Original subtitles

[MAN] IT'S HUMAN NATURE

IS THAT I'LL DO THAT TOMORROW.

[REPORTER] AND HERE'S A LIVE LOOK AT THAT SCENE.

RIGHT NOW, HIGHWAY 104 IS CLOSED WESTBOUND.

[MAN] KIDS DON'T GET HOW GOOD LIFE IS

IN HIGH SCHOOL.

AND THEY JUST, "AH, HIGH SCHOOL.

I JUST-- I CAN'T WAIT FOR COLLEGE.

THAT'S WHERE, THAT'S WHERE REAL LIFE BEGINS, RIGHT?"

[MAN IN RECORDING] IT'S REALLY CRAZY JUST TO THINK

ABOUT HOW QUICKLY THINGS CAN TURN AROUND.

THERE'S SOPHOMORES OR JUNIORS IN COLLEGE

AND THEY'RE LIKE, "AH, I CAN'T WAIT TO GET

OUT OF COLLEGE."

WHEN I GET OUT OF COLLEGE,

THEN THAT'S WHEN LIFE IS GONNA BE GREAT, RIGHT?"

[OVERLAPPING CHATTERING]

AND THEN IT'S LIKE, "OH, I JUST CAN'T WAIT

UNTIL I'M MARRIED."

[MAN IN RECORDING] SHE'S JUST CRYING, RED-FACED,

TEARS COMING DOWN.

"WHERE'S JOSH, WHERE'S JOSH!"

[MAN] A FEW YEARS LATER IT'S KIDS.

AND THEN, IT'S LIKE IT'S NEVER QUITE RIGHT.

[FEMALE REPORTER] THIS IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

[MAN] TODAY'S THE DAY.

WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT TOMORROW.

[CHEERING]

[GAME ANNOUNCER] FIRST OF ALL, OUR VISITING TEAM.

OUT OF THE NORTHWEST DISTRICT ONE,

AND THE CASCADE CONFERENCE, WITH A RECORD OF 21-6.

PLEASE, WELCOME, THE KING'S KNIGHTS.

[CHEERING CONTINUES]

NUMBER ZERO, ANDREW AYERS.

NUMBER 22, CALVIN KISPERT.

FORWARD, NUMBER 24, DAVID BARHANOVICH.

[ANNOUNCER MUMBLES]

[MAN] WE'RE IN THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

AND NOBODY HAS SAW IT COMING.

WE WEREN'T EXPECTED TO BE THERE, YOU KNOW,

YOU READ THE PAPERS AND THERE'S THE CONTENDERS

AND THE DARK HORSES AND THEN THE PRETENDERS.

I MEAN, WE WERE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LIST.

WE WERE REALLY EXCITED TO BE IN THE STATE TITLE GAME.

[CHANTING] DEFENSE! DEFENSE!

[CHEERING]

WE ACTUALLY HAD A BIT OF AN INJURY IN THAT GAME.

I SPRAINED MY ANKLE DOWN THE BASELINE PRETTY GOOD.

BROUGHT HIM OFF THE BENCH AND HE CAME OUT THERE

AND HE MADE HIS FIRST BASKET.

AND IT JUST FIRED US UP.

[CHEERING CONTINUES]

[RICK] WE PLAYED ONE OF THE BEST GAMES

WE'VE EVER PLAYED.

ONE OF THE MOST OVERACHIEVING GAMES

THAT WE'VE EVER HAD.

WE PLAYED A REALLY, REALLY STINGY TOUGH TOLEDO TEAM.

AND IT WAS A REALLY PHYSICAL GAME.

I'D SAY OUR MAGIC KIND OF RAN OUT A LITTLE BIT.

WE RAN A NEW TEAM AGAIN THAT WAS BETTER THAN WE WERE.

A HEALTHY CALVIN

MIGHT HAVE CHANGED THE OUTCOME OF THAT GAME.

WE JUST COULDN'T COME BACK LIKE WE HAD.

[GAME ANNOUNCER] IT'S TIME TO MEET YOUR 25-2, KING'S KNIGHTS.

THE NEXT YEAR, I THINK THE EXPECTATIONS ROSE

AND THOSE KIDS BECAME JUNIORS.

I KNEW THAT WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY

TO REALLY BE SOMETHING SPECIAL

JUST BECAUSE WE HAD SUCH A GOOD CORE

OF YOUNG GUYS.

GOT BACK A SECOND YEAR IN A ROW.

[GAME ANNOUNCER] NUMBER 20, NOAH BUNDRANT.

NUMBER 24, COREY KISPERT.

22, DAVID BARHANOVICH.

NUMBER 42, CALVIN KISPERT.

[COREY KISPERT] I REMEMBER DISTINCTLY

WALKING OUT OF THE LOCKER ROOM,

ON THE OTHER SIDE WE'RE PLAYING ZILLAH.

AND ZILLAH'S LIKE 30 MINUTES FROM THE SUNDOME,

AND IT'S JUST THE SEA OF ORANGE.

JUST COMPLETELY COVERED IN ORANGE

'CAUSE THAT'S THEIR SCHOOL COLOR.

I WAS SUPER NERVOUS, YOU KNOW,

I'VE NEVER BEEN IN ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

JUST ME, I WANTED TO WIN SO BAD.

LIKE, THAT'S BEEN MY DREAM EVER GROWING UP.

[GAME ANNOUNCER] AT THE ONE END QUARTER'S CHAMPIONSHIP

WE ARE TIED AT 25.

WE HAD 'EM RIGHT WHERE WE WANTED.

WE WERE TURNING THEM OVER.

I MEAN, WE PLAYED GREAT DEFENSIVELY.

[CHEERING]

[GAME ANNOUNCER] THERE'S STILL HOPE FOR THE ZILLAH LEOPARDS,

NUMBER SEVEN.

THAT'S A LOT OF PRESSURE FOR A HIGH SCHOOL KIDS--

IT'S A LOT OF PRESSURE FOR PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES.

IT'S A LOT OF PRESSURE FOR A HIGH SCHOOL COACH,

I'LL TELL YOU THAT.

TO THE EXPECTATION BE, YOU KNOW,

WIN IT ALL OR FAIL.

WALKING OUT OF A TIME-OUT

AND LOOKING UP SEEING US DOWN FIVE POINTS

AND THINKING ARE WE GONNA RUN OUT OF TIME.

[CHEERING CONTINUES]

[BUZZER BLARES]

THAT ONE STUNG, THAT WAS...

WE SHOULD'VE WON THAT GAME.

EVERYONE KIND OF STARTS LIKE, GETTING TEARY-EYED AND EVERYTHING.

I MEAN, I WAS RIGHT THERE WITH THEM.

WELL, THERE WERE TEARS IN THE LOCKER ROOM

THAT NIGHT FOR SURE.

TO LOSE A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP WAS HEARTBREAKING.

WHEN YOU'RE A SOPHOMORE AND YOU LOSE,

YOU THINK, "OKAY, I GOT TWO MORE YEARS LEFT."

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE A JUNIOR AND YOU LOSE,

YOU ONLY GOT ONE SHOT LEFT

AND I THINK THAT CREATED

EVEN A GREATER SENSE OF URGENCY

THAN THE FIRST ONE DID.

THE GOAL WAS TO WIN STATE,

I MEAN WE HAD LOST TWO STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

IN A ROW, AND WE'RE NOT GONNA LOSE A THIRD ONE.

THE STATE TOURNAMENT IS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING THINGS

THAT I'VE BEEN TO.

UM...

IT ALSO IS REALLY A BIT PAINFUL.

WHEN I MET RICK, HE HAD COME OFF

OF A SECOND PLACE CHAMPIONSHIP LOSS

AND IT WAS SHORTLY AFTER THAT

HIS MARRIAGE HAD BROKEN UP.

AND AT THE EXACT SAME TIME,

MINE WAS DOING THE SAME.

AND I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW THE STATE TOURNAMENT

REALLY WAS THE BUILDUP OF ALL OF THAT.

AND I DIDN'T REALIZE TILL I WENT THAT FIRST TIME,

HOW MUCH OF JUST LIFE IN GENERAL

WAS BUILT UP AROUND THAT CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.

[GAME ANNOUNCER] THE HEAD COACH FOR THE KNIGHTS

-IS RICK SKEEN. -[AUDIENCE CHEERING]

[ROBIN] YOU KNOW, WE CAN ALL LOOK AT IT

AND SAY YOU MADE IT TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

FIVE, SIX TIMES.

LIKE, THAT'S AMAZING.

BUT I THINK HE FELT THAT HE KEPT

GETTING SECOND PLACE

AND THEREFORE HE WAS A FAILURE.

I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH HE HAD PUT

JUST VALUE AROUND WHO HE WAS AS A COACH,

AS A PERSON AROUND THAT GAME.

BUT TO GET SECOND PLACE AGAIN,

IT WAS LIKE, WE WOULD GO INTO THIS WILD PIT AFTER...

