BATON ROUGE - Scotlandville High unveiled its new basketball court, dedicated to the team's former head coach, Carlos Sample, and the teams he led to state championships.

"They played a much bigger role than I did. I had the easy part; I just sat back and enjoyed what they were doing out there," Sample said.

During his 16 years as head coach for the Hornets, he led the team to 14 consecutive state championship appearances, 8 state championships, and 12 district titles. He had a record of 482 wins and 83 losses throughout his time at the school.

"You know it's just God blessed somebody like me, just the ordinary person, but that's what he does. You know, he just takes the natural and puts his super on it, and you get the finished product," he said. 

Sample stepped away from coaching the team in 2023, and a former player of his who also has worked under him for years has taken the role.

"I played for him at Istrouma High School, started coaching here with him in 2007," head coach Jeremy Noah said.
"We had a magical run state championship of games, so to be able to just celebrate him in his last year working as our coach and AD in Scotlandville, you just want to honor him and gift him his Flowers while he's here," he said.

Sample says he hopes that his legacy at the school is best remembered as a role model for players after their graduation.

"It’s more than just about the championships come, you know, but just get back in, touch lives and know that we've done it the right way, we've done it with pride, with homage and to see those young men be fathers and the head of their household, that's worth more than any state championship you will ever have," he said.