Records are meant to be broken, but others are destined to last for decades.

The Poplar Bluff Mules basketball team won 78 games between 2003-2005, making three appearances in the MSHSAA final four and finishing fourth in 2003 before winning consecutive championships.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of that first championship win.

With a group of gifted players, the Mules needed the guidance of a strong coaching staff to win back-to-back state titles.

Fortunately for them, they were given John David Pattillo, with contributions from assistant coaches Glenn Eubanks, Bill Burfield, Mareece Webb and Zac Moore.

Pattilo said winning that first state title opened up doors for the Mules for the next few years. It gave them a chance to play in some top events and even get a televised game. He said it gave the players and the community an experience that doesn’t happen too often for many programs.

“It was a special time at E.T. Peters Gym,” Pattilo said. “There was probably a three-year period or even longer where we had to turn people away at the door. There was so much going on at the time, but I can only remember that the gym was completely full. I think about those teams we had to play just to get to that state title, it was just an amazing time. They were great kids. We played a lot of good basketball, and it’s just a time that we won’t ever forget.”

The 2004 Mules had a loaded roster including Travon Battles, Devon Brown, Rusty Bryant, Brad Chronister, James Dixon, Colbi Ellison, Emil Fernando, Anthony Gilberto, Clay Lawson, Allan Spencer, Todd Tinsley, Ross Whelan, Anthony Williams and Glen Yandell.

“We had a lot of talent on that team, which was filled with some great shooters and tough defenders. From Gilberto, Brown, Chronister and Ben, we had some consistent shooters. The team was dominant defensively, with players like Todd and Ross. Tyler was amazing, and he was going to demand double and triple teams a lot of times, so it really freed those other guys up to score. They were a special group, and we had people who were willing to do everything to make us better. Everyone was fully committed, and it was a special time for me to coach, and I’ll never forget it.”

Though Pattilo likes to credit the players for winning those state titles, the Hansbrough brothers said he deserves more credit than people may give him.

“Coach Pattillo is just being humble,” Ben Hansbrough said. “I was a knucklehead when I was 15 and 16 years old and probably needed pretty hard coaching. He did a good job coaching me and teaching me the game of basketball. Talent doesn’t mean a thing if they can’t mix well and Pattillo did a really good job of getting everybody to play well together and embracing their roles. He held everybody to the same accountability, and there were no egos. The entire coaching staff, including Coach Eubanks, was great. He would meet us every morning at 6 a.m. to work, and it helped us all.”

Tyler Hansbrough agreed that Pattillo was just as important as the players who stepped onto the floor. He said Pattillo made them work hard and taught them discipline.

“I really felt like he was really good at getting us ready for those big games and moments,” Tyler said. “He had all our teams playing the best basketball at the end of the season, which is a very tough thing to do as a coach. Sometimes teams peak early, but we always work to improve throughout the whole year.”

Out of all the teams each has played on, Tyler said nothing compares to playing alongside his brother and the members of Mules’ varsity basketball team.

“My brother is my all-time favorite teammate,” Tyler said. “Ben is as competitive as they come. Winning anything big in life that you put a lot of work into with your brother is special. I also want to highlight that we all felt like we were brothers on that team. This is a team that was super tight. We were super close and spent a lot of time in the gym together. I’ve got guys on that team that I consider almost family to me, and we will forever have the memory of what we did together on that court.”