Dallas Kimball seeks 8th state title, heads to Class 4A Division I semifinal
The Dallas Kimball boys basketball team is headed to the Class 4A Division I state semifinal.
Those are words this team has been accustomed to hearing throughout its rich history.
"This year has been special," Kimball head coach Nicke Smith said. "This is a wonderful group of kids. They work hard, and they play what we call top-notch, hard-nosed defense. They know that if they don't play defense, they can't get on the court here. That's with every level from the JV to the freshmen."
On Tuesday, Kimball will be playing Lubbock Estacado and is looking to finish the season with their eighth state championship in school history — having last lifted the trophy in 2023.
Last year, Kimball was eliminated in the second round of the 5A playoffs.
Now that they're back, they've put it in their minds that every shot and every possession, even in practice, matters.
"Playoff practices are always harder," Kimball guard Jaylin Hancock said. "Coach just tells us to always go harder every day. Especially in playoffs now. Because it's either win or go home."
"Coach Nicke will be hot… just like sweaty and drenched," Kimball guard Kayden Gray said. "But that's the fun of it because those are memories."
When it comes to the personality of this team, Gray said it best.
Even during a grueling practice, they seem to never run out of that boyish energy no matter how intense training can be.
Coach Smith says what makes this great is how loose they are.
Smith might have been on the receiving end of some jokes, but this team's infectious love for the game, and each other, is something he never wants to change.
"These guys are brothers," Smith said. "I have to work so hard on keeping them focused. They're a talented group of kids, but man they are jokesters. They're more excited than we are, and that's a good thing when the boys are more excited than the coaches."
"If you ever see me, you see them," Hancock said. "If you see them, you see me. I feel like that's why we win a lot."
"This is the run I've been waiting for," Kimball forward Lane Carr said. "It's better to do it with these guys than anybody else."
