Basketball means more than just a game in Cairo. It's about family, perseverance, and transformation. That's the story of the Cairo 8th grade boys basketball team, who through determination and grit, brought home a state championship in February.

"It was amazing," recalls head coach Jarvis Woodson, who has been at the helm for two years. "Most of the games were very hard. There was only one game that was easy. The rest, we had to come from behind and win."

The team finished with an impressive 23-4 record, but what makes their victory remarkable is their unique composition: only two 8th graders—Anthony "TJ" Duncan and Rahjon Woodson—alongside seven 7th graders and one 6th grader.

Assistant coaches Deloyd Davis and Isaiah Brown complete the coaching trio that has fostered a culture of hard work and family. "Stay together like a family, keep working hard," says Woodson of their philosophy. "No matter if it's basketball, school, work, whatever you do, you got to work hard at it, be consistent."

This coaching staff has built something special. They've been working with most of these players for years, some since they were in fourth grade. They run year-round practices, taking at most two weeks off annually, with players participating in Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) competitions during the off-season.

During the season, the team practiced six days a week. "Might take Sunday off, might take Saturday off. It depends on family situations," explains Coach Woodson.

The state championship journey reached its climax in the final game against Germantown, a team Coach Woodson described as "probably the best team we played all season." Trailing for most of the game, the Cairo team showed their now-familiar resilience.

"It was Corey Williams," says TJ Duncan, referring to the 7th grader who made the critical shots to pull them ahead for a three-point victory.

When they returned home, despite stormy weather, Cairo welcomed their champions with a parade featuring fire trucks and police cars, followed by a celebration at the high school organized by the PTO committee.

"It felt great. It was a big accomplishment for the whole town," says Duncan.

"That was amazing," adds Rahjon Woodson, who dreams of winning a state title at the high school level next.

The championship continues a legacy of excellence for Cairo's junior high basketball program. Coach Woodson won state in 2009 as a player, while Deloyd Davis was on the 2003 championship team and Isaiah Brown on the 2016 team.

"It's only been, I think, six state titles on the junior high level, and we never won it on the high school level, so that's a goal of ours, too," says Coach Woodson.

Beyond basketball, these coaches are changing lives. They proudly note how players like Carmelo Thomas, who had struggled with behavioral issues after transferring from Carbondale, has transformed through basketball.

The coaches are particularly proud of their 8th grade leaders, who have overcome personal tragedies. TJ Duncan lost his father in a car accident, while Rahjon Woodson lost his mother to Lupus.

"Those kids could be doing anything right now," Coach Woodson observes. "Most kids who go through stuff like that, they choose the streets or something else."

Instead, they chose basketball, hard work, and family—values that led them to a state championship and memories that will last a lifetime.

As for the future? "We'll be back in state in the next couple years," Coach Davis promises. "We're coming."