RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — To say Suncoast High School is an afterthought when it comes to basketball might be an understatement.
“We did have a lot of doubters to start off the season, people didn’t follow us in a sense, but at the end of the day, we don’t play for those guys,” said Head Coach Jason Powell.
WATCH BELOW: 'There’s a lot of rich history in this program,' Coach Jason Powell tells WPTV's Kendall Hyde
Since 1990, there’s been one thing missing from the basketball gym at Suncoast High School: a state championship.
To start the year, Coach Powell delivered a message to his team.
“There’s a lot of rich history in this program, I mean, we just had the banner reveal at the start of the season that was a group that kind of inspired us to chase that motivation we needed to get over the hump,” said Coach Powell.
As the Suncoast varsity squad sat court side watching the 1990 state championship team get honored at the beginning of the season, Jamarey Harris, the team's point guard, gathered the team and challenged them to be great, too.
“My message to everyone was to stay focused and stay connected, no matter what adversity they face throughout the year. If we stick together, we can get the job done,” said Harris.
The team answered the call. The Suncoast boys opened the season 13-2, quickly establishing themselves as one of the top teams in Palm Beach County. Powell credited the group's tight bond, one built long before they ever put on a varsity jersey.
“When we saw this group of guys come in, they were a very special group of guys, because they all kind of played together since middle school and growing up with each other,” said Coach Powell.
That chemistry carried them deep into the postseason, finishing 25-5, and the team even surprised itself by punching a ticket to the state championship game.
“It was just a surreal feeling to be there, because we all knew we could get there, but to actually see it come to fruition was amazing,” said Harris.
In the end, the Suncoast Cougars did the unthinkable, winning the state championship 85-62 over Atlantic Port Orange and ending a drought that stretched back to 1990.
“I just feel like kids that live in Rivera think that because of their zip code, it defines them," said Harris. "I think that's just kind of a testimony. No matter where you are or live, if you put the work in, it’ll pay off."
