Tuesday during the WOS district game against LCM, the 2006 Mustangs team was recognized on their 20th Anniversary of reaching the 3A State Basketball Tournament.
They are the only Mustangs team to make the tournament and the first Orange County team since the West Orange Chiefs in 1965 to make the Final Four.
The team was coached by Doug McCarter and assisted by a young Zach Quinn and Todd Marburgh.
They would go through district 24-3A undefeated. Back then the district champs earned a first round bye. They would then roll off four straight playoff wins. That included beating three teams from 22-3A including the #3 ranked Silsbee Tigers.
In their first playoff game (second round) they would score nine points in the final minute to beat Jasper 60-59. They would defeat Silsbee 62-56, Madisonville 68-59, and Coldspring 69-57. The wins over Jasper and Silsbee also avenged loses to them during the regular season.
In the State Semifinals they would face Carrollton Ranchview featuring 6-6 twins. Coach McCarter had to plan to contend with the Burton brothers and they did, holding the pair to a total of 16 points. But as McCarter said, “We sure didn’t plan for a guy to come off the bench and light it up for 25 points.” The Mustangs would fall 77-52 and finish the season 24-9. Carrollton would go on to lose to Dallas Roosevelt in the finals.
But the memories of that experience will last a lifetime as eight members of the team, McCarter, Quinn (now Asst. Supt. at Orangefield), Mike Mason who was principal at the time, trainer Terry King and Cornel Thompson, who said he was their to represent the late Dan Hooks who was the Athletic Director during that period, sat in the hospitality room and laughed while telling stories about the season. And the cherry on top was the delicious food that was catered by former Mustang star Deon Beasley who owns Pick 6 Catering. Mustang Coach DJ Wilson, who put the event together, presented a signed basketball to McCarter.
Mason and Thompson provided some wisdom while thanking the now grown men for their contributions to West Orange-Stark and McCarter thanked them for allowing him to accomplish his goal of reaching the tournament as a coach stating, “Many guys coach their whole careers and never come close to the State Tournament. Thank you guys for taking me there.”
Starters included Richard Netherly, Earl Thomas, Andre Bevil, Jamey Smith and Jeran Ford. Also contributing to their success were Ronnie Dennis, Jeran King, LaDarius White, Chase Adams, DeMarius Childress, Buddy Broussard, Tracoy Hinson, and Desmond Johnson.
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