DAVID GRAVES IS HEADING TO DEEP EAST TEXAS TO BECOME THE NEW COACH OF THE CHIRENO OWLS BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM. THIS MOVE COMES AFTER THE OWLS FELL IN THE OPENING ROUND OF LAST SEASON’S 2A PLAYOFFS TO BECKVILLE.
“GETTING NAMED HEAD COACH OF THE MIGHTY FIGHTING CHIRENO OWLS, IS A BLESSING TO ME. IT’S SUCH A RICH TRADITION OF BASKETBALL, WITH AMAZING KIDS WHO WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL. MY FAMILY AND I ARE EXCITED TO WEAR PURPLE AND THE MIGHTY OWL ON OUR CHEST,” GRAVES SAID.
GRAVES BRINGS CHAMPIONSHIP PEDIGREE TO A PROGRAM THAT HAS MADE THE POSTSEASON THE PAST THREE YEARS. BEFORE CHIRENO, GRAVE PREVIOUSLY LED THE WAELDER WILDCATS TO AN UNDEFEATED DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP WHILE PEAKING WITHIN THE TOP 15 OF THE TABC RANKINGS DURING THE 2022-2023 SEASON. HE ALSO LEAD THE WILDCATS TO A 33 WIN SEASON THAT RESULTED IN YET ANOTHER DISTRICT CROWN, A REGIONAL TOURNAMENT APPEARANCE, A DON COLEMAN OUTSTANDING COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD AND A #3 RANKING FROM THE TABC.
AS A PLAYER, THE FORMER EUSTACE BULLDOG WAS A 1000 POINT SCORER AND REBOUNDER WHILE RECEIVING ALL REGION RECOGNITION. BUT HIS RESUME DOESN’T STOP THERE. HE WAS AN ASSISTANT COACH FOR ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY’S JON BRADY WHILE EARNING A MASTER’S DEGREE. GRAVES ALSO EARNED HIS BACHELOR’S DEGREE FROM LINCOLN CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY WHILE PLAYING BASKETBALL FOR THE RED LIONS AND EARNED ALL-REGION HONORS AND OFFENSIVE MVP.
ALONG WITH HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE, GRAVES ALSO COACHES FOR THE BALLERS NATION HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS. HE WAS WELCOMES TO THE COACHING STAFF AS THE ORGANIZATION CELEBRATES 20 YEARS OF OFFERING OPPORTUNITIES TO HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES ACROSS THE REGION.
ECSTATIC TO BEGIN THIS NEW JOURNEY, GRAVES WAS “[...]SUPER EXCITED THE GROUP OF BOYS WE HAVE BACK AND COMING THROUGH ARE SPECIAL, TALENTED. THEY WILL BE A GREAT FAMILY TO WATCH GROW.”
“WE ARE IN THE TOUGHEST 2A REGION IN THE STATE AND WE ARE EXCITED AND READY FOR THE CHALLENGE. WE HAVE AN AMAZING HIGH FEELING BECAUSE OF THE LOVE AND FAMILY MINDSET WE WILL HAVE IN OUR LOCKER ROOM AND BELIEF IN ONE ANOTHER,” GRAVES CONCLUDED.
CHIRENO SHARES A DISTRICT WITH SAN AUGUSTINE, CORRIGAN-CAMDEN, COLMESNEIL, WEST SABINE, BROADDUS AND WODEN IN 2A REGION III DISTRICT 24.
GRAVES HAD A MESSAGE FOR CHIRENO ADMINISTRATION AND ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT AS THE NEW SEASON DAWNS ON THE HORIZON: “I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MR. KING, PRINCIPAL GANDY, PRINCIPAL CUPIT, COACH TREY, COACH COOK AND SCHOOL BOARD, FOR ALLOWING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF THE BEST HIGH SCHOOL IN EAST TEXAS AND THE STATE OF TEXAS.”