DALLAS Triple A Academy is a charter school located in Oak Cliff with an enrollment of 900 students.
Over the weekend, they won the Class 1A Boys Basketball State Championship on their very first attempt.
"We worked really hard to get to this," said Triple A forward Gary Breaux. "I'm just so glad that we are able to have a ring around our finger."
"It means a lot, added Triple A guard Jeremiah Jefferson. "We've been working hard since August just for that one moment."
"I'm just glad that we got to show people that we're the best in 1A," said Triple A guard Tyler Singleton.
The school breezed through the playoffs with an average margin of victory of more than 35 points.
They won the championship game by 26, but being a small school located in a big city like Dallas wasn't appreciated by most because many fans feel that the school recruits players.
"They don't know what goes on at Triple A, and they assume things, and they think that we recruit illegally, and they think that we're just some basketball factory school," said Triple A guard King McClure. "They don't know, because if you come to Triple A, the first banner you see is a 'TEA Recognized' banner. You don't see any basketball or athletic banners."
"We are a public charter school," explained Leroy McClure, the school's founder. "We missed being an 'exemplary' school district by one subject, so it s imperative for you all to know that if we were recruiting, we would not have had this type of success academically."
While winning the championship was expected, what was not expected is what happened after the game on Saturday, as fans in attendance expressed their disappointment by booing during the Triple A Academy's medal ceremony.
"I was very disappointed with the crowd," said Triple A head coach Tim Singleton. "I don't think they understand that these are nothing but kids, and you never want to boo any kid no matter what."
For now, Triple A Academy is just enjoying their first state championship.
E-mail griba@wfaa.com
