James M. Davis knows what it takes to get to the state championship. He’s been there twice.

Davis was a member of the Ferriday basketball teams that won state in 1988 and ’89.

Davis will try to get there again, this time in a different capacity – as head coach of the Ferriday boys basketball team.

Davis has been an assistant football coach at Ferriday High the past three years after a brilliant prep career as a quarterback.

But it was basketball that would bring Davis a title.

&uot;We really thought we would win at least three state championships,&uot; Davis said. &uot;We call came up together and played from the ninth grade on.&uot;

Ferriday upset Cecilia for its first state championship, and got past Carroll for its second straight title.

&uot;The first one a lot of people didn’t expect us to win, but we played great defense,&uot; Davis said. &uot;Whenever we needed to get over the hump, we would go to our defense. The second one we were more or less expected to win.&uot;

Blue played under longtime Ferriday coach Robert Cade, who resigned as Trojan coach before the school year and is now assistant football and basketball coach at Natchez High.

&uot;A week before school, Mr Moore (principal Tony Moore) asked me if I would do it,&uot; Davis said. &uot;I was hesitant at first and didn’t really know what to say at the time. But the opportunity presented itself and I wanted to take that challenge. I’m looking forward to the season. We’ve been working hard in the gym.&uot;

Davis said he learned quite a bit under Cade.

&uot;The most important thing is defense,&uot; he said. &uot;That is the key to your success. If you play good defense, everything else pretty much takes care of itself. Defense dictates everything.&uot;

Ferriday tips off its season Saturday at the Jefferson County Building Fund Tournament. The Trojans face Provine in a first-round game.

&uot;I think we’ll have a pretty good team,&uot; Davis said. &uot;We’ve still got two or three playing football, so we don’t have the depth. But we’re ready to get started. We’ll find out the positives and negatives from our game Saturday and go back to the chalkboard.&uot;