For Clovis East boys basketball, this next one is for all the marbles.
After defeating Edison (Fresno) and St. Joseph in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively, a single game stands between the Timberwolves and Valley glory: the Central Section Division-1 championship game Friday against the Bullard Knights.
Head coach Adrian Wiggins – making his first trip to Selland Arena in seven years at the helm – believed all season the 2019-20 Timberwolves were a special group capable of greatness.
“This has been a great group, very fun to coach,” Wiggins said. “We have played a lot of good basketball games this year because of our mature senior group who’s been focused every night.”
The Wolfpack still need one more win to reach the ultimate goal, and Wiggins hopes his team follows the formula that got them to the big game: doing the little things well.
“Any team you play at Selland will be talented, so it comes down to those little things like hustle, effort and focus,” Wiggins said. “We need to just be who we are, without getting excited by the arena or big moment.”
Forgive seniors Will Wiggins, Jermal Pittman and Tyler Pacheco if they look around the 10,220-seat venue in awe during pregame. They’ve been waiting for this moment since fourth grade.
“We are really excited for our school and community,” Pacheco said. “This is big for everyone at Clovis East. It’s been a goal for Will, Jermal and I ever since we can remember.”
Will, the coach’s son, showed a bit of his father’s intensity when sharing his thoughts on playing for a Valley title.
“It is everyone’s goal to go play at Selland, but it is our team’s goal to go win it,” Will said.
Clovis East is full of confidence entering Friday’s matchup – and rightfully so. The Wolfpack have gone 5-0 in the month of February, including a win over Open Division finalist Clovis West on Feb. 4.
Overall, it has been a season of ups and downs for Clovis East, which started the season winning the Legacy Tip-Off Classic in Las Vegas en route to a 13-4 opening record. Late January brought a 1-5 stretch for East in the heart of TRAC play, yet there is no sign of a slump anymore in the Wolfpack.
A big part of that is Clovis East’s commitment to team basketball, which has provided a sense of consistency amidst adversity.
“Every player has embraced the team brand of ball we play,” sophomore guard Camden Thompson said. “We don’t care who scores or gets the assist, as long as the team gets the win.”
The team atmosphere does not end with the 12 players on roster; the entire Clovis East community has rallied behind Wolfpack basketball and will bring a loud presence Friday night at the championship game.
“Lots of parents, community members and probably over 300 students are going to be there to support us,” Pacheco said. “It’s going to be a phenomenal night.”
And it could very well be the last night the senior trio of Pacheco, [Will] Wiggins and Pittman play together in Clovis East uniforms. For Pittman, win or lose, Friday will be a game he never forgets.
“It will be real emotional for me tomorrow night, because I have been playing with [Will and Tyler] since fourth grade,” Pittman said.
Coach Adrian Wiggins recounts a memory of a young Tyler, Will and Jermal from his first year coaching at Clovis East in 2013.
“In my first year coaching, those three kids would always sit on the baseline at our games and cheer,” Wiggins said. “Winning the title would be a dream come true.”