When Sierra and Mitchell suit up for their upcoming boys basketball game, technically, nothing is on the line. The Stallions travel to Mitchell for their matchup with the Marauders on Thursday and both teams, who are 0-11 ahead of the game, will compete for their first win. Stallions coach CJ Jen nings remembers when the programs routinely, and easily, eclipsed 10 wins each year. This stretch doesn’t fit the mold for Jennings. For Jennings, this matchup is about pride and restoring a prominent program to its glory and hoping both schools build from the experience. “We used to have it to where schools didn’t want to cross Platte (Avenue) back in the day,” Jennings said. “We’re trying to get that back and make sure people put some more respect on our names.” The Stallions own four boys basketball titles including back-to-back championships from 2009-2010. Jennings starred for the Stallions’ boys basketball team and graduated in 2017 and won 20 or more games in three of his four seasons. Jennings averaged 14.7 points for his career, poured in 22 per game as a junior and 21 his senior year. Jennings inherited the program from legendary coach Terry Dunn and remains creative in finding ways to show current athletes how they raised those banners. Alumni drop by practice to work with the Stallions’ varsity players, which features seven freshmen. On Jan. 11, during a Harrison-Sierra alumni game, Jennings competed in the contest and lit up former Harrison players with an array of 3-pointers and drives to the basket that sent the Stallions’ side of the gym in a frenzy. “I ask the kids to work harder than they’ve ever worked before so it’s important that I show them that I’m still down to go hard on the court,” Jennings said. “It’s a blessing to be close in age with the kids. I can still get out there and show them what I’d like to have done instead of having to explain everything and have them guess what I mean.” Though Marauders coach Dorian Watson didn’t compete at the alumni game, he starred for the Panthers in the early 2000s. Watson played under Harrison coach Butch Thorpe, whom the Panthers’ gym is named after, and Watson was a key cog on the 2004 team that lost in the 4A title game against Thomas Jefferson. Watson previously worked as an assistant coach for Harrison and has led the Marauders’ team since the 2023-24 season. He hopes to bring that grit from Harrison to Mitchell and to redevelop the Marauders’ program. Mitchell won a pair of 3A boys basketball championships in 1971 and 1973 with the latter coming against Harrison. For now, Watson said he’s cherishing the consistency of his athletes off the court, which he expects to eventually reflect what the Marauders can accomplish in games.    “This week our program achieved 100% grade eligibility, and that’s a big milestone for us. It’s the first time in my three years at Mitchell that we’ve reached that standard, and we call those ‘Mitchell Wins,’” Watson said. “It’s a key step in building consistency and accountability. We emphasize being a student-athlete first, and when our young men commit in the classroom, it carries over to how they compete on the court and connect as a team. That’s how we continue to grow this program and prepare them for bigger things.” It won’t be Stallions versus Panthers on Thursday. Jennings feels in some ways, this isn’t the Marauders against the Stallions, either. This is the pride of the southeast of Colorado Springs and both coaches fighting to see their teams prosper. “He was in my ear a lot when I was a player and would come down to support the south side,” Jennings said. “He let me know how much he appreciated my game. It’s always love between us and we’re both in similar situations where we want to see good basketball back in this area.” ...read more read less