AFTER GETTING SECOND PLACE AGAIN.

-[CHATTERING] -[WHISTLE BLOWS]

-[MAN] GET THAT, GET THAT. -[WOMAN] GO, JOSH.

YES, WAY TO GO.

LOOK, HONEY.

YEAH.

[WOMAN #2] YEAH, ANDREW!

-[MAN] FEEL IT CALVIN, FEEL IT. -[WOMAN] D HIM, D HIM.

[AYERS] FOURTH GRADE IS WHEN WE STARTED PLAYING

ON THE KING'S KNIGHTS WESCO TEAM.

IT WAS ME, NOAH, JOSH, CALVIN, AND DAVID,

ALL FIVE OF US WERE PLAYING UP THE FIFTH GRADE TEAM.

AND WE GOT A LOT OF PLAYING TIME

AND EVERYTHING, IT WAS A LOT OF FUN,

BUT I GUESS THAT'S WHERE IT ALL STARTED.

[BUNDRANT] YEAH, WE WERE PRETTY GOOD FRIENDS

ALL GROWING UP.

WE'D BEEN TO THE SAME SCHOOL SINCE KINDERGARTEN

AND YEAH, IT WAS COOL JUST TO KIND OF BE ABLE TO BOND OVER BASKETBALL.

[BOYCE] FOURTH GRADE IS WHEN I STARTED COACHING

MOST OF THOSE BOYS.

THOSE BOYS TRIED OUT AS FOURTH GRADERS

FOR THE FIFTH GRADE TEAM

AND IT'S RARE THAT YOU--

KIDS A YEAR YOUNGER CAN MAKE THE TEAM

'CAUSE IT'S PRETTY COMPETITIVE

BUT THEY WERE-- THEY WERE

PRETTY GOOD LITTLE PLAYERS.

AND THOSE FIVE BOYS WERE ANDREW, DAVID, JOSH,

CALVIN, AND NOAH.

THOSE WERE THE FIVE.

[CALVIN] ONE BY ONE WE SORT OF ADDED

AND BY THE TIME WE WERE IN SIXTH GRADE,

I THINK THAT'S WHEN THE TEAM WAS REALLY SOLIDIFIED.

YOU COULD POINT TO THEM AND SAY

THEY'RE YOUR TEAMMATE FOR SURE,

BECAUSE IT'S NOT LIKE YOU WERE JUST ONE SEASON

IN AND OUT YEAR ROUND.

EVERY SEASON, ALWAYS PLAYING WITH THE SAME GUYS.

I'VE BEEN DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM.

I THINK THAT WAS REALLY COOL TO HAVE THAT CORE THERE.

BACK THEN WE HAD-- WE HAD RATHER LOFTY DREAMS

OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW.

LIKE, WE ALL WERE GONNA BE IN THE NBA, YOU KNOW.

FIGHTING OVER WHO WAS GONNA BE

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR THE FIRST YEAR OUT.

YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT HONESTLY, WE DID-- WE DID TALK

ABOUT WINNING STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

THE WAY OUR SEASON STARTED,

KIND OF LIKE A TRAIN GETTING STARTED ON THE TRACKS.

[OVERLAPPING SHOUTING]

EVERYONE WAS REALLY FOCUSED.

LIKE, WE DIDN'T WANT ANYONE TO EVEN COME CLOSE TO US.

[GAME ANNOUNCER] FINAL SCORE OF THE KING'S KNIGHTS 55--

EVERYONE LIKED EACH OTHER.

EVERYONE WOULD JUST DO ANYTHING FOR THE TEAM.

[CALVIN] WE HAVE-- WE HAVE OUR GOAL IN MIND, LIKE WE'RE READY.

THIS IS OUR TIME TO TAKE IT.

AS YOU START TO GET GOING

YOU BUILD A LITTLE MORE MOMENTUM.

[BUNDRANT] I DON'T REMEMBER THE CLOSEST GAME

BUT IT WASN'T VERY CLOSE.

[RICK] IT WAS JUST PERFECTLY MESHED CHEMISTRY.

I MEAN, EVERYONE KNEW

WHERE EVERYONE WAS ON THE COURT

FROM EXPERIENCE, FROM PLAYING WITH EACH OTHER,

FROM JUST BEING GOOD FRIENDS OFF THE COURT.

DEFENSE.

DEFENSE. DEFENSE.

[BUNDRANT] KEPT GOING AND THEN WE WON 19 STRAIGHT.

I MEAN, THE GOAL WAS TO WIN STATE.

AFTER WINNING ALL THE LEAGUE GAMES IN A ROW

AND THE CHRISTMAS TOURNAMENT BEFORE,

I THINK WE WERE PRETTY CONFIDENT AT THAT POINT.

WE SLOWLY STARTED TO BUILD MOMENTUM,

BUILD MOMENTUM, BUILD MOMENTUM.

UP UNTIL I'D SAY LIKE

THE DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.

[RICK] THE GAMES ARE GONNA GET HARDER

AND THEY'RE GONNA MEAN SOMETHING.

ALL OF A SUDDEN THE REALITY, YOU KNOW,

IT'S EARLY FEBRUARY

AND IT'S KINDA-- IT'S HITTING US

THAT THE PARTY'S OVER AND NOW THE WORK BEGINS.

AND THE STRESS AND THE CHALLENGE

AND THE PRESSURE SO I THINK THAT BECAME REAL

AND INTENSE AGAIN EARLY IN FEBRUARY.

[BOYCE] COACH SKEEN, VERY COMPETITIVE.

THE WAY I WOULD KIND OF DESCRIBE HIM

IS A DUCK ON THE WATER.

RIGHT, YOU SEE A DUCK ON THE WATER,

IT LOOKS PRETTY SERENE AND CALM AND KIND OF GRACEFUL.

BUT UNDERNEATH THE WATER, THE FEET ARE JUST GOING...

THAT'S LIKE THE FIRE

INSIDE OF HIM THAT NOBODY SEES.

I MEAN, HE IS AS COMPETITIVE AS ANYONE I'VE EVER KNOWN.

BUT VERY COMPOSED AND STOIC.

HE'S REALLY INTO BASKETBALL.

IT'S HIS PASSION FOR SURE.

AND HE-- I THINK EVERY PIECE ABOUT IT, HE LOVES.

HE'S SUPER COMPETITIVE.

HE'S REALLY GOOD AT COACHING.

AFTER SHOT.

[RICK] I SPEND ALL THIS TIME FOCUSING

AND WRAPPED UP IN THINKING

AND EVEN WHEN I'M PRESENT, I'M NOT ALWAYS PRESENT.

EVEN WITH MY FAMILY OR OTHER THINGS THAT I DO.

'CAUSE ALL I CAN THINK ABOUT IS TUESDAY NIGHT

AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND WHAT NEEDS TO GET DONE

AND HOW WE'RE GONNA WIN

AND HOW WE'RE GONNA BEAT THIS TEAM.

[MUMBLES]

GOOD, SAMMY.

OKAY, THIS TIME WE'RE GONNA GO ALL THE WAY

INTO THE OTHER WING AND WE'LL GO BALL SCREEN.

BUT WHEN THE BALL GOES UP IN THE AIR,

THAT'S WHEN THE STRESS STOPS FOR ME

BECAUSE THEN I-- IT'S JUST REACTING,

IT'S INSTINCT.

BUT THEN WHATEVER HAPPENS, YOU KNOW FOR--

PERSONALLY, FOR ME THE CELEBRATION

IS ABOUT A FIVE-MINUTE CELEBRATION.

AND BY THE TIME WE BREAK FROM OUR LOCKER ROOM ON TUESDAY NIGHT,

MY HEAD, MY MIND, AND MY GUT IS ALL,

"OOH, FRIDAY NIGHT, MAN." WHAT DO WE GOT TO DO,

AND HOW ARE WE GONNA WIN THIS NEXT ONE.

YOU KNOW, COACH SKEEN AND I STARTED

WITH AN ACQUAINTANCE TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP

WHEN I WAS AT SEATTLE CHRISTIAN COACHING.

AND THEN WE FOUND OUT WE HAD A LOT MORE IN COMMON

THAN WE ONCE THOUGHT.

THE FACT THAT HE WAS A BELIEVER AND ALL THAT.

IT WAS REALLY COOL THAT WE COULD SHARE SOME STORIES WITH EACH OTHER

AND THEN FROM THERE OBVIOUSLY THE FRIENDSHIP

CONTINUED TO BUILD.

AND YOU KNOW, TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY.

YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE STUFF WE SHARED WITH EACH OTHER,

I KNOW THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT GOING ON INSIDE.

I'M HAVING A SLEEPLESS NIGHT AND I GO KNOCK ON THE DOOR

AND HE AND HIS COACHING STAFF

AND IT'S 1:30, 2:00 IN THE MORNING

AND THEY'RE JUST POURING THEMSELF INTO TAPE.

