It had been a while since the Trinity Christian Academy Eagles had enjoyed a winning basketball season. In fact, the last time they had such, their two senior standouts, Sam Carson and Cole Massey, were still in junior high.
Now the duo are exiting their high school careers in winning style, while head coach Jeff Peterson experienced his first playoff appearance at the school, leading TCA to one of their best seasons ever.
The Eagles finished 26-9 overall and were 7-3 in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools District 1-4A for second place.
“With changes in our roster, Sam took it upon himself to be a leader. Cole has always been a vocal leader, and he never let anybody doubt his energy on the court,” Peterson said. “They bring two types of leadership, but I would credit much of our success to dual leadership.”
The Eagles were supposed to have four seniors return from last season’s 16-21 team. However, one developed some health challenges and left to be homeschooled and another decided not to play this season.
That left Carson, a point guard/shooting guard, and power forward/small forward/center Massey as the only seniors with varsity experience. Carson, in fact, was on the varsity four seasons.
“Dayton Sheridan (former head coach, now assistant) had been preaching a player-led team, and I do feel a player-led team will be successful,” Peterson said. “I think we had a bunch of guys ready to show what they can do.”
And Carson and Massey were just the guys to lead that charge.
“They were already a tight-knit group as friends and they bought into each other this season with a goal to accomplish,” Peterson said.
Peterson knows a thing or two about getting players to buy in. He started the program at Victory Baptist in Weatherford and led the program to its first Texas Christian Athletic Federation district championship. Then, in four seasons at Sunrise Christian Academy in Wichita, Kansas, he led the team to three playoff appearances in four years, including a league championship.
“My older brother was one of the TCA leaders and he went on to play college ball,” Carson said, referencing Luke Carson, who played at Southwestern Assemblies of God before transferring to the University of Dallas.
Luke is now coaching in the Courtside United club basketball programs.
“From my freshman year until now I took after my brother to build up the program, build up my leadership skills,” Sam said. “But there’s no one person to give credit to. The guys we have now won’t back down from anything, and I’m proud to be a part of that.
Massey transferred from Victory Baptist before his junior season. He said he could tell there was something special ahead for himself and his teammates.
“I just saw the leadership and energy the team had last year and I wanted to add to that spark,” Massey said. “Last year in a big game I didn’t feel like I did my best. I was determined not to feel that way again.”
And so he hasn’t. Behind his play and that of Carson’s, the Eagles enjoyed success like they haven’t experienced in quite some time. After starting the season 2-2 they reeled off 16 straight wins, followed by a 4-1 start to district.
“Building that record, and then to start district like that, folks realized Willow Park Trinity is for real,” Massey said.
Carson had an opportunity to leave the program when his mother left her teaching position at TCA to become a college advisor at Southwest Christian in Fort Worth. His sister moved to SWC also.
But Carson stayed because he felt like there was unfinished work for him at TCA.
“For me, it was immediately a no, and not just for basketball, but also for the administration and teachers, they all made an impact on my life,” he said. “I knew I was building leadership skills — and I was not going to leave my team.”
“To us, as parents, we are so proud of him for sticking to his guns, now, and becoming so involved at his school,” said his father, Mark Carson. “Of course, none of that would have mattered if the guys weren’t willing to buy in and follow and help change the culture.”
Unfortunately, Carson was not able to be on the court for the Eagles’ final game after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament. He was, however, on the sidelines cheering for his teammates, albeit in a 70-49 loss to Carrollton Prince of Peace in the area round of the playoffs.
The Eagles received a bye in the bi-district round.
“He’s a pretty good assistant coach, too,” Peterson said of Carson. “We wish he could be out there, but he was a big part in us getting here.”
Neither plans to play in college, they said. Carson plans to study kinesiology and perhaps become an athletic trainer and Massey plans to study business management.
But, as Peterson noted, they have the memories of their final season of competitive basketball to look back on for the rest of their lives, along with helping their teammates to equally special memories of this season.
“One of our mission statements is to be a light in the Texas basketball community,” Peterson said. “We’ll always remember the time walked into Barber Gym and the accomplishments.”
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