PINCKNEYVILLE (WSIL) -- In Pinckneyville, there's a love for basketball that starts at a young age.
"The little kids high fiving us at the tunnel is definitely my favorite part," Pinckneyville senior Dawson Yates said.
"Even now, in my fourth year playing, it's so really cool because that's what I grew up watching and always wanted to do and now I finally get to do it and it's surreal to this day," Pinckneyville senior Grant Tanner said.
"The little kids, they are crazy, they get after it," Pinckneyville junior Dre Scott said. "It's funny too, getting hyped up and it's hyping us up too when those kids are out there."
A program filled with fun traditions and rich in history.
The walls, the rafters, even the playing floor tell quite a story.
"Had a tradition here for over a hundred years, when you look at the state of Illinois all-time wins," Pinckneyville Coach Bob Waggoner said.
"We have a chance in the next two years to get to two thousand. There are only three other schools in the state of Illinois that have that and nationally that puts us in the top ten."
"Old alumni come through and always talk to us about what we need to do better or what to improve on and it's always nice to get input from those guys," Pinckneyville senior Devin Kitchen said.
Pinckneyville is ranked second in the state in class 2A. Ask the players and they'll tell you there's a responsibility you have when you put on that Panthers uniform.
"We have what, fifty-seven some-odd regional titles so there are a lot of great teams that came through here and you know that you want to be one of those teams."
The Panthers have won multiple tournaments this season. Have only two blemishes on their resume. But that 19 point loss at Nashville on January tenth, still stings.
"Definitely, that week of practice woke us up too," Tanner said.
"Things came real easy for us," Waggoner said. "I think we ran through most teams we played, we hadn't had much of a challenge, had running clock in fifteen of our twenty-three games. That was an eye opener, there's a different way to play, teams are going to give you their best shot every night and you can't just show up, you're going to have to really compete."
But this is veteran group. And it starts with Dawson Yates. He just needs 30 more points to move into second place on the schools all-time scoring list.
"Everyone cares for each other," Yates said. "We're not selfish at all. Everyone would rather make the extra pass to get the person the extra shot."
"It's a really good group," Scott said. "We just have to communicate together and get close together and be ready to go," Scott said.
"Here soon, I think we can reach our full potential and put on a full thirty two minute," Yates said.
