Stony Point boys basketball team looks forward to playoffs after 28-1 season

AUSTIN, Texas - Texas girls high school basketball playoffs start on Monday, Feb. 13. The first round games for state-ranked teams Austin High, Pflugerville and Hendrickson have begun.

The boys tournament starts next week, and the Stony Point boys are having their best season ever.

Stony Point boys basketball first-year head coach Antoine Thompson says he is always ready to go when he steps on the court.

"How you practice is how we play. So my energy right now. The competitiveness that we put into our practices, that is who I am in the game," said Antoine Thompson.

"He pushes you to your limit, but that's what's so great about him. I say he's like the best coach in Central Texas," said Josiah Moseley, Stony Point Jr. forward.

"Our coach has really pushed us to get to where we are right now. His defense makes us go harder. He's usually always engaged into the game and stuff, trying to help us win," said Uzziah Buntyn, Stony Point sophomore guard.

The Tigers have won a lot this season. They are 28-1 overall, 13-0 in district and are the state's fourth ranked team in Class 6A.

It's not bad for a program that has only won two playoff games in its school's history.

"We tell these boys all the time, winning district is the bare minimum, it's what we do beyond this is what matters," said Thompson.

"My first day here I said we're going to win a state title, and I'm holding true to that.  I really believe it," said Marcus Saunders, Stony Point Boys Basketball Assistant Coach.

"We all came in with the mind set that we can be more. We care about each other more outside of basketball, and that's why we're great," said Paul Buntyn, Stony Point Boys Basketball Assistant Coach.

While Coach Thompson and his staff have things rolling here at Stony Point, many expected him to be doing it over at LBJ. He spent five years under longtime Jags head coach Freddie Roland, but once he retired, that didn't happen.

"Did I want to take over at LBJ? It was my time there. I think my time elapsed there, but I think this is the opportunity that I needed. It was the refresher that I needed," said Thompson.

"I've always had the mind set to extract the best out of every student-athlete that I have. This is just being who I am through my basketball experience. Through my basketball culture. My coaching philosophy is built on tough love," Thompson added.