketball is (should be) all about. Player of the game? How about all sixteen of them.

"I just love the game of basketball so much. The Game! I don't need the 18,000 people screaming and all the peripheral things. To me, the most enjoyable part is the practice and preperation." ... (Bobby Knight)

2.3.07_____EAGLES 36 - WARRIORS 30
This, by far, was the toughest game of the year. LRCA Warriors had the best starting five and the deepest bench of any team AB played this year. Even with AB having the lead the entire game, the Warriors kept lurking just behind. Waiting for AB to make a mistake. Facing a full court press during the 4th quarter, the Eagles kept their cool winning in the end 36 - 30.


"Winning games, titles and championships isn't all that it's cracked up to be, but, getting there, the journey, is a lot more than it's cracked up to be." ... (John Wooden)

2.3.07_____EAGLES 27 - PANTHERS 14
The Panthers came to the "Eagles Nest" looking to revenge two previous losses. They left with one more. In a game that was close in the first half, the Eagles pulled away for a 27 - 14 win in the second half.

Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31b NASB)

Season Epilog

This web site is a journal of a journey. A journey of sixteen boys playing together for the first time. A young coach, fresh out of college, coaching his first team.

Go back to the top. Read the entries again, but, this time, read between the lines. That's where the sweat, hard work, sacrifice and 7am practices can be found. That's where the excitment of competition and thrill of victory are. Coach Wooden was right when he said, "It's the journey that is most important".

Years from now, these sixteen boys and their coach will not remember the teams they beat or even the final scores. But, they will remember their journey. A journey to a "Perfect Season".