CLINTON — In my book, Durwin Carpenter is Pillow Academy girls basketball.
The longtime high school coach has been the face of one of the most successful girls programs in the MAIS for the last quarter of a century and now stands one win away from his fourth Overall Tournament title in his 26-year run at PA.
Carpenter’s team punched its ticket to Saturday’s final with an incredibly gutsy effort here Friday in a 48-45 overtime victory over Simpson Academy. The Lady Mustangs (27-11) will square off against Jackson Prep (27-9) at 1 p.m. Saturday in the championship contest.
Simpson entered Friday 2-0 against Pillow this season, but Carpenter hit the right buttons on Friday to make the third time a charm. It’s awfully hard to beat a coach as good as Carpenter three straight times. You can bet Simpson’s Linda Dear, also a successful grizzled veteran, was thinking the same thing before this one.
Before coming to Pillow Academy in 1994, Carpenter built a small-school basketball powerhouse in little ol’ Lexington.
His coaching career actually started at Grenada Lake High School (one year only), but it was at Central Holmes Academy where Carpenter first made a name for himself. Now, after 47 years, his name is known across the state as one of the premier girls basketball coaches across the Magnolia State.
He had 357 wins in his 20 years there, while serving as athletic director, head football coach, head boys and girls basketball coach, track coach, head baseball coach and head fast-pitch softball coach during those two decades. But that’s the life of a coach, especially for young ones trying to make a name for themselves.
But it was always girls basketball that he had the strongest passion for, saying, “I enjoyed coaching girls more than I did boys.”
It was simply his niche. He just seemed to relate better with girls.
“It just seemed I really liked working and teaching the girls how to play the game of basketball and all that goes with that,” said a jubilant Carpenter, whose four grandchildren and two daughters were on hand for the big win.
After Friday’s thriller, Carpenter has 1,075 girls basketball victories, more than any other active coach in the state. The only coach to record more girls basketball wins is Doyle Wolverton who retired from Leake Academy in 2014 with 1,245.
That means Carpenter, a Holcomb native, has a legitimate chance at that mark if he sticks around as long as I imagine he will.
I feel like I have a special relationship with the veteran coach. He arrived at PA while I was still gaining my footing in this profession as a young writer. I have been along for this crazy-fun ride at Pillow from the first day.
He took 21 years of coaching experience and his knowledge as a college player at Holmes Community College and Delta State and built a dynasty at Pillow.
With his oldest daughter Angie running the show as a senior, the Lady Mustangs went 31-6 and captured a North AAA conference title and wound up finishing third at Overall. And that’s where his Pillow legacy began, and who knows when this magical ride might end for him. But I can tell you this, unless he’s a pretty good poker player, I believe he has four or five more years at PA left in him.
Tagged along for a lot of wins
I can’t tell you how many miles I have logged following his teams in the postseason, more than any other local program by far — simply because Carpenter’s team has been hands down the most successful in our area during my 27 years at the paper.
Many years, kind of like this season, we hit the road for three straight weeks of tournament ball with the Lady Mustangs. And most of those miles were logged with my basketball-crazed wife of nearly 21 years in tow. (Love having her tag along and share her insights but we sit on opposite ends of the court. Those who follow the program closely understand. All I can say without getting in more trouble than I am already in.)
We’ve had a lot discussions of PA girls basketball, some a bit heated at times, on a ton of road trips to and from these tournaments. And later on, our only child was stuck being toted around on these trips. He literally cut his teeth on Lady Mustangs hoops.
Extended Family
We kind of feel like an extended family to Durwin and his wife, Judy. And that’s what makes this column so special. It’s easy to write about.
Most all great coaches who have families all have one thing in common — a super supportive spouse. Judy Carpenter surely fills that bill.
“I wish I could really put into words what her support has meant for all these years,” Durwin said.
Dana, his youngest daughter, was an eighth grader when the coach arrived at PA. It was clear early on she had a bright future, just like Angie. Dana started as a freshman point guard on the 1995-96 team and then helped the Lady Mustangs make a historic 37-0 run the following year that ended with the first of three eventual Overall crowns for Coach Carpenter.
What a run that was, and it made for a lot of good stories — much like one more win Saturday would do again.
I have literally watched this young team grow up during this postseason run. And give credit to Carpenter and his two fine assistants, Mignon Hodges and Holly Ann Singh, for that because early on this was not a cohesive unit.
Well, that all changed at some point. I am not sure what went on behind closed doors, but I give these coaches a lot of the credit for getting these girls on the same page.
Hodges, a former Delta State player, is in her second stint alongside Carpenter. For me, they kind of go together like peas and carrots. You can’t have one without the other. I have known her longer than Durwin because I covered her playing career in the mid-1990s at Cruger-Tchula Academy, which sadly closed its doors in 2001.
I am showing my age a bit here, but Hodges is one of several coaches I have worked with who I also covered as high school and college athletes. And again, she is extended family. Her youngest sister, now Betsy Belk, is married to my nephew. I also covered her career at PA while playing under her oldest sister.
At 68, Carpenter insists he has never once had any serious thoughts about retiring. Heck, I can’t blame him. He has certainly built up enough equity at the school to coach as long as he so desires.
“I am healthy, as far as I know, and happy coaching. As long as that’s the case, I will keep doing what I am doing, if they let me,” he said.
Oh, they will, Coach. You are PA girls basketball.
The Future
I have some friends with young girls in the younger grades at Pillow. I can guarantee you this — Durwin and his two assistants will have forged relationships with those girls well before they are old enough to think about junior high basketball. Through summer camps for grades three through sixth and teaching a P.E. class, this man establishes key relationships early on with these girls — whether it’s by getting some to help manage his teams or by just keeping stats. These girls are involved and engaged with Durwin before they ever dress out for him.
He has told me several times through the years that he simply didn’t get as much pleasure out of coaching boys as he does girls. Durwin has never really been able to give me a clear explanation on that, so I went to the big boss — Judy — for more perspective.
Prior to Friday’s showdown with Simpson, a nervous Judy Carpenter gave me her insight.
“It all starts with a higher power,” she said. “God gave him a gift, and I am proud of what he has done with that. God gave him two daughters who were great ball players so it was just meant to be.”
Pillow returns all five starters from this team, along with its top four backups. Based on all that talent returning, the Lady Mustangs will be back in this position again next year. And if the good Lord is willing, I guess we’ll be right there with them again.
But before we can think about that, I got to make one last run to Clinton Saturday morning.
nContact Bill Burrus at 581-7237 or bburrus@gwcommonwealth.com.