AND YOU KNOW, PASSIONATELY TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, GRASP WHAT IT IS

THAT THEY CAN DO TO BE COMPETITIVE THAT NEXT NIGHT.

THE GAME DOES MEAN A LOT TO HIM.

AND HE IS GONNA DO EVERYTHING IN HIS POWER AS A COACH

TO TRY TO GAIN AN UPPER HAND, AN ADVANTAGE,

A, YOU KNOW, SOME TYPE OF TACTICAL THING

THAT HE CAN DO TO HELP HIS TEAM

TO BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS POSSIBLE.

TOMORROW NIGHT, DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP.

LC, GOOD TEAM.

TOES ON THE BASELINE, LET'S GO.

BALANCE UP. GOT TO BE READY TO GO.

ALL THE LITTLE STUFF,

ALL THE STUFF WE'VE WORKED ON ALL YEAR,

ALL THINGS YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY OVER AND OVER AND OVER.

RIGHT, COREY? BOUNCE PASSES OVER THE TOP PASSES.

CHEWY, NO UNNECESSARY DRIBBLES.

WE HAVE TWO YOUNG BOYS WHO WOULD LOVE TO SEE HIM

AND HE'S GONE A LOT OF NIGHTS.

PARTIALLY JUST DUE TO HIS JOB WITH SPORTS IN GENERAL.

HE'S GONE A LOT OF NIGHTS BUT HE'S TRIED TO.

WE LOOK AT A CALENDAR AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH

AND HE CHOSE THE DAYS THAT HE'S GONE AND THE DAYS

THAT HE'S HOME.

AND BUT WE DO MISS HIM. IT'S HARD ON HIS FAMILY.

OKAY, GOOD PRACTICE TODAY.

SUPER IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT THE NEXT 24 HOURS,

WHAT WE GOTTA DO, RIGHT?

SLEEP, IMPORTANT TONIGHT.

GO TO PRACTICE AND AFTER PRACTICE

I'M WATCHING FILMS

AND I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE US BETTER.

I'M WATCHING OUR OPPONENT, I'M TRYING TO LEARN

EVERYTHING I CAN ABOUT THEM.

THOSE OFTEN GO LATE,

LATE INTO THE NIGHT OR MORNING.

DEPENDING ON HOW YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT.

EVERYTHING YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT

SHOULD BE ABOUT LYNDEN CHRISTIAN

TOMORROW NIGHT.

OKAY, SO ALL YOU CAN DO TO GET READY.

ON THREE. READY, ONE, TWO, THREE.

[ALL] TOGETHER.

SO, AFTER THE SECOND SECOND PLACE WITH KING'S,

THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE YEAR.

THIS WAS THE YEAR. HE HAD RETURNING PLAYERS.

HE HAD REALLY STRONG PLAYERS.

YOU ALWAYS LOOK AT THE THE OTHER SCHOOLS

THAT YOU'RE PLAYING AGAINST,

THEY HAD KIDS GRADUATE. THIS WAS THE YEAR.

ANOTHER HOLIDAY IN THE GYM.

USUALLY VALENTINE'S DAY

THERE'S SOME SORT OF BASKETBALL GAME GOING ON.

YEAH.

NORMAL, HE'S TOTALLY FOCUSED ON THE GAME.

YEAH. VALENTINE'S DAY WILL COME AT ANOTHER TIME

'CAUSE TODAY'S ALL ABOUT THE GAME.

[AUDIENCE CHATTERING]

YEAH, THE PLANS WERE, WE'LL DO VALENTINE'S DAY

WHEN IT FITS INTO MY SCHEDULE.

SO, FEBRUARY 14TH,

WE'RE PLAYING A KIND OF AN ARCH RIVAL

IN LYNDEN CHRISTIAN.

WE'RE PLAYING FOR DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP.

I WASN'T PLANNING ON LOSING ANY MORE GAMES, YOU KNOW?

IT WAS-- IN MY MIND, IT WAS NOW OR NEVER, YOU KNOW,

AND SO I WAS SUPER FOCUSED ON THAT.

I REMEMBER THINKING THAT MORNING

LIKE, "OH, THIS IS CRAZY, MOST SEASONS YOU'D HAVE

SOMEBODY WITH A SPRAINED ANKLE EVEN

AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ONE INJURY ALL YEAR."

LYNDEN CHRISTIAN ALWAYS HAS A GREAT FAN BASE,

SO THEY'RE LOUD, OUR FANS WERE LOUD.

AND RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING IT WAS JUST A SLUGFEST.

THE DAY BEFORE WE PLAYED, ON FEBRUARY 14,

WE HAVE A PHONE CONVERSATION, IT WAS LENGTHY.

I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT AMOUNT OF TIME,

BUT IT WAS A LENGTHY CONVERSATION.

ABOUT THE HIGH EXPECTATIONS

IN PARTICULAR THAT HE AS A COACH

WAS GOING THROUGH,

EVERYONE BASICALLY ALREADY PROCLAIMING THEM

STATE CHAMPIONS.

[RICK] GET THAT COREY, COME ON!

THERE YOU GO!

[GAME ANNOUNCER] KING'S, 23.

I REMEMBER JUST LIKE THINKING, JUST HOW'S THIS GAME GONNA GO?

HOW'S THIS GAME GONNA GO?

BECAUSE EVERY TIME-- EVERY TIME YOU THINK

YOU HAVE A LEAD, THEY'RE GONNA STEAL IT BACK.

[CHEERING]

[DEBOER] WE HAD PLAYED REALLY WELL THAT NIGHT,

VERY FAST PACED, VERY UP AND DOWN.

[CHEERING CONTINUES]

WE HIT TEN THREES THAT NIGHT.

[RICK] THERE WAS ALWAYS TENSION,

IT WAS NEVER LIKE, I SAT DOWN AND TOOK AN EXHALE.

BUT IT WAS-- IT WAS PROBABLY

EIGHT TO 12 POINTS MOST OF THE SECOND HALF

BEFORE WE FINALLY PUT IT AWAY.

[AUDIENCE SHOUTING] FIVE, FOUR, THREE...

[GAME ANNOUNCER] FINAL SCORE,

KING'S 74, LYNDEN CHRISTIAN 63.

IT JUST WAS ONE STEP CLOSER TO OUR MAIN GOAL.

SOMEONE ACTUALLY SAID

WHO ARE WE GONNA PLAY?

WHO'S GONNA BRING US DOWN?

YEAH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NUMBER ONE,

WE'RE THE BEST, NOTHING CAN BRING US DOWN.

[AYERS] IT WAS JUST LIKE ANY OTHER DAY,

WE'RE GONNA GET ON THE BUS, GO HOME GET IN OUR CARS

AND PROBABLY GO TO MCDONALDS OR SOMETHING.

[COREY] WE'RE INSTAGRAMMING PICTURES OF US IN THE LOCKER ROOM,

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DANCE MOVES WE PULLED OUT

IN THE LOCKER ROOM.

YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT THE GIRL'S GAME,

KIND OF GIRLS IN THE STANDS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT, THAT SORT OF THING.

JUST YOUR NORMAL HIGH SCHOOL GUYS

BEING GUYS AFTER A GAME.

[BOYCE] EVERYTHING WAS, YOU KNOW, PRETTY NORMAL

FOR BEING A SATURDAY NIGHT.

WE'D ASK THE GUYS WHETHER THEY'D WANT

TO STOP TO EAT

AND THEY'RE, "NO, LET'S JUST GET HOME.

LET'S JUST GET HOME."

[AYERS] WE TAKE THE EXIT AND VERY QUICKLY

THAT THE BUS DRIVER YELLS WE HAVE NO BRAKES.

[BOYCE] ALL I HEAR IS JUST LIKE, SOME SCREAMING

FROM THE FRONT LIKE, "WE DON'T HAVE ANY BRAKES!

WE DON'T HAVE ANY BRAKES! WE DON'T HAVE ANY BRAKES!"

[CALVIN] THE BUS WAS SPEEDING UP, EVERYONE FELT THAT.

WE'RE GOING WAY TOO FAST, AND THAT'S ALL I COULD THINK ABOUT.

AND I LOOK UP AND THE BUS DRIVER LOOKS REALLY PANICKED,

WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE WHAT'S GOING ON.

YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER CLEARLY

THE BUS DRIVER, YOU KNOW, FIDDLING WITH THE GEAR SHIFT

IN THE MIDDLE WITH HER HEAD DOWN,

SHE WAS TRYING TO GET IT IN NEUTRAL.

AND WE WERE HEADED

RIGHT FOR THE CONCRETE WALL.

ALL OF OUR TEAMMATES WERE JUST SCREAMING, PRAYING.

MOSTLY PRAYERS REALLY JUST "HELP US, SAVE US.

GOD, SAVE US. GOD, HELP US."

IT WAS GENUINE PURE FEAR.

I REMEMBER LOOKING AT COACH SKEEN,

I REMEMBER THE LOOK IN HIS EYE

AND I REMEMBER HIM TELLING THE GUYS,

"BRACE YOURSELVES!"

