Everyone expected Bay Springs to be in Jackson come March. Advancing to the Class 2A title game the year before and returning the heart of that previous year’s roster will create those high expectations. That made the 2019 season more difficult as narrated by Bay Springs head boys basketball coach Corey Mackey.
"We were picked to win it [by some]," said Mackey. "That makes it even harder, and not only that, we played the top three teams in 2A – St. Joseph, Ingomar and Coahoma County. Beating all three made it that much more special."
Under Mackey’s coaching – along with Sports601 Powerade Boys Basketball Player of the Year Kevin Grimes – Bay Springs won its second boys basketball state title in program history, edging Ingomar 56-51 at the Big House. Mackey coached the team that won its first back in 2015.
"We had to stay focused through the year," Mackey said. "We came into the year with a revenge [mindset]. Looking ahead at the schedule, we knew we had to play teams that beat us the year before like St. Joseph. And once we got to Jackson, we knew we had to beat teams like Coahoma and Ingomar, who beat us before."
Once in Jackson, entering the semifinal round with an overall record of 29-3, Bay Springs was face-to-face with its not so distant past and its curse – Coahoma. The Bulldogs had never beaten Coahoma at the Big House in several previous attempts, including last season’s title game.
"We had a conversation earlier that week about the way I felt about that game last year," said Mackey. "I felt like we played scared last year. Several of the players admitted that from the year before. But once we determined not to play scared again this year, I knew we had a good shot of winning it."
Bay Springs broke the curse on March 5, beating Coahoma County, 54-52, in the semifinals. The win set up one final hurdle of the 2019 season as a showdown with Ingomar in the finals looming. Ingomar was the last team to beat Bay Springs, besting the Bulldogs 67-61 midway through the regular season in a tournament up North.
"We felt like things didn't go our way versus Ingomar the first time," said Mackey. "We knew that if we had one more opportunity on a neutral court under different circumstances, then we'd have a chance of beating them. It was set up for us to have another shot, and it was up to us to make sure that happened."
It did. Bay Springs got the better of Ingomar the second time around and with the win captured the school’s second boys’ basketball title in five years. “The kids played exceptionally well together,” said Mackey. “They were able to put together a game plan and see it through.”
Mackey said he’ll enjoy the offseason as the reigning champs. "It's a great feeling to know that you won it," Mackey added. "Then you have to look ahead and know that people are going to expect you to win it again. Hopefully, our returning players will take on that challenge and stay hungry. We have great pieces of our puzzle coming back, so we should be fine next season."
Mackey is Sports601’s Powerade Basketball Coach of the Year.
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