Murrah Basketball: New Coach On The Rise

It wasn't long ago controversy surrounded the Murrah basketball program, but they are trying to turn the page. They have a 24 year old coach, Brandon Sanders, who is 7-3 since taking over for Marlon Dorsey. After a suspension and several complaints following a second incident, Dorsey stepped down but the Mustangs are back to their winning ways and a lot has to do with Sanders.

Who is Coach Sanders? "Coach Sanders is a former graduate of Murrah High School and played here on the basketball team. Won a state championship here 2005under Coach Frith and Coach Brown. Went to Jackson State so this is my third year here at Murrah High School, teaching and coaching," Coach Sanders said.

The former assistant now has full reign, but it’s for a trial basis. so far he's proving he can handle the job. The mustangs are 7-3 since he took over. JPS isn't easy to win at so why is he so successful?

"That's a good question because it's not easy at all. The guys are working hard, the guys want to achieve and be the best they can be and that’s all I ever push from them , to be the best they can be," Sanders said.

It's the first head coaching job for Coach Sanders but if you look over at the sidelines he looks like he's been there before.

"When the game is heated and things are going so fast, you have to be able to tune them in and let them understand where you want them to go and so I try to speak to them in a way that they can understand it. Still intense, still keep them focused but I'm just a calm and collective guy and I just try to push what I want out of them," added Sanders.

And the kids are buying in.

"Really, he's all we got, so I mean all we can do is trust in him and keep going," Murrah senior Kaylon Paige said.

"He's been on the staff since I played in ninth grade with him last year and so we built a nice little chemistry with him because he's been around us, just like a brother to us, to some of us and I just took it," Murrah's Jacob Ivory said.

"I try to keep these guys focused in a way that this is their safe haven. They can come here, get away from the adversity, get away from the difficult time and come in and do something that they like because it's tough for kids with all of this adversity that's been going on from time to time," Sanders said.