XANDER ADAMS, I REMEMBER HE JUST STARTED PRAYING.

"DEAR GOD, DEAR GOD, HELP US RIGHT NOW."

IT SOUNDED LIKE MORE THAN 15 KIDS

AND "GOD, HELP US" AND "GOD, SAVE US" AND...

ON EVERY CORNER, IT JUST FELT LIKE

WE WERE GOING.

WHEN WE GOT AROUND THE SECOND KIND OF BIG CORNER

AND THAT THING IS SKATING.

I MEAN, IT'S ON SKATES AT THIS POINT.

AND IT'S GOING FASTER AND FASTER.

I DON'T KNOW IF I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA DIE.

I WAS PRETTY SURE

MY LIFE WAS GONNA CHANGE DRAMATICALLY.

SO, I THOUGHT I COULD DIE.

I THOUGHT I MIGHT BE PARALYZED.

I THOUGHT I MIGHT NEVER WALK AGAIN.

BUT I WAS PRETTY CONVINCED THAT MY LIFE WAS GONNA--

WAS ABOUT TO CHANGE FOR SURE.

YEAH.

WE GET TO THE POINT AS WE'RE GOING DOWN THIS ON-RAMP,

WE'RE NOT SLOWING DOWN, WE'RE SPEEDING UP.

-AND IT JUST LIKE... -[FINGERS SNAPS]

IT BECOMES VERY CLEAR THAT THE WAY THIS BUS

IS GONNA STOP IS, IT'S GONNA CRASH.

AND IT'S JUST WHERE WE'RE GONNA CRASH AND HOW WE'RE GONNA CRASH.

YOU GET THE REALIZATION,

THERE'S JUST NOT A GOOD ENDING.

ARE WE GONNA HIT SOMEBODY, ARE WE GONNA HIT SOMETHING?

AND WE GONNA FLIP, ARE WE GONNA ROLL?

[COREY] I REMEMBER SEEING EVERYTHING JUST LIFT.

'CAUSE I WAS ON THE LOW SIDE

AND SO I KINDA JUST FELL BACKWARDS.

[CALVIN] I REMEMBER SEEING EVERYONE, LIKE FALLING,

AS I WAS FALLING.

AND I WAS THINKING TO MYSELF,

"THERE'S NO WAY THIS CAN END WELL."

[FEMALE NEWS REPORTER] THIS IS THE SCHOOL BUS THAT OVERTURNED IN EDMONDS

WITH A SPORTS TEAM ON BOARD.

NOW, THIS IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW AT SOUTHBOUND I-5.

TROOPERS ARE REPORTING MULTIPLE INJURIES TONIGHT.

[SIRENS WAILING]

[MALE NEWS REPORTER] TAKE YOU LIVE TO THE SCENE

WHERE A SCHOOL BUS OVERTURNED IN EDMONDS

WITH A SPORTS TEAM ON BOARD.

[FEMALE NEWS REPORTER] THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 16 PEOPLE

ONBOARD THIS OVERTURNED BUS, ONE DRIVER,

THERE WERE THREE COACHES

AND 12 HIGH SCHOOL BOYS ABOARD.

MAYBE FIVE OR SIX SECONDS LATER

AND EVERYTHING SHATTERED ON THE GROUND.

THERE'S PEOPLE LIKE MURMURING AND SCREAMING.

AND LIKE, "HOLY COW, WE JUST FLIPPED OUR BUS."

I HEAR JOSH JUST LIKE, "WHAT THE HECK?" JUST LIKE--

HE'S JUST SCREAMING, "WHAT'S GOING ON?"

BRETT, HE'S KINDA MOANING, BECAUSE HE HURT HIS WRIST.

"OH, MY WRIST, MY WRIST."

[BOYCE] HE HADN'T MOVED AND IT SPOOKED ME.

IT FREAKED ME OUT.

AND JUST BECAUSE HE'D SOUNDED

LIKE HE WAS JUST FINE.

AND THE FACT THAT HE HADN'T MOVED

SCARED ME.

HE'S LIKE, "COACH!"

[COREY] THE HATCH OF THE TOP OF THE BUS WAS OPEN.

AND SO WE WALK ON THE SHATTERED GLASS

TO THE TOP OF THE BUS.

AND I LOOK OUT THE WINDOW

AND IT'S JOSH FROHARDT'S MOM STANDING THERE.

AND SHE FOLLOWED OUR BUS, SHE WAS BEHIND OUR BUS

AS WE WERE GOING DOWN THE RAMP.

AND SO SHE SAW IT ALL HAPPEN,

SHE SAW US TIP

AND HER SON JOSH IS IN THE BUS.

AND SO SHE IS JUST CRYING, RED FACE, TEARS COMING DOWN.

"WHERE'S JOSH, WHERE'S JOSH?"

AS I GET OFF AND I'M DISORIENTED

AND I'M REALLY BEING HELPED

BY ANOTHER KIND OF FIRST RESPONDER,

I SEE MY GUYS DOWN...

AND I WANNA HELP THEM.

BUT I CAN'T REALLY WALK VERY WELL.

SO, I FEEL RESPONSIBLE TO GET TO MY GUYS.

BUT WHEN I TRY TO STAND UP I FALL DOWN.

I THINK I'M FINE.

ARGUING WITH MEDICS WHO WANT TO PUT ME IN AN AMBULANCE

AND I'M EXPLAINING TO THEM

THAT I DON'T NEED AN AMBULANCE.

THAT I NEED TO HELP MY PLAYERS.

I WALKED IN THE DOOR AND WAS GONNA START

HEATING UP THE SPAGHETTI AND MY PHONE RANG.

BUT IT WAS PRETTY LATE, IT WAS A LITTLE AFTER 10:00.

AND I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE THE NUMBER

SO I DIDN'T ANSWER IT.

PLAYED THE MESSAGE.

AND IT WAS MICHELLE,

SAYING THAT THERE HAD BEEN AN ACCIDENT.

AND UM...

THE BUS HAD ROLLED.

HE HAS HAD MULTIPLE CONCUSSIONS

AND THAT'S WHAT WAS MY BIGGEST FEAR.

I LOOK AT THE BUS AND THERE'S GLASS EVERYWHERE.

AND IT'S JUST LIKE, REALLY BEAT UP

AND THE FLASHING LIGHTS EVERYWHERE.

I WAS LIKE, I JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW,

LIVED THROUGH THAT,

YOU KNOW, BRETT LOOKS LIKE HE BROKE HIS WRIST.

JOSH IS BLEEDING FROM THE BACK OF HIS HEAD.

DAVID SEEMS LIKE HE HAS A CONCUSSION.

REALIZING THAT LIKE--

ALSO THINKING ABOUT HOW THIS IS GONNA AFFECT OUR TEAM.

I GUESS, BECAUSE YOU KNOW,

THIS IS THREE WEEKS BEFORE STATE.

LIKE WE'RE ON A MISSION TO WIN THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.

THE SHOCK HIT, I JUST STARTED CRYING.

I STARTED SHAKING LIKE, UNCONTROLLABLY

AND I WAS JUST SITTING ON THE CURB

RIGHT NEXT TO THE AMBULANCE.

[BOYCE] COACH SKEEN WAS NOT HIMSELF.

HE HAD-- HE HAD HIT HIS HEAD.

AND HIS BACK AND HE WAS...

HE HAD PROBABLY SUFFERED A CONCUSSION

AND HE JUST DID NOT WANT TO COOPERATE.

'CAUSE HE'S LIKE, "NO, I NEED MY BAG,

I NEED THE VIDEO CAMERA BECAUSE WE GOTTA SCOUT.

I... I GOTTA GET US READY FOR THE PLAYOFFS."

I JUST THOUGHT LIKE, "WHY IS THIS HAPPENING NOW?"

YOU KNOW, LIKE, WE JUST CAME FROM, YOU KNOW,

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP OR BUST, OBVIOUSLY,

AND THEN WHO KNOWS IF ANYBODY'S GONNA BE ABLE

TO PLAY NEXT WEEK.

YOU KNOW, AND THAT WAS

THE FIRST THING THAT I WAS THINKING OF.

I WAS LIKE, "WHY DID THIS HAPPEN--

HAVE TO HAPPEN NOW?"

THE UNSAID WORDS THAT NIGHT, UM...

IN THE WAITING ROOM,

"THIS WAS THE YEAR."

WHY DID THIS HAVE TO HAPPEN

BECAUSE THIS WAS THE YEAR

AND WE HAD HEARD THAT BRETT'S WRIST WAS BROKEN.

THERE'S, YOU KNOW...

OF ALL YEARS, WHY?

WHY THIS, WHY NOW? 'CAUSE IT'S-- IT'S OVER.

TO ME, THAT FELT LIKE

THE OVERWHELMING UNSPOKEN WORDS

PEOPLE SORT OF HAD IN THEIR EYES BUT DIDN'T SAY.

