On Jan. 14, West basketball took on their rivals from Plano Senior in a crucial 10-5A matchup for one of the top spots in the District standings. The Wolves took an early lead and ended up winning on their home court by a score of 61-39. That put them at 2-0 in District play, but the big story of the night was head coach Anthony Morgan making history by achieving his 400^th career victory.  This was a major milestone for his basketball coaching career.

“When the clock counted down to 0, I was simply satisfied with the way the boys played defense during the second half,” Morgan said. “The players responded to a hard practice and that worked showed during the third quarter.”

West’s basketball team is ranked 57^th in the nation and fourth in Texas. The team, who helped Morgan reach his 400^th victory, is made up of a talented group of guys that includes seniors Avery Johnson Jr. and Tre’ Anderson and juniors D.J. Hogg and Soso Jamabo.

“Playing for Coach Morgan has been life changing because he teaches you discipline and how to be a good individual,” junior McCann Utu said.

A victory over Plano Senior is notable for any West athlete, but the rivalry between the schools made the game even more memorable. The strong fan base that supports the team each and every game is another reason why the Wolves are so strong.

“We have the best student body in the area,” Morgan said. “They are loud and intimidating to our opponents and I really think it was a little overwhelming for some of the Plano athletes. It made a huge difference in the game.”

Senior Zach White leads the fans every game night and pumps up the crowd so the team will have enough energy to win the game.

“I use Twitter and word-of-mouth to pack the stands each game and also get the dress theme for that game out for everyone to see,” White said.

With so many students supporting the team, they are able to use the cheering to play better and get in the spirit of the game. Winning 400 career games is a big achievement and all the fans and team had nothing but positive things to say about Coach Morgan.

“I was excited for him because I have a good relationship with Coach Morgan due to me playing junior varsity my sophomore year,” White said. “It is a great accomplishment and he will have several more in his career.”

In the future, Coach Morgan will have the chance to retire and pursue a further career if he chooses.

“I do have aspirations of going on to the college ranks and maybe even the National Basketball Association as an assistant,” Morgan said. “I like the idea of being able to spend more time coaching athletes and building programs.”