The Plano East High School boys basketball team is four games away from doing something that has never been done before.
The team has a record of 36 wins and 0 losses, and if they can make it through the rest of the season, they will become the first 6A team to have an undefeated record.
The state championship victory is the Panthers' first in any sport.
“It's a dream come true for me. Every coach just wants to coach great players and great teams,” head coach Matt Wester said.
Seemingly out of nowhere, this team has garnered national attention. They are ranked No. 3 in the country, and their defeat of Allen in this week's regional quarterfinal round makes them the only remaining undefeated team in the state of Texas.
“This record is great, but we don't talk about it much, think about it. We just want to win on Friday,” Wester said.
The team hit it off because they have known each other most of their lives. Many of them were teammates until elementary school.
“It's definitely a great feeling. I know how much time we've put in together and how we've worked together, so it's great for us to see it all pay off.” It feels really good,” senior Isaiah Brewington said.
They're not just good on the court. Nine of the 14 players on the team have a GPA of 4.0 or higher.
“I want to be an anesthesiologist,” Brewington said.
Brewington and Jordan Mizell are two of the team's 11 seniors, which is unusual in high school sports.
But there's nothing typical about the team challenging history.
“It would mean the world to me if we could go 40-0 and win the state and make history that was never made in the state of Texas. It would mean a lot to me.” Mizell said.
Plano East will play Eaton High School in the district semifinal round Friday at 8 p.m. at Wilkerson Grains Activity Center in Fort Worth.
