Cats fulfill preseason potential with record-setting performance

Photo/Jim Jackson The Wildcats begin their 2006-07 playoff bid Friday in Wills Point, facing either The Colony or Richardson Pearce. Tip off is scheduled for 8 p.m.

Whitehouse head boys basketball coach Wally Dawkins predicted prior to the season opener with Athens on Feb. 17 that the 2006-2007 Wildcat Basketball team could be "special."

Prediction affirmative!

This year's team first made the news by helping Dawkins record his 500th win in the home opener against Athens, 70-44.

Following a 79-71 loss to Tyler Lee in the Burger King Classic, the Wildcats reeled off 14 straight wins.

The Wildcats became the first team from WHS to win the Lindale Hoop Heaven Tournament this year by downing Lufkin, 76-63. The Lindale Tourney was loaded with AAAAA teams as witnessed by the Cats defeating Ir ving Nimitz, Bossier City, La., Shreveport Southwood, and the Panthers from Lufkin.

After capturing the Abilene Lions Club Tourney, WHS advanced to the finals of the TJC Tourney before suffering only their second -- and last -- loss to Lindale, 49-48, in OT.

Whitehouse has again reeled off 14 more consecutive wins, going undefeated in District 12- AAAA. It is the first time since the 2001-2002 season that a Whitehouse team has gone undefeated through the district schedule.

The Wildcats have now also reeled off 19 straight winning seasons and have a home win streak in Wildcat Arena of 24 straight.

This year's team has recorded 31 wins, the most ever by a Whitehouse boys basketball team since becoming a class AAAA school in 1985-86.

WHS is ranked 18th in the state in class AAAA by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches.

Dawkins is now asked almost daily if this is his best team ever in his 18 years as the Wildcats head coach.

"I don't know if they are the best team I have had here," Dawkins replies. "They are the most talented group of kids I have coached, there is more depth, and they are certainly bigger, but whether or not they are the best remains unknown.

"I think that is usually determined by the postseason. Our 01-02 team won 28 games and beat several class 5A schools as did the 96-97 squad. Last year's team as well as 00-01 won 28 games also. By winning 31 they have set themselves apart as the winningest team we've had since the early '80s.

"But I think for this team to be the best team, we have to advance past the area finals which has been our stumbling block. This is certainly a group of some of the finest young men ever assembled to wear Whitehouse basketball uniforms, and there have been many of those also."

The Wildcats now have a chance to set another mark Friday as they travel to Wills Point High School to take on the winner of Wednesday's The Colony vs. Richardson Pearce game.