STUDENTS AND STAFF AT KING'S HIGH SCHOOL

IN SHORELINE ARE CALLING IT NOTHING

SHORT OF A MIRACLE.

AFTER A DEVASTATING BUS CRASH OVER THE WEEKEND

THE SCHOOL IS TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME

AND TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED.

[MALE REPORTER] COACH RICK SKEEN IS THANKFUL HE'S ALIVE,

THAT HIS ENTIRE

KING'S HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAM IS ALIVE

AFTER THIS BUS CRASH ON I-5 SATURDAY NIGHT.

WE WERE GOING 60-PLUS MILES AN HOUR

AND THE FACT THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE

ANYTHING WORSE THAN A CONCUSSION,

THAT'S LIKE, SO SURREAL, I GUESS.

'CAUSE IT SHOULD'VE BEEN WAY WORSE.

[ALL CHATTERING]

[CALVIN] IT WAS ABOUT MORE THAN JUST 12 OF US

OR 15 OF US THAT WERE ON THE BUS.

AND THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE AFFECTED

AND SO AS A PART OF THAT

WE REALLY NEED TO DO A GOOD JOB

OF SHARING WHAT WE HAVE TO SHARE

AND DECIDED THAT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA

TO PUT MY FULL EFFORT FORWARD AND DO THE ASSEMBLY.

TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT'S OUR LORD, JESUS CHRIST.

WE'VE ASKED THAT OUR WORSHIP BAND COME FORWARD,

THEY'RE GONNA LEAD US WITH ONE SONG.

IT'S JUST SHARE.

AND THANK YOU AND BLESSING TO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.

IT'S-- IT'S REALLY CRAZY JUST TO THINK

ABOUT HOW QUICKLY THINGS CAN TURN AROUND.

I MEAN, WE--

AFTER THIS, I COULD'VE HAD

SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME

TAKEN AWAY LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW.

I COULD'VE HAD OUR SEASON,

THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GOALS THAT WE HAD, EVERYTHING,

I COULD'VE HAD THAT TAKEN AWAY.

MULTIPLE PEOPLE COULD'VE HAD THAT TAKEN AWAY.

WE COULD'VE HAD OUR LIVES TAKEN AWAY.

AND JUST SORT OF PROCESSING THAT

AND REALLY DEALING WITH THAT CONVICTION

OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT REALLY MATTERS

WOULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT PART

OF MY PROCESSING, INDIVIDUALLY.

HAD THAT BUS GONE ANY WORSE,

WOULD I HAVE BEEN READY TO GO?

WOULD I HAVE BEEN PREPARED FOR THE, UM,

THE END OF MY LIFE AND I THINK THE ANSWER FOR ME

PERSONALLY, WAS NO.

FOR EVERY ONE OF US TO WALK OFF THAT BUS,

AND TO BE CHECKED OUT OF A HOSPITAL WITHIN HOURS,

IS NOTHING SHORT OF A GIFT FROM GOD.

[ROBIN] HE GOT UP AND ACTUALLY WENT TO HIS BIBLE.

AND IMMEDIATELY FELT

THERE IS A MESSAGE HERE, THERE IS A PURPOSE HERE,

WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO WITH THIS?

AND JUST STARTED READING HIS BIBLE.

"JUST LIKE WE WERE, YOU WERE SAVED FOR A REASON.

TO LOVE GOD, AND TO LOVE OTHERS."

HE SPEAKS FROM THE HEART.

AND UM,

WAS REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF HIM.

AND HE TRULY FELT THEY WERE SAVED FOR A REASON.

AND THERE'S A STORY AND THERE'S A PURPOSE.

AND HE NEEDED TO GET UP THERE

AND SHARE THAT WITH THE KIDS

THAT EVERYONE OF US IS SAVED FOR A REASON.

[RICK] BUT FOR OUR EIGHT SENIORS,

I HAD A GIFT, A BOOK

FOR THEM AND I WROTE A PERSONAL MESSAGE

IN EACH ONE OF THOSE BOOKS SATURDAY MORNING.

AND AT THE BOTTOM OF EACH OF THE BOOKS

I WROTE THE WORDS, "I LOVE YOU. COACH SKEEN."

I HADN'T TOLD THEM THAT.

LIKE A LOT OF US,

I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, THEY KNOW.

RIGHT? THEY KNOW I LOVE THEM.

SUNDAY NIGHT, WHEN WE GOT TOGETHER,

I HUGGED EVERYONE OF THEM

AND TOLD THEM THAT I LOVED THEM.

WHO DO YOU NEED TO TELL THAT YOU LOVE?

[COREY] AND THEN AFTERWARDS WE WENT OUTSIDE

AND THE WHOLE CRISTA COMMUNITY,

I MEAN STAFF AND NOT JUST KING'S

BUT THE CRISTA COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE

CAME TOGETHER AND PRAYED FOR US

AND THAT WAS JUST ANOTHER REMINDER

OF WHAT A GREAT COMMUNITY WE HAD

-AND PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE-- -[MAN] LORD GOD--

-...TO SUPPORT US. -WE DWELL IN YOUR HOUSE.

DRINK IN YOUR PRESENCE AND WE PRAY FOR MATT.

WE PRAY FOR LUKE.

WE PRAY FOR KORAH.

[RICK] WE BELIEVE THAT WE WERE PART

OF A MIRACLE ON THAT EXIT THAT NIGHT.

AND AGAIN, I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE

WILL TALK ABOUT BUS SAFETY AND HOW BUSES ARE DESIGNED

AND YOU TAKE A BUS AND YOU PUT IT AT THE SPEEDS

IT WAS GOING AND YOU SEND IT DOWN THAT OFF-RAMP,

THAT IT DOESN'T END THE SAME MOST TIMES.

FOR EVERYONE TO WALK OFF, FOR EVERYONE TO BE

OUT OF THE HOSPITAL

WITHIN FOUR, FIVE HOURS LATER...

FOR ALL BUT TWO TO BE PLAYING IN SIX DAYS.

FOR EVERY KID TO BE PLAYING AGAIN

WITHIN TWO WEEKS.

SO, WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT GOD SAVED US

THAT NIGHT.

BUT WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT HE SAVED US TO DO MORE.

THAT THERE'S MORE TO DO IN LIFE

AS GOD'S GIFT TO US.

WHAT WE DO WITH OUR LIVES IS OUR GIFT BACK.

AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT THAT MEANT FOR ME,

HE SAVED US AND NOW I HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY

TO LIVE MY LIFE IN SUCH A WAY

THAT MY PRIORITIES ARE DIFFERENT

AND LOVING GOD AND LOVING OTHERS

IS MY FIRST PRIORITY.

[DEBOER] THE DAY AFTER THE ACCIDENT, IT WAS IMMEDIATE,

I BEGAN RECEIVING TEXTS FROM THE PLAYERS

AND THEY WERE LIKE, "COACH, WE GOTTA DO SOMETHING.

WE WANNA HAVE INDIVIDUAL GUYS

REACH OUT AND CONTACT INDIVIDUAL PLAYERS.

WRITE UP A CARD AND AN ENCOURAGEMENT NOTE.

WE WANT TO DO A BIG POSTER CARD

WHERE EVERYBODY COMES IN AND SIGNS IT.

THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE IMPERSONAL.

COACH, WE WANT TO BE THERE AND WE WANT TO DELIVER THIS.

THEY NEED TO SEE IN PERSON THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING THEM."

THE PLAYERS ARE LIKE, "WELL, HOLD IT.

LET'S-- AT OUR NEXT GAME,

SHOW OUR SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT OF KING'S

AND WHAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH

PLEASE, CAN WE RUN OFF A FEW FOR US,

BUT JUST MAKE IT IN OUR COLORS."

THERE WAS EVEN PEOPLE IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY LIKE,

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

LIKE WHY WOULD-- WHY ARE YOU WEARING A KING--

I UNDERSTAND IT'S BLUE BUT IT HAS KING'S LOGO ON IT

AND LIKE, WE DON'T GET IT."

AND OUR KIDS STOOD REALLY REALLY STRONG,

LIKE "NO, WE'RE SHOWING SUPPORT FOR THESE GUYS.

PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW,

KING'S IS GOING THROUGH THIS,

BUT WE'RE ALL SAVED FOR A REASON."

-THANKS. -[MIKE ROHRBACH] FOLLOW ALONG.

"MY LIFE IS BUT A VAPOR, WE ARE HERE TODAY

AND GONE TOMORROW."

AND GUYS, AS A GUY WHO, YOU KNOW,

I'VE PLAYED AT THE U A LONG, LONG TIME AGO,

IT SEEMS LIKE ONLY YESTERDAY.

I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S JUST A VAPOR.

HERE AND GONE SO WE GOTTA MAKE EVERY MOMENT COUNT.

IN THIS TEAM, YOU CAN BE PROUD OF WHERE

YOU ARE RIGHT NOW

BUT THE JOB ISN'T DONE YET, OKAY?

