VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (WTKR)- After a frantic February that would see Kempsville boys basketball make a state qualifying run, the Chiefs look ready for a little bit of March Madness.
"It's why you play the game," Kempsville head coach Trey Freeman said. "It's why you coach the game, it's why you love the game and to be able to bring that to the Kempsville area and the community and bring it back to the 757, it's a great feeling."
Freeman is in his second season leading the program and he's no stranger to Virginia Beach hoops. A former high school star just down the road at Floyd Kellam during his own playing days, he's embracing the chance to coach in his own backyard.
"I'm from 20 minutes down the road," he pointed out. "This is still my city. That's how I view it. I don't really care how people feel about it, this is my city. Last time I was in here, this was my city."
After his high school career, Freeman returned to Hampton Roads to play his final two college seasons at Old Dominion. The guard scored 1,429 career points in just two years in the silver and blue. Fast forward and he's putting his stamp on the red and blue as well. He's the chief of the Chiefs, raising the bar and raising the energy.
"He's definitely changed the culture," said Kempsville junior guard Christian Lynch. "He's brought a lot of positive spirit and a lot of great coaches on board so that definitely helps."
"I try to outwork everybody," Freeman added about his coaching. "It doesn't mean that I'm perfect, but you know you're going to get the best effort out of me every time there's a basketball game or a practice."
Things didn't look so good for the Chiefs early on, opening the season by losing five of their first six games and seven of their first nine. They finished the regular season 11-12, but started to peak at the right time. The No. 6 seed in Region 5A, Kempsville nipped Indian River, 70-68, then upset Princess Anne to advance to the state tournament before falling to Green Run in the region title game. Now the program has made it to states for just the second time in history and enters the tournament as underdogs.
"They've always counted us out since the beginning of the season, starting 2-7," Lynch noted. "I feel like it's a natural thing for us, but that doesn't stop us from doing what we need to do."
"There's no delusion of who we are," added Freeman. "But guess what, we're in the dance and we're working our butts off and that's all you can really ask, as a coach, as a player, as a teammate."
The Chiefs are three games away from state gold, but are taking things one game at a time. It begins Tuesday night with a trip to Norview in the Class 5 state quarterfinals where Kempsville will eye an upset to keep its run going for at least another round.
"That would mean a lot to me, especially to the team," said Lynch. "We worked so hard and I feel like we deserve that win and I know we can get it."
"Why not us?," Freeman declared. "That's the motto. Tuesday, we're going to bring our hardhats and our boots and strap up and we're going to play as hard as we can play."
Freeman pointed out that Kempsville has had some outstanding teams in the past, but the playoff format was a little bit different before the switch the current system. Despite that, Freeman and his team are proud of their accomplishments and working to make sure they're not done yet.
The Chiefs and Norview tip off at 7 p.m Tuesday night.
