It’s hard to encapsulate more than 40 years and 800 wins in a single moment. Yet, somehow, William Carey managed to do so.
From former All-Americans to former champions and starters from the early 1980s, generations gathered in Hattiesburg to honor their head coach, Steve Knight, for reaching 800 career wins. The school presented him with a plaque, and behind him stood lifelong Crusaders — all coached and mentored by Knight.
“It really was special,” Knight said. “Especially with so many former players coming back from the ’80s, ’90s and 2000s. We topped it off with a good win, so it was a special evening.”
The ceremony brought together generations of Carey basketball. Knight estimated he counted four former All-Americans in attendance, along with three starters from his very first team in the early 1980s.
“They did a really good job contacting guys without my knowledge,” Knight said with a laugh. “I had a lot of guys there. Really, really special.”
Eight hundred wins is a milestone few coaches reach at any level, and Knight was quick to deflect credit.
“I’ve been doing this a long time,” he said. “I’ve had really good teams, really good players. I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad assistant coach. They’ve done a great job through the years building and maintaining this program.”
Knight also credited institutional stability, noting he has coached under four university presidents.
“It certainly hasn’t been just me doing this,” he said. “It’s been a good ride.”
Even by Knight’s standards, the 2025–26 campaign has surprised him. The Crusaders were coming off a 19–11 season and lost both starting wing players in Dylan Brumfield and first-team all-conference selection Ashton Campbell. Naturally, expectations were tempered internally until the new pieces began to work together.
But the Crusaders have raced out to one of the best starts in program history at 18–1.
“We expected to be good, but we didn’t expect this,” Knight said. “We had a lot to replace.”
Instead, Carey reloaded through recruiting and internal development. Veterans Anthony Robertson and Randarius Hughes emerged as leaders, while competition in practice sharpened the group from the start.
Steve Knight (above) has led William Carey to a 18-1 season so far, despite time away from court due to hip issues. (Photo by Jacob Brumfield)
“It’s been competitive from day one because we’re pretty deep,” Knight said. “They’ve worked hard and gotten after it.”
The season has also carried personal challenges for Knight, who dealt with hip issues beginning in late September. During stretches when he couldn’t be on the court, Phillip “PJ” McCray and Eric Burt ran practices as if Knight were there.
“It didn’t matter,” Knight said of his time away from the court. “PJ took the bull by the horns, and Eric Burt. They practiced just as if I was there. The guys were always checking on me. That’s what makes this group special.”
On the floor, Carey’s surge has been driven by both determination and breakout performers.
Guard Jamar Jenkins has thrived in an expanded role, stepping into the starting lineup after serving as a scoring spark off the bench last season.
“He’s our best shooter when his feet are set,” Knight said. “He’s a tough kid, played in a lot of big games, and that experience shows.”
Meanwhile, Malik Franklin has become the engine that makes everything run. Knight called him the best all-around player in the conference, citing his defensive impact, rebounding and leadership.
“We moved him from the four to point guard,” Knight said. “He doesn’t worry about scoring. He tries to lead. He’s a tough defender, a rebounder — he had 18 rebounds in our last home game.”
Despite standing just over 6 feet tall, Franklin’s wingspan and instincts set him apart.
“You can tell the difference when he’s not on the court,” Knight said. “That’s why he leads us in minutes.”
As strong as the season has gone so far, Knight emphasized that the real measuring stick lies ahead. A challenging road swing this week features multiple top conference opponents. Trips to Loyola, Life University and Dalton State all appear on the docket — games Knight expects to test his team.
“This is the kind of week where we need to prove it,” Knight said. “Either we do or we don’t. If we don’t, we’ll look at why and improve. If we do, then we know we’ve got a team that can beat anybody, anywhere.”
For now, Carey continues to stack wins while honoring the past that made them possible.
Eight hundred victories later — and one step closer to 1,000 — Knight remains focused on the same thing he always has: the next practice, the next game and the team in front of him.
“We just want to be the best we can be come tournament time,” he said.