MUCH MORE AHEAD,

STARTING WITH THE BATTLE TONIGHT.

[CHEERING]

THE FIRST GAME BACK WAS THE MOST EMOTIONAL GAME

I'VE EVER PLAYED.

[GAME ANNOUNCER] NEXT IS THE SIX FOOT HEIGHT

SOPHOMORE, NUMBER 24, COREY KISPERT.

[COREY] I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT

AND PROBABLY WON'T EVER AGAIN.

IT WAS SOMETHING SO SPECIAL AND SOMETHING SO INSANE

THAT WE COME-- WE COME RUNNING OUT OF THE LOCKER ROOM

AND EVERYONE HAS THE T-SHIRT ON

AND IT'S JUST THIS BIG WALL OF RED ON THE SIDELINE.

[CHANTING, CHEERING]

[CHEERING CONTINUES]

[GAME ANNOUNCER] THREE POINTS, CALVIN KISPERT.

[MAN] HERE WE GO!

[AYERS] THERE'S THIS LIKE, THIS GAME MEANT SO MUCH,

'CAUSE IF I-- WE'RE PLAYING

JUST BECAUSE LIKE, WE'RE ALIVE, YOU KNOW.

IT WAS LIKE THE FOCUS AND PERSPECTIVE OF EVERYTHING,

IT COMPLETELY CHANGED.

WE'RE PLAYING FOR A DIFFERENT REASON.

WE'RE PLAYING JUST 'CAUSE WE CAN.

NOT BECAUSE WINNING STATE IS LIKE EVERYTHING.

[CHEERING]

[RICK] IRONY OF IT IS, THAT IN SOME WAYS,

THE ACCIDENT ADDS PRESSURE.

"WOULDN'T IT BE AN AMAZING STORY IF..."

"WOULDN'T THIS BE, YOU KNOW..."

"WOULDN'T THIS BE STORYBOOK?"

AND OF COURSE MY RESPONSE

DURING THOSE THREE WEEKS IS,

"IT'S ALREADY BEEN STORYBOOK, RIGHT?"

I MEAN, IF WE WIN A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, COOL.

IF WE DON'T,

WE'RE ALL ALIVE, YOU KNOW?

THESE KIDS ARE ALL GONNA HEAD OFF TO COLLEGE

AND HAVE FAMILIES

AND NOBODY'S IN A WHEELCHAIR,

WE'RE NOT HAVING ANY FUN-- IT'S STORYBOOK.

DEAR GOD, THANK YOU FOR SAVING US.

THANK YOU FOR THE WAY WE PLAY TONIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR THE GIFT OF LIFE.

IN YOUR NAME, AMEN.

[CHEERING CONTINUES]

[ROBIN] THEY PLAYED THAT GAME-- WON THAT GAME,

THEY CONTINUED DOWN THE JOURNEY

AND THEN IT WAS LIKE,

"WOW, MAYBE WE STILL HAVE A SHOT AT THIS."

WE'RE GONNA COME AS EASY, THEY'RE GONNA KNOW OUR STUFF,

THEY'RE GONNA GET AFTER US, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

-SO WE-- -STATE TOURNAMENT GAMES ARE A BIT DIFFERENT.

JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE AS MUCH TIME TO SCOUT OUT.

YOU HAVE ONE NIGHT

TO GET ALL YOUR PREPARATION IN.

YOU'RE TIRED, YOU'RE PLAYING BACK-TO-BACK GAMES.

AND YOU SLEEP IN A HOTEL AND NOT YOUR OWN BED,

SO IT'S DIFFERENT.

AND BECAUSE OF THIS, AGAIN, WE CAME OUT FLAT.

WE WERE KIND OF, A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS,

I WOULD SAY.

A LOT LESS CONFIDENT THAN WE HAD BEEN AFTER--

BEFORE OUR CRASH.

WE WERE REELING A LITTLE BIT,

LIKE WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE WERE DOING WRONG

OR HOW TO DEAL WITH IT,

AND HONESTLY, LIKE, THE MOTIVATION

AT THAT POINT I FELT LIKE OUR ENERGY WAS A LITTLE BIT LOW

AND WE NEEDED A SPARK.

AND I WENT BACK IN THE LOCKER ROOM

AND WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, CAME OUT LIKE GUNS BLAZIN'.

THAT WAS PROBABLY THE BEST BASKETBALL

I CAN EVER REMEMBER US PLAYING.

[CHEERING]

[MUSIC PLAYING]

* YEAH, I'M TRYIN' TO LET THE FEELING SETTLE IN *

* 'CAUSE WE LARGER THAN WE EVER BEEN *

* LONG HOURS ON MY CELL PHONE *

* LOVE LETTERS FOR TEXT MESSAGES *

* SAY I STOLE YOUR HEART YEAH, I BET I DID *

* AND I DON'T CARE WHAT THE WEATHER IS *

* SUPERSIZE, I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT DIFFERENT LEVELS IS *

* YEAH, WE'RE LARGER THAN LIFE *

* IT'S WRITTEN IN THE SKY *

* YOUR SIGNALS HITTING MY HEART *

* JUST LIKE A SATELLITE

* AND IN THE MOMENT I REACH YA *

* MY WORLD IGNITES

* THERE'S NOTHING BIGGER THAN US *

* 'CAUSE WE'RE LARGER THAN LIFE *

* LARGER THAN LIFE

[BOYCE] THEY KINDA JUST COME OUT AND BLITZED US.

WE'RE DOWN LIKE, EIGHT AT HALFTIME.

WE WERE IN A SITUATION, WE WERE DOWN AT HALF,

AND THEY ALL LOOKED AT ME LIKE, "WE GOT THIS.

ALL RIGHT, WE GOT THIS."

AND IT GAVE ME GOOSEBUMPS, BECAUSE I JUST REMEMBER--

I REMEMBER JUST STEPPING UP AND GETTING OUT OF THE WAY

AND THEY ALMOST WENT PUSHING GUYS OUT OF THE WAY.

LIKE, THEY COULDN'T WAIT TO TAKE THE FLOOR.

[CHEERING]

-[MAN SCREAMS] -WE ENDED UP GOING ON

LIKE, A 44-7 RUN.

I THINK IT WAS JUST THE LARGEST RUN

IN STATE HISTORY, THE BIG DEFICIT.

EVERYONE WAS KNOCKING THREES DOWN.

* WE'RE LARGER THAN LIFE

* IT'S WRITTEN IN THE SKY *

* YOUR SIGNALS HITTING MY HEART *

* JUST LIKE A SATELLITE

* AND IN THE MOMENT I REACH YA *

* MY WORLD IGNITES

* THERE'S NOTHING BIGGER THAN US *

* 'CAUSE WE'RE LARGER THAN LIFE *

* LARGER THAN LIFE

[VOCALIZING]

* LARGER THAN LIFE

[VOCALIZING CONTINUES]

* WE'RE LARGER THAN LIFE

[RICK] IN THE VERY FIRST STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME,

YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN '07 OR '08,

MY EX-WIFE SAID, "I WANTED TO WAIT

AND NOT INTERRUPT BASKETBALL SEASON,

BUT NOW THAT IT'S OVER, I'M OUTTA HERE."

YEAR TWO, STATE CHAMPIONSHIP,

ROUTINE SAME, EVERYTHING THE SAME.

PLAYING THE STATE TITLE, SECOND PLACE.

IT'S-- THAT'S--

IT'S A LITTLE EERIE FEELING, I MEAN WE...

AS TIME GOT FURTHER I COULD JOKE AND YOU KNOW,

BY THE SECOND OR THIRD STATE CHAMPIONSHIP LOSS,

I COULD SAY, "WELL, AT LEAST MY MARRIAGE DIDN'T END."

THAT MADE IT TOUGHER, THERE'S NO DOUBT.

TO DO THAT OVER AND OVER AGAIN WAS-- WAS...

GETTING THIRD WAS EASIER THAN GETTING SECOND IN SOME WAYS.

'CAUSE IT DIDN'T FEEL LIKE IT HAD.

EVERY YEAR IT BROUGHT IT ALL BACK.

AND SOMEHOW WE COULDN'T SHAKE IT.

EVERY TIME THAT THEY HIT THAT SECOND PLACE

IT ALL SEEMED TO RUSH BACK.

[RICK] TONIGHT, IT'S ABOUT WINNING.

TONIGHT, IT'S ABOUT CUTTING DOWN THE NETS.

TONIGHT, IT'S ABOUT THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

THAT BELONGS IN OUR SCHOOL.

WHEN YOU WALK BACK IN THIS LOCKER ROOM,

YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'VE HAD NO REGRETS.

THAT YOU HAVE LET EVERYTHING AND THEN SOME ON THE FLOOR.

AND IF THAT MEANS GOING FACE FIRST FOR A LOOSE BALL,

THEN YOU GO FACE FIRST FOR A LOOSE BALL.

