Senate Concurrent Resolution 602

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE JACKSON PREPARATORY SCHOOL "PATRIOTS" BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM AND HEAD COACH DAVID HORNER FOR WINNING THE MISSISSIPPI ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OVERALL CHAMPIONSHIP, THE FIRST STATE BASKETBALL TITLE IN 14 YEARS.

WHEREAS, Jackson Prep's trophy case includes 13 Boys Overall Tournament Championship Gold Balls. The school waited 14 years to get No. 14; and

WHEREAS, led by Ryan Buchanan's 15 points and 14 rebounds, the Jackson Prep "Patriots" Boys Basketball Team beat Marshall Academy 50-45 March 3, 2012, fulfilling expectations by winning the top prize in Academy Ball and capping one of the most magical seasons in program history; and

WHEREAS, Jackson Prep players stormed the court when the final horn sounded, all of them piling into a moving mob at the center of Mississippi College's A.E. Wood Coliseum. They had survived one of their tightest, toughest games of the season to end the year with that Gold Ball and a record of 38-1; and

WHEREAS, Jackson Prep had won 13 of the first 29 Overall Tournaments and that included three three-peats. "We've got a great tradition and we've won a lot of championships," Prep Coach David Horner said. In this game they battled back from a 21-9 half-time deficit and withstood a late charge by Marshall, the Class AA Champion, which pulled to within three points with 1:06 left. Four straight free throws later, two by De Graeber and two by Wic Smith, and the "Patriots" had their 31st straight win over MAIS teams and 18th straight victory overall; and

WHEREAS, despite getting the AAA No. 1 seed into this event, this balanced Prep Team arguably had the toughest road to the finals. They held off Brookhaven to win by nine, defeated Central Private by 10 and survived against a Marshall team that got 18 points from a single player; and

WHEREAS, this Prep squad never fell from the top spot in the Class AAA rankings. The 2011-2012 Jackson Prep "Patriots" Boys Basketball Team Roster is as follows: Wirt Dunbar, Junior; Wic Smith, Junior; Thomas Dunbar, Senior; John Sharp Howie, Sophomore; Carter Osborne, Sophomore; Tyler Coleman, Sophomore; De Graeber, Senior; Kyle Thigpen, Sophomore; Cade Noble, Junior; John Abraham, Junior; Richard Baird, Junior; Austin Rayner, Junior; William Townsend, Sophomore; Josh Williams, Junior; Ryan Buchanan, Junior; Will Keeler, Sophomore; James Young, Sophomore; Gage Ray, Senior; Whit Kendall, Senior and Michael Lewis, Junior; Head Coach David Horner, Assistant Coaches: Chris Moore and Rusty Burke, Managers: Hollis Burrow, Sam Ozier, Nelson Parker and West Wells; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize the great tradition of this Championship Team which has brought honor to their school, their community and to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate the Jackson Preparatory School (Prep) "Patriots" Boys Basketball Team and Head Coach David Horner for winning the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Overall State Championship, the first State Basketball Title in 14 years, and extend our best wishes to the players, coaches, parents and sponsors for future academic and athletic success.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Coach Horner and Headmaster Susan R. Lindsay for the team, forwarded to the Jackson Prep Board of Trustees and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.