Madness consumed White County gym Tuesday night as the Pioneers and Warriors battled for a district title. Fans for both teams were packed in from the court to the rafters, filling every second with sound.
On the Pioneer bench, Dee Spates and Grant King had to be wondering how their paths led to Sparta. After all, at this time last year, they were miles away in other schools.
The two transfers got to be a part of Pioneer history in their first season, helping Warren County claim its first district title since 1977. Spates, who was last at Blackman, and King, a Tullahoma transfer, could only smile as they cut down their pieces of the net as Pioneers.
“Knowing I came in and this was the first time this school has won a district, it feels good,” said King. “Knowing we did something nobody has done and we did it as a team was great.”
(Editor’s note: Grant King was referring to WCHS – as presently constructed in 1993 – winning its first district title.)
“I went out there and tried to do my best,” added Spates, who was named to the all-tournament team after scoring 27 points and dishing out nine assists in two games.
It wasn’t long ago when nobody on the team would’ve known either of their names.
Spates emerged in the spring after his mom moved to town and brought the former Blaze guard to Warren County. King was right behind in the fall, moving in when his dad – Phillip King, a WCHS graduate – took over as baseball coach.
Neither knew what to expect when they showed up. Their new teammates were in the dark as well.
“It was kind of nervous. Nobody knew anybody,” said Spates. “About a week later, I was getting better and everybody started trusting me – teammates, coaches, moms, everybody.”
King took a little longer to find a niche.
“I used to be a shooter and I was figuring out that wasn’t how I was going to play here. I started hustling more and working harder on defense,” said King.
While neither player may have known what to expect, their new coach quickly realized he had two new assets enriching his roster.
“We knew right away both Grant and Dee would play minutes for us based on their skill sets,” said coach Chris Sullens. “We also knew they would work well in the locker room based on their personalities. They are always smiling and approachable.
“We got more than we realized with them. Dee has the potential to be one of the best guards in the area by the time he is a senior next year. Grant is exactly what you want from a kid who comes off the bench – he’s ready when he number is called and puts his team first.”
A season ago, King and Spates would have been answering when people called for Wildcats and Blaze. Now, they can answer when people ask for district champions.