IF THAT MEANS BLOCKING SOMEBODY OUT

THAT'S BIGGER AND STRONGER THAN YOU, THEN YOU BLOCK THEM OUT.

THAT MEANS GETTING IN THE STANDS

WHEN YOUR LEGS ARE RUBBER

AND YOU CAN'T FEEL THEM ANYMORE,

THEN YOU GET IN THE STANDS.

WE DON'T WANNA HAVE ANY REGRETS

WHEN WE WALK BACK IN THIS LOCKER ROOM TONIGHT.

BRING THE HEAT FROM THE OPENING TIP.

TURN IT UP.

-TURN IT UP! -[CHEERING]

-TOGETHER ON THREE. ONE, TWO, THREE. -[ALL] TOGETHER!

WE THOUGHT, "THIS IS GONNA BE OUR GAME.

THIS IS GONNA BE OUR NIGHT. WE'RE GONNA BLOW 'EM OUTTA THE WATER

JUST LIKE WE DID VASHON AND IT'S GONNA BE IT.

WE'RE GONNA WALK UNDEFEATED. IT'S GONNA BE GREAT.

IT DIDN'T END UP LIKE THAT.

[CHEERING]

THE FIRST HALF WAS PHYSICAL. IT WAS ROUGH.

I MEAN, THEY WERE JUST PUSHING AND SHOVING.

[CHEERING]

[CHEERING CONTINUES]

IT WAS EXACTLY LIKE THE YEARS PAST.

IT WAS JUST A DEFENSIVE BATTLE.

NOBODY COULD GET ANY RHYTHM.

NOBODY COULD GET ANYTHING GOING.

WE KNEW THAT WE HAD TO REALLY UGLY IT UP

AND THAT'S HOW WE DESCRIBED IT.

WE HAVE GOT TO MAKE THIS INTO AN UGLY GAME.

[CROWD CHANTING]

LYNDEN CHRISTIAN ALWAYS DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB

OF SCOUTING, AND THEY KNEW ME BETTER THAN I KNEW ME

IT SEEMED LIKE.

-[BUZZER] -SLOW DOWN. VALUE THE POSSESSION.

HOPEFULLY, THEY'LL BE TIGHT. THERE'LL BE SOME PRESSURE ON THEM.

[RICK] IT'S A BLOODBATH.

IT'S TWO GOOD TEAMS

WHO KNOW EACH OTHER VERY WELL.

TWO COACHES WHO KNOW EVERYTHING

ABOUT THE OTHER COACH.

AND EVERYTHING-- YOU CAN'T TRICK ANYBODY.

[CHEERING]

[CHEERING CONTINUES]

[RICK] PHYSICAL, PHYSICAL, MAN.

IT IS TIME FOR US TO TAKE A PHYSICAL RESPONSE.

WE ARE GETTIN' PUSHED AROUND OUT THERE.

THEIR HANDS ARE ON US. WE'RE FLOATING AWAY FROM THE BASKET.

WE'RE LIKE, "I CAN'T GET TO THE RIM,

SO I'M GONNA SHOOT THREE-POINT SHOTS."

ATTACK. ATTACK.

BE RELENTLESS GOING TO THE RIM.

WE CAN GET TO THE RIM ON THESE GUYS.

GO-TO-THE-RIM. GO TO THE RIM AND THEN FINISH.

HOW MANY LAMES HAVE YOU BEEN MISSING?

IT'S ABOUT BEING TOUGH AND FINISHING.

RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE THE TOUGHER TEAM.

-[WHISTLE BLOWS] -THAT'S WHY THEY'RE IN THIS BALLGAME--

'CAUSE THEY'RE OUT-TOUGHING US.

THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE.

SHORT CORNER, YOU GOTTA MOVE, YOU GOTTA MOVE

YOU GOTTA MOVE YOU GOTTA MOVE.

WE DIDN'T WANNA LOSE AGAIN,

NOT THREE YEARS IN A ROW.

WE CAME OUT IN THE THIRD QUARTER

AND WE TOOK A PUNCH.

I MEAN, THEY CAME OUT PRETTY FAST

AND THEY QUICKLY ERASED OUR LEAD

AND BY THE TIME THE FOURTH QUARTER STARTED,

WE WERE DOWN.

-[CHEERING] -GO, GO, GO.

AT PROBABLY ABOUT THE SIX-MINUTE MARK,

IT'S IT, WE'RE DOWN SEVEN

AND YOU'RE...

YOU'RE STARTING TO WONDER IF...

IF THE CURSE CONTINUES.

I REMEMBER THIS CLEAR DÉJÀ VU MOMENT IN MY HEAD

THAT THEIR BEST SHOOTER CAME OFF A DOUBLE-SCREEN

JUST NAILED THIS THREE WITH, LIKE--

WITH, LIKE, THE MIDDLE OF THE FOURTH QUARTER

AND I GET THIS DÉJÀ VU MOMENT FROM MY FRESHMAN YEAR.

I JUST THINK, "THEY'RE ON A BIG RUN NOW

AND, UM...

IT'S OVER. IT'S OVER."

[CALVIN] WE CAME OUT OF A TIME-OUT.

I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT TIME.

WE WERE DOWN BY FIVE POINTS

AND I WAS LOOKIN' UP AT THE CLOCK AND THOUGHT,

"ARE WE GONNA RUN OUT OF TIME?

IS THIS GONNA HAPPEN AGAIN?"

[ROBIN] IN THE BACK OF MY MIND

I'M STILL-- [SIGHS]

YOU KNOW, NOW IT'S EITHER FIRST OR SECOND.

WE'RE GONNA LAND AT FIRST OR SECOND

AND ONE OF THEM IS GONNA BE

A DREAM COME TRUE.

AN AMAZING FINISH, AN AMAZING STORY,

AND THE OTHER ONE IS GONNA BE REALLY PAINFUL.

AND...

SUCH AN EXTREME.

YOU'RE EITHER CELEBRATING

AND ON TOP OF THE WORLD

OR...

PICKING YOURSELF UP OFF THE FLOOR

AND DEALING WITH THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS

OF DEPRESSION AND "HOW COME I CAN'T

MAKE IT HAPPEN?

AND I'VE LET THE KIDS DOWN" AND--

SIXTEEN MINUTES, YOUR TEN YEARS OF WORK

AND YOUR TEN YEARS OF EFFORT

COME DOWN TO 16 MINUTES.

WE'VE SAT IN THESE LOCKER ROOMS

FOR TWO YEARS WITH TEARS

AND THEY HAVEN'T BEEN HAPPY TEARS.

RIGHT? I WOULD LIKE TO CRY TEARS OF JOY.

JOSH, ANDREW'S MY DEEP GUY.

NOAH'S GONNA SCREEN UP FOR COREY.

I'LL TAKE THE FIRST OPEN GUY.

I WILL TAKE THAT.

JOSH, YOU'RE SCREENING...

IT'S ABOUT BEING AGGRESSIVE.

DON'T BE TIMID. DON'T SETTLE FOR JUMP SHOTS.

DON'T LET THEM PUT THEIR HANDS ON YOU

AND GET AWAY WITH IT.

ATTACK. RELENTLESS ATTACKING AND GOING TO THE RIM.

GET ON YOUR TOES AND GET A FORWARD LEAN

AND GET TO THE RIM.

-LET'S GO. COME ON! -[ALL] LET'S GO!

-GO! ONE, TWO, THREE. -GO!

THE LYNDEN CHRISTIAN KID HAD A BALL

ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND I WAS LATE FOR A TRAP.

AND I-- I JUST--

IT WAS JUST GONNA BE A BREAKDOWN

AND THEY'RE PROBABLY GONNA GET A LAYUP

OR SOMETHING AND THEN I SEE THIS BOLT OF WHITE

JUST SHOOT RIGHT BY ME AND IT'S CALVIN.

AND CALVIN POKES THE BALL OUT

AND JUST RUNS BY EVERYONE

AND JUST PUT IT RIGHT IN, NO TROUBLE.

[CHEERING]

AND THEN NOAH.

NOAH WASN'T KNOWN FOR HIS THREE-POINT SHOOTING.

HE'S MORE A ATTACK THE BASKET GUY, GREAT DEFENDER.

BUT THEY PLAYED OFF HIM.

-BIG THREE. HITS A BIG THREE. -[CHEERING CONTINUES]

[MAN ON P.A. MUMBLES]

YEAH!

-YEAH. -THOSE GUYS--

IT WAS THOSE SAME GROUP OF GUYS--

IT WAS DAVID, CALVIN, NOAH, JOSH.

THEY TOOK THE FLOOR AND DAVID GETS A STEAL.

NOAH HITS ANOTHER BIG THREE.

SENIOR GUYS STEPPIN' UP.

[CHEERING]

[CROWD CHANTING]

-[WHISTLE BLOWS] -[CHEERING CONTINUES]

[CROWD GROANS]

THEY CALLED TIMEOUT AND THERE WAS ABOUT FOUR SECONDS LEFT.

