Ronnie Courtney Is Home Again

Ronnie Courtney is home again. Back in high school basketball. Back in Fort Bend ISD, the district he made history in. He's in his second season at Bush, and it feels so good. "I like the competition in Fort Bend," Courtney said. "It's just a district that you have to feel proud to work in. It has so much history behind it." Part of that history was built by Courtney when he was at one of the district's other schools. At the start of the decade, he was in the midst of guiding one of the greatest runs in Houston high school basketball history, leading Willowridge to back-to-back state championships in 2000 and 2001 and 75 wins in 76 games spanning those two seasons. Those teams, led by guards T.J. Ford and Daniel Ewing, are still some of the most-talked about in recent memory. After receiving the national high school basketball coach of the year by USA Today for the 2000-01 season, Courtney accepted the head coaching position at Texas Southern University where he spent six seasons. After going 76-99 and leading the Tigers to an NCAA Tournament berth in 2003 (their first since 1995), Courtney was fired and looked back to the place where he had so much success - Fort Bend ISD. Bush, a school that has only been in existence since 2001, doesn't yet have the rich tradition that a Willowridge does. But the Broncos have quickly found success under Courtney, making the playoffs last season and starting with an eye-opening record this season. "At the high school level the young men are more eager to learn and they want you to teach them the game of basketball," Courtney said. "It's stress free. I am comfortable working with young people who want to learn." Despite playing in a district with the defending Region III-5A champions (Dulles), and the area's No. 1 preseason team (Hightower), it is the Broncos that are the talk of District 23-5A. They defeated both of those teams in the Outback Varsity Tournament in December, a tournament which they won after a thrilling 57-55 victory over Dulles in the championship game. After graduating two Division I big men (Terry Bembry and Chris Otule), Courtney knew that Bush would have to change its identity a bit to win games. But to start the way they have? That was a surprise. "If you had asked me at the start of the season whether we'd be 16-3 through the first 19 games, I would have said no," Courtney said. "Now we're popping up in the rankings and the kids are feeding off of that." This season's team is built around guard play. Their four leading scorers, who are all averaging in double-digits through the first 19 games, are all guards: Darius Richardson (17.6 points per game), Khris Roy (15.6), Jordan Clark (11.8) and Denzel Cosper (11.7). Courtney has taken a hands-off approach when it comes to games, rolling the ball out and letting the team aim for 70 shots per game while Courtney watches from the bench. Currently, they're averaging 65 shots per game and Courtney only makes adjustments when he deems necessary. "I just sit and watch," he said. "I know for a fact that what we've practiced has been done well and it's up to them to execute (in the game). A lot of times I just let them do the play-calling and if I don't like it, then I'll change it. "Cosper, my point guard, he and I are always on the same page. It's almost scary how much he and I think alike. He'll call a play and I'll be on the bench thinking 'That's what I would have called.'" With district play starting in January, the sky could be the limit for the Broncos. Courtney is getting excited knowing how dedicated his kids are - while they were away on Christmas break, they were texting him letting him know that they were getting together on their own to shoot and work out to keep the momentum going from their hot start. "We were an unknown team at the start of the season and we started people beating that people thought we had no business beating," Courtney said. "The kids want to keep the things going and lo and behold they're doing that and they're excited about where they are. I think there are big things ahead for us." For Courtney, it's sweet just to be back in high school basketball. As he sat and watched games at the Houston ISD Tournament in December, people came up to him to congratulate him on the great start, excited about what he's done with the Broncos. "(Fort Bend ISD athletic director Keith) Kilgore was telling me recently that he was really glad to have me back in the district," Courtney said. "When you get statements like that from those type of people, it makes you feel good that you had the opportunity and are welcomed back. "We're doing it the way right way and we're the type of team people want to come see play." -