The Cave Spring Knights suffered their first River Ridge District loss of the season Tuesday night to Christiansburg.
But there is still plenty of basketball to be played down the stretch.
Billy Hicks took over Cave Spring's basketball team in 1996. Since then he's won hundreds of games, three state titles and coached J.J. Redick. Through all that his two oldest sons, Cager and Brody, have grown up in the Knights program.
"I've got pictures of them in uniforms and warm-ups from the time that they were little-bitty babies," Hicks said.
But this season, his 17th at Cave Spring, is a year unlike any other. For the first time his sons are wearing those jerseys as varsity players for their father.
"I think he's just taught me so much about being a team player. Intensity and toughness and just how to control your emotions during a game," Cager Hicks said.
Brody Hicks added, "I wouldn't want him to tell me only the things that I did good and not get on me for anything that I do bad. And I think my brother and I both sort of understand that."
Cager, a sophomore, has emerged as a defensive stopper on the team.
"He's 6'4 and he's got long arms. He moves his feet well and he gets down in his stance," Billy Hicks said.
Brody, a freshman, wasn't a lock for the roster but has earned his spot.
"Brody is a really good shooter. He's worked very hard on it. He's a threat every time he catches the ball,” Billy Hicks said. “What's funny is I always tell them if I could put them together I'd have the perfect player. If Brody could play defense like Cager or Cager could shoot like Brody, man, it'd be tough."
And for Billy, the trick has been learning to separate his duties as coach and father.
"Sometimes if we have a tough game or a tough practice we'll talk about it,” Billy Hicks said. “We've got about a 15 minute ride home and we'll talk about it then. Then when we get home, we really don't talk about it."
Brody Hicks said, "I think it's made our relationship stronger. Not only as coach and player but also as father and son."
The family has been known to go at it on the concrete court in the backyard, where the elder Hicks can still hold his own.
"He can still stroke it,” Cager Hicks said. “It's getting to the point now where all he can do is stand out there and shoot. But he still takes us to town every once in a while."