WE WERE UP FOUR AND IT WAS THEIR BALL

ON THE BASELINE

AND I REMEMBER SKEEN JUST DRAWS

THIS HUGE, DARK CIRCLE AROUND THE KEY

AND HE GOES, "NOBODY LEAVES THE KEY,"

'CAUSE WE WERE UP FOUR, SO A THREE-BALL DIDN'T MATTER.

"AND NO ONE LEAVES THE KEY. NO ONE GOES OUT THERE.

NO ONE TOUCHES ANY LYNDEN CHRISTIAN GUYS."

NOBODY DOES THIS. NOBODY DOES THAT.

SO, WE WERE ALL-- I REMEMBER JUST, LIKE,

STANDING IN THE KEY JUST STRAIGHT AS A SOLDIER.

[CHEERING]

[MUMBLING CONTINUES]

I JUST REMEMBER RUSHING THE COURT AND SEEING--

JUST THE EXPERIENCE OF THAT WITH

ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WE'D WORKED FOR SO LONG

TO GET TO THAT POINT AND THE FACT THAT IT WAS FINALLY THERE.

[CHEERING CONTINUES]

IT WAS THE BEST FEELING IN THE WORLD,

YOU KNOW.

IT WAS AMAZING.

EVERYTHING I DREAMED OF GROWING UP.

STANDING, THREE WEEKS EARLIER

NEXT TO THAT AMBULANCE WITH JOSH

AND DAVID AND SEEING EVERYTHING

AND KINDA FEELING THAT SHOCK OF, LIKE,

HOW EVERYTHING SHOULD'VE BEEN

SO MUCH WORSE TO THREE WEEKS LATER,

STANDING ON THE, YOU KNOW, BASKETBALL COURT

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY IN OUR HANDS, LIKE--

SUCH A LIKE-- SUCH A GOOD FEELING.

[CHEERING]

[RICK] THE FIRST ONE I SAW WAS JOSH.

AND FROM CENTER COURT HE TURNS AND HE SEES ME.

AND HE COMES RUNNIN' TO ME

AND JUST HUGS ME AND PICKS ME UP

AND THEN ALL THE GUYS KINDA CAME AROUND

AND, SO, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE BENCH

THAT WAS-- THAT WAS WHERE MY CELEBRATION WAS.

SO HAPPY AND PROUD OF HIM.

SO EXCITED FOR HIM.

JUST SO MUCH EMOTION WRAPPED IN FROM

SO MANY STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES.

FROM OUR PERSONAL LIVES

THAT ARE A BIT WRAPPED UP INTO THE SAME

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME TIME PERIOD.

[RICK] I'VE COACHED A LOT OF TEAMS FOR A LOT OF YEARS.

I'VE BEEN IN THIS TOURNAMENT FOR A LOT OF YEARS.

WE WERE DOWN AND OUR BACKS WERE AGAINST THE WALL

AND NONE OF YOU EVER STOPPED BELIEVING.

[ROHRBACH] YOU BUILD WITH LASTING CHARACTER

SOMETHING YOU CAN BE PROUD OF FOREVER, GUYS.

YOU'VE WON A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.

YOU HAVE BUILT A LEGACY TEAM.

THIS TEAM-- ALL OTHER TEAMS

WILL ASPIRE TO BE LIKE THIS TEAM.

THAT'S AMAZING.

AND THEN, THIRDLY, I THINK YOU BUILT AN ATMOSPHERE

WHERE GOD'S LOVE COULD SHINE.

IT'S DEMONSTRATED IN THE WAY

YOU LOVE EACH OTHER.

YOU LOVE YOUR COACHES.

AND YOU GUYS, FLAT-OUT DOWN SIX

TOWARDS THE END AND YOU DIDN'T GIVE UP.

[RICK] YOU WILL NEVER FORGET EACH OTHER.

YOU WILL BE 30

AND THEN 40 AND THEN 60 AND THEN 70

AND YOU WILL NEVER FORGET EACH OTHER.

WHAT I'M TRYIN' TO TELL YOU IS

LOVE EACH OTHER AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.

ENJOY EVERY SECOND.

LAUGH, SMILE, AND MAKE MEMORIES.

[ROBIN] I KNOW HE'S SO EXCITED FOR HIS PLAYERS

AND HIS TEAM AND HIS COACHES

AND THEY FINALLY DID IT.

[RICK] COMIN' AROUND THE LAST CORNER

I THOUGHT

MY LIFE WAS GONNA CHANGE FOREVER

AND I WAS THINKING DEATH OR PARALYSIS.

BUT I'D LIKE TO THINK I'M A DIFFERENT PERSON.

I'D LIKE TO THINK MY PERSPECTIVE HAS CHANGED.

I'D LIKE TO THINK I'M A BETTER HUSBAND,

A BETTER DAD.

[CHATTER]

FROM THAT MOMENT, I THINK HE'S A CHANGED MAN.

WE GET A LOT MORE I LOVE YOUS.

WE WORK IN THE SAME AREA, SO I'M OVER BY HIS OFFICE

AND WE'RE HAVING LUNCH TOGETHER

AND THERE ARE STUDENTS EVERYWHERE.

HE'LL ALWAYS SAY I LOVE YOU.

AND HE SAYS IT REALLY LOUD.

WE COULD BE WALKING AWAY FROM EACH OTHER

AND HE'LL YELL OVER THE TOP OF THE KIDS,

"I LOVE YOU."

[DEBOER] I DON'T THINK WE WILL BE MEASURED

BY HOW MANY STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

WE WON OR LOST.

THE GOAL IS TO HAVE OUR MAKER LOOK US IN THE EYE

AND SAY, "WELL DONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT."

AND I DON'T THINK IT'S BECAUSE WE DID OR DID NOT

RUN THE RIGHT ZONE DEFENSE AT THE END OF A GAME

OR WE DIDN'T HIT THE RIGHT SHOTS.

IT'S THE TREASURES OF HEAVEN

WHEN YOU SEE YOUR PLAYERS

BECOME GOOD HUSBANDS AND GOOD FATHERS

AND YOU GO TO THEIR WEDDINGS AND YOU

GET THEIR BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS OF THEIR FIRST CHILD.

THOSE ARE THE THINGS

THAT GET US UP IN THE MORNING.

[AYERS] IT DOESN'T SAY ON THE BACK OF OUR SHIRT

TO DO WELL IN SPORTS.

I MEAN, LIKE,

THESE THINGS ARE SO TEMPORARY

WHEREAS THE RELATIONSHIPS YOU MAKE WITH PEOPLE,

THE RELATIONSHIPS YOU HAVE WITH GOD

OR THINGS THAT ARE GONNA LAST WAY LONGER THAN THAT.

IT'S THE TOUGH MOMENTS, IT'S THE HARD MOMENTS IN LIFE

TO KINDA BRING YOU EVEN CLOSER TOGETHER.

[CHANTING]

ONE THING THAT IT TOOK FROM ME IS--

IS JUST HOW DO I SHOW PEOPLE THAT I TRULY DO LOVE THEM

AND TRULY DO CARE ABOUT THEM?

[CALVIN] IT'S DEFINITELY MORE THAN WINNING

A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP AND IT'S DEFINITELY MORE THAN MAKING A LOT OF MONEY.

IT'S DEFINITELY MORE THAN DOING X, Y, AND Z.

WE ALL HAVE A REASON TO LIVE AND A REASON TO BE HERE.

[BOYCE] BESIDES BEING GREAT TEAMMATES

AND GREAT BASKETBALL PLAYERS THEY'RE GREAT YOUNG MEN

AND THEY'RE CAPABLE OF JUST CHANGING THE WORLD.

YOU TAKE THE 12 GUYS ON THAT BUS,

AND, YOU KNOW...

AND THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE GONNA DO

WITH THEIR LIVES,

IT'S PRETTY EXCITING TO THINK ABOUT.

WE TALK ABOUT BEING "SAVED FOR A REASON."

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE ASK US,

"WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WHAT ARE YOU SAVED FOR?"

WE WEREN'T SAVED FOR A STATE TITLE.

WE WEREN'T EVEN SAVED TO PLAY BASKETBALL.

WE WERE SAVED TO LOVE GOD.

TO LOVE OTHERS.

WE CAN'T CLAIM TO LOVE GOD

WITHOUT LOVING OTHERS.

I'VE SEEN MY GUYS OVER THE LAST THREE WEEKS

TRULY LEARN TO LOVE THOSE AROUND THEM.

OUR CREATOR MADE US WITH THE NEED TO LOVE HIM.

OFTENTIMES, WE TRY TO FILL THAT NEED UP

WITH A BUNCH OF THINGS THAT JUST DON'T DO IT.

MY CHALLENGE FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US

IS TO LIVE OUR LIVES IN SUCH A WAY

THAT OUR TOP PRIORITIES ARE LOVING GOD

AND LOVING OTHERS.

THAT IS THE REASON WE'RE ALL SAVED FOR.

[MUSIC PLAYING]