The dunk is arguably the most exciting play in basketball. Moberly High School has not won a conference or district boys basketball championship in the lifetime of any kid on the team ,but this year a player they call gray hair is playing beyond his years.

Brennan Hughes is only a sophomore, but he started doing this a long time ago.

"He could dunk in sixth grade. I saw it at a basketball camp and he was the only one. It wasn't real crisp, but it was a dunk. None of us could touch net in sixth grade," said Moberly's senior guard Eric Saunders.

"In sixth grade we were with a traveling team. My step dad was the coach and I just went down the court and dunked it. My step dad actually ran out on the court and grabbed me. My teammate Chris Cupp just stood there pointing in the air," said sophomore center Brennen Hughes.

A dunk is still worth two points in the box score, but to Moberly. It carries more when it comes to momentum.

"I think in high school basketball it's such a cool thing because there's not many people that can do it. It can bring a crowd to its feet because it showcases the athleticism," said head coach Tyler Hames.

"It gets us hyped up and ready to play. We play harder on defense and on dunks we go crazy," said Saunders.

"It's worth two points, but for a team its a motivator for them. They love it," said Hughes.

Moberly hasn't loved basketball until recently. Coach Tyler Hames has seen the Spartan uprising firsthand.

"I'd say the toughest time was three years ago when we went 2-23. We didn't have a lot of wins and there just wasn't a lot of positives," reflected coach Hames.

Moberly hasn't won a district title since the 83-84 season.

"That and conference. They haven't won conference since I don't remember when," said Saunders.

Records show they haven't won conference since 1974-75.

"Those are two of our main goals this year is to win our conference and to win our district. Because we know that's quite a feat in itself," said Hames.

And with Brennan Hughes in the middle, Moberly and the surrounding area are starting to notice.

"He's got this laugh that is so loud. I think if he's in Moberly you can hear it in Higbee. He's got a great personality," said coach Hames of Hughes.

And he's mature beyond his years.

"We call him 'gray-hair' because he's got a few gray hairs and he's only 15 years old," said Hames.

"I've had gray hairs since I was in fourth grade. I don't know why, they just started growing," said Hughes.

"I don't know how that happens, but better him to have gray hair than me," said Hames.

The old man just turned 16 and got his driver's license.

"If your in the streets of Moberly I would say stay off the sidewalks," said Hames jokingly.

And watch out under the basket.

As for that drivers license test, Hughes tells me he got a 94.

Coach Hames describes him as a coaches dream.

Moberly is 17-1 and a perfect 6-0 in the NCMC this season.

On Tuesday night Hughes hurt his knee. Coach Hames says he's game by game, but might be a loss for the season.