Shiloh Christian basketball carries same expectations under new head coach

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - Shiloh Christian Boys Basketball is turning the page this year with a new head coach.

Becoming a head coach has been a long time coming for Shiloh Christian’s Jordan Williams.

“I spent 15 years at Century and didn’t want to leave for any job,” Williams said. “We had a lot of success, built a program together, but Shiloh, to be honest, was always a dream job of mine to be able to do ministry, to disciple kids to raise them in Christ, and to also teach them how to compete and still get to coach.”

After winning a state title last year with Century, Williams brings a championship pedigree to a program that’s made eight straight state tournament appearances themselves.

“He’s brought a state championship mindset, pushing us every day to where we want to be and not sugar coating anything and making sure that we want to get to the state championship, and we have to work every day to get there,” Skyhawks’ Junior Dawson Davis said.

The brand of basketball has changed for the Skyhawks, but the expectations remain sky high.

“The expectations will be more on me than them,” Williams said. “I tell the kids, too, if you’re learning a new system on both sides of the floor, there’s going to be some growing pains early in the season, especially when we have a lot of guys who have never played any meaningful minutes yet. Ultimately, it’s my job to get them there. There’s no pressure on the kids. Ultimately, it’s my job, and it 100% falls on me. That allows kids to keep it in perspective and play loose and play free.”

The Skyhawks will travel roughly 600 miles for a back-to-back Friday and Saturday against Dickinson Trinity and the defending state champions, Kindred

“We’re blessed to have an early opportunity to do that and play what’s going to feel like tournament basketball, and it’s an evaluation period,” Williams said. “Ultimately, you don’t win a championship in December. It’s a great time to evaluate and say, ‘Here’s what we need to get better at.’”

The Skyhawks are 1-0 after defeating Standing Rock in their first game of the season.