Brook Hill Head Basketball Coach Wally Dawkins has a long standing reputation for setting up a beefy non-district schedule for his teams in years past.

The former 19 year Head Coach at Whitehouse, and 30 year veteran of Texas High School Basketball, appears to have done the same thing for this years varsity Guard Basketball Team.

The Blue and Orange open their season on Nov. 27th and 28th participating in the Burger King Classic which features some of the top teams in East Texas.  Brook Hill hosts U.I.L. class AAAA power Nacogdoches on Dec. 1st, and then travels to Fort Worth to play in the Fort Worth Brewer Invitational Dec.4-6th.  The Brewer Tourney welcomes numerous AAAA-AAAAA teams in the Metroplex and they are coached by former Dawkins' point guard Jason Porostovski (Whitehouse '94, TJC and Hardin-Simmons).

The next weekend, Brook Hill travels further west to play in the Abilene Wylie Tournament on Dec. 11-13th, before making an appearance in the Sabine Cardinal Extravaganza on Dec. 18th-21st, a 16 team tourney hosted by last years Region II class AAA finalist Sabine High School.

On Dec. 28-31, Brook Hill will make its first ever appearance to the TJC-Floyd Wagstaff Classic.  The annual event is considered to be one of the premier basketball tournaments in the state, and is regarded by East Texas basketball fans as a "holiday treat."

The Brook Hill team which finished 28-9 last season while winning District, Bi-District, Area, and Regional Championships before falling in the TAPPS State Tournament semi-finals, returns 4 starters and figures to be one of the top AAA private schools in the state.

Dawkins, who will be shooting for his 600th career victory this season, enters the campaign with a won-loss record of 587-243 spanning a 28 year head coaching career.

The 2008-2009 Brook Hill Boys Varsity Basketball Team advanced to the TAPPS class 3A State Basketball Tournament this season for the 2nd year in a row.

Despite losing 3 starters from a year ago, first year Head Coach Wally Dawkins' team finished the season with a 28-9 record and return 4 starters for a run at back-to-back-to-back appearances in the final four.

The Guard, winners of 19 straight games going into the state semi's behind 6'3 all-purpose player Jeremey Chappelle, tired in the final two minutes to Ft.Worth Lake Country seeing a 50-50 tied game get away losing 59-53.

"Normally, in the final two minutes, we are the team that surged and found a way to win"  Dawkins commented following the game.  "Give Lake Country credit, they just outplayed us at the end."

Chappelle, a junior, and 6'1 junior guard Mason Spradlin were named to the All-State Tournament Team, while Chappelle was also awarded 1st Team All-State in class AAA.

"I am really excited for our team.  We return 7 of our top 8 players, and I believe we can make another run next season."

Collin Hanks, a 6'1 senior guard is the only Brook Hill player not returning and Dawkins believes the 2009-2010 Guard squad will be tough to beat.

"We have Austin Langemeier a 6'1 Fr. along with Jared Dickey a 6'3 Fr. back, along with Heath Dickey a 6'5 Jr., as well as Colton Townley and Andre Huang, a pair of 6'1 wings ,and then there is "The Big C" Courtney Thomas, our 6'6 big man in the middle so we plan to be good next year."

Brook Hill will play a tough non-district schedule featuring many public school opponents.  The Guard will make their first ever appearance in the TJC Tournament, as well as travel out of town to the Ft. Worth Brewer and Abilene Lions Club Tourneys, all in December.

The 2008-2009 Brook Hill Boys Varsity Basketball season will be interesting to say the least.  Many new faces will be representing the Guard in what could prove to be an exciting year.

And it's not just the new faces that look to make a big impact on the blue & orange, several returning players only give 1st year Head Coach Wally Dawkins a real reason to feel positive.

Guard Collin Hanks, the teams lone senior, as well as returning starters Tyler Baker and Mason Spradlin, along with lettermen Colton Townlee and Andre Huang Hsieh, give Dawkins a reason to believe this year could be a good one.

"With Spradlin and Baker, you have the districts Newcomer of the Year for the past two season" Dawkins notes.  I always build my teams from the guards to down inside.  I believe thatyou are only as good as your guards. Both these young men are good players out front  and have valuable experience.  Hanks is a good shooter and is a tough-nosed kid.  He believes he can beat you and that's a real plus.  Colton and Andre give us depth as both kids can shoot and penetrate."

Another returner is 6'6 Heath Dickey, who should provide a big presence inside along with 6'6 transfer Courtney Thomas. "With Heath and Courtney, you have two big-bodies who can bang and do a good job of getting position.  When we use them together, we will play a high-low game, and if we want to play faster, we will let them rest each other.  In our league, having a pair of 6'6 big men can be a real assett."

One of the top players in the East texas area, 6'3 Jeremy Chappell also transferred to Brook Hill, and Dawkins knows first hand what kind of player Chappell is, from battles the two used to have when Dawkins was at Whitehouse, and Chappell at Jacksonville. "I have watched Jeremy play since he was in third grade.  He was always the best player on the floor.  I coached against his uncle Stacy Hunter when he played at J'ville, and Jeremy has Stacy's abiltity and desire to win. He is just a little leaner and quicker. We will probably use Jeremy inside and outside."

Although still feeling his way around in the new system at Brook Hill, Dawkins has been impressed thus far. 

"I am impressed with the leadership of this school, the vision, the facilities, but most of all, what great kids we have.  They work hard, are coachable, and are eager to please.  They are just like so many of the kids I coached at Whitehouse.  It is so refreshing to work in this type of environment.  We want the basketball program at Brook Hill to be the best it can be.  For that to happen, our players have to be at their best, both on and off the court.  That's where I come in.  We want to be fundamentally sound, play hard, and play together while being good students and good citizens"

This years schedule includes out of town trips to the Huntington Tournament, the Abilene Lions Club Tourney, and The Arlington Oak Ridge Tourney.  District play begins January 3rd at Lake Hill.

The Brook Hill Basketball program offers Varsity, JV(9th), and two Middle School Campus teams.  Dawkins along with assistants Neill Franklin and Austin Reed will coach the teams.