Sample duo leading Scotlandville into playoffs

BATON ROUGE - Scotlandville is looking to make their 14th straight state championship appearance. But this season is a little different for head coach Carlos Sample, and his Hornets.

His son, who was 1 year old when he first got the job, is now a senior guard.

"Looking in a trophy case, you see the first time we won a state championship. As a little kid you see him on that picture," Carlos said.

There is a lot of tough love in the Sample family, but it's something that has made the pair stronger.

"We leave it here, we don't bring it home," Carlos explained.

His son has a slightly different take.

"He thinks I don't bring it home. But when I get home, I do what I gotta do. I walk past him, and won't even look at him," Chase Sample said.

"Maybe a few times he was upset at home and gave me the silent treatment," Carlos said. "But we kind of just brushed it off and just be the best of friends."

"He will just come in my room, and crack a little joke, and I would just start to laugh," Chase added.

Chase had a lot to live up to with not only his dad success as a coach but his abilities as a player.

"My dad, not only playing at Southern but being one of the best basketball players in Baton Rouge when he was playing, you know, was a lot of pressure," Chase said.

"I tried to tell him... you be Chase, you know, don't be the coach's son. We understand that, but whatever happens, I'm gonna love you regardless of what happens on the floor," Carlos said.

And the pressure hasn't broken Chase, becoming one of the Hornets' lead guards. And his dad has had an on-court ticket to the experience.

"Since August, I'm trying to enjoy everything because you can't get this back," Carlos said. "We all look at this season... and make sure that we had those moments, those memories and, you know, and cherish them."

"It's got to get emotional sometimes, because it goes by like that," Chase said.

The Hornets are 30-3 on the year, looking to give coach Sample his ninth title.