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Coaches Interview: What is a Legacy

What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word 'legacy'? When I think of the word legacy, I think about when something is passed down from an older group to a younger; something that carries on throughout time. In the past several years, we’ve been blessed to be able to increasingly consider the Lutheran East Falcons Boys’ Basketball program a legacy.


For the past seven seasons, ‘The Lue’ has been a dominant men’s team and their achievements are many. They have won seven District Championships, five Regional Championships, and three State Championships. Because of the talents of these young men and their leadership, they have been able to achieve so much. But none of this would be possible without the guidance and mentorship of the coaching staff.


Although the team’s 2022 trip to the Final Four in Dayton the weekend of March 18-20 did not end in another state championship for the Falcons, their road to the state championship tournament is still something remarkable. Their fortitude to compete all season to make it to the state semi-final game should be celebrated, and it’s accomplishments like these that bring visibility to our beloved Lutheran High School East.


During the week before the Final Four tournament, I sat with three of the Men’s Basketball coaches who have contributed so much of their time and talent to this program. Whether it be during actual practice hours, in the evenings, or outside of school. I’d like to share the sentiments of Head Coach Sam Liggins (Lutheran East Class of 2005), Athletic Director Anthony Jones, and Assistant Coach Tyree Gaiter as they prepared for yet another trip to Dayton with a Final Four team.



Sam Liggins, Head Coach

  1. How does it feel to be going back to the Division 3 Final Four for the fifth year in a row?

It’s a blessing; it’s truly an honor. If there’s anyone who has coached a sport or played a sport, they know how hard it is to achieve such a high honor or success of going so far. Going to the Final Four is a win in general. So just to do it five years in a row with different teams and different athletes is a blessing in itself. It’s a true testament to our students’ characters and the supportive school culture at Lutheran East.

  1. What was the biggest difference between this season and last season?

Last season, there was a group of gentlemen who were together for three years or more, so they were like brothers, pretty much like family. They knew what to expect, so going through last season, it was more so finishing the process that they started three years ago. This year was a totally new team, new students who didn’t truly know each others’ personalities or playing styles. They had to experience their own adversities of the season and it wasn’t easy. But the fact that they were able to pull through mid-season and still achieve a State Final Four is truly incredible. 

  1. What was the most challenging adversity you all have faced this season?

Over the last three seasons, Lutheran East has only lost five games total and we lost nine this year. I think a lot of the new students, the transfers and even the ones who were here before who didn’t play varsity last year felt the pressure of living up to the hype or living up to the tradition we have. When we started losing, it started to weigh on us and it showed. It was tough trying to keep them motivated and keep trying to uplift them when they hadn’t experienced this before; it was new to them. Being able to overcome adversity was the most challenging for sure.

  1. What do you think is your greatest contribution to the culture of Lutheran East?

Leaving Lutheran East better than when I came here; always taking things to a new level. It’s all about the culture and what we represent. It’s about students graduating from Lutheran East and the alumni playing in college basketball—or just going to college in general and achieving greatness. Aspiring to do something great after Lutheran East is huge. Basketball is a tool, it teaches life lessons as far as discipline, winning, and reaching one’s potential. Working hard and then experiencing winning teaches student-athletes that even if they don’t continue to play sports throughout their lives, they can still work hard and win in life. Just being part of a winning culture, growing in teamwork, and having high character are life skills that they can take with them, so that after they leave Lutheran East they still are able to succeed. I think that’s my—and the basketball program’s—biggest contribution to Lutheran East.

  1. What is the legacy that you want to leave behind?

Greatness—greatness doesn’t have to come in the form of wins and losses. It’s an overall testament to who you are as a person. How you carry yourself, how hard you work for something. Even when you don’t achieve your goal, the fact that you were able to put it all on the line, that’s greatness.


Anthony Jones, Athletic Director/Assistant Coach

  1. How does it feel to be going back to the Division 3 Final Four for the fifth year in a row?

It’s an amazing feeling, we’re very excited for our team to return for the fifth consecutive year. Getting there one time in a lifetime is an accomplishment; to do it five consecutive years is almost unheard of.

  1. What was the biggest difference between this season and last season?

The biggest difference in my opinion would be the roster. We had just three returning players from the previous season. Last year, we graduated six seniors who all went on to play college basketball. All three of the current seniors on this ten-man roster are also set to play college basketball, so we’re very excited about that. But player experience is the biggest difference in this year’s team compared to last year’s team.

  1. What was the most challenging adversity you all have faced this season? 

Without a doubt, it would be the nine losses that we suffered. I believe that five of those games  were lost by less than four points. We are a team that is accustomed to winning 85 to 90 percent of our games over the last few years. I believe we had a record of 45-5 over the last two years, so to come up a little short was a shock. 

  1. What do you think is your greatest contribution to the culture of Lutheran East?

I aim to contribute in multiple ways, because I’m not only the Athletic Director but I’m also the boys’ basketball program’s Assistant Coach and I was also the Head Coach prior to Coach Liggins joining our staff. I believe that I can provide a deep understanding of the needs and mindsets of our Falcon student-athletes. I work hard every day not only to help them with their athletic skills and opportunities, but also to help them consider and explore their options after high school. I love to see them end up at college, many of them as student-athletes.

  1. What is the legacy that you want to leave behind?

I would love to be the school that holds the all-time record for the most State Championships. I think it’s very obtainable and if we’re still here for the next twenty to thirty years, I think we would win twenty to thirty Championships. 


Tyree Gaiter, Assistant Coach

  1. How does it feel to be going back to the Division 3 Final Four for the fifth year in a row?

It feels great to be able to go back down to the state tournament. At the onset of the season, many thought that this team could not make it back down, but we did. For these young men to experience this is great and we truly believe that they all will return next year.

  1. What was the biggest difference between this season and last season?

The biggest difference from this season and last season is youth and experience. The majority of our team is new this season. Some players haven’t had a lot of time on varsity or in a varsity game setting. Last year’s team went through the fire as sophomores. 

  1. What was the most challenging adversity you all have faced this season?

The most challenging adversity we faced this year was getting, and keeping, these young men focused and prepared. It’s a challenge to do that, when they’re aware that every team wants to beat them because of the fact that they were State Champions last year.

  1. What do you think is your greatest contribution to the culture of Lutheran East? 

My greatest contribution to Lutheran East is being able to relate to, talk to, and help the students and athletes. Some students have the same background and some will face the same challenges and obstacles that I have faced during my life—I hope I can continue to be a positive influence in their lives as they navigate anything they’re going through.

  1. What is the legacy that you want to leave behind?

The legacy that I want to leave is helping and inspiring the youth to understand that success happens by working hard and staying on the course to reach the goal ahead. Through basketball, I can help them realize that all of these things—work ethic, commitment, teamwork, communication, perseverance—will be things they need to succeed in anything they choose to do in life.