Polk State Basketball celebrates 60 years during 2024-25 season

With the start of Citrus Conference play set for Saturday, Polk State Basketball enjoyed a stellar non-conference during what is a historic season – its 60th.

The Eagles are off to a 12-2 start during a 2024-25 season that has had plenty of memorable moments. That included the 100th career win for Head Coach Brandon Giles, a single-game program record for rebounds from Jimmy Cami, and the best nine-game start this millennium.

A three-time FCSAA champion, Polk State has had many successes over the years. Players have gone on to become community leaders, professional athletes, business owners, and more.

The early years

Athletics came to then Polk Community College for the first time during the 1965-66 Academic Year. Bob Henne, the College’s first faculty member, and Charles Harris served as the early physical education professors and coaches for the first two programs – baseball and men’s basketball.

With the College housed at Bartow Air Base, each of the two programs at the time had just a $300 budget. Those funds had to cover uniforms, equipment, and paying officials. For more than two decades, Henne and Harris served as staples for Polk State College Athletics.

Within a decade, Polk State’s programs had become a force to be reckoned with. The baseball team put together seven straight winning seasons from 1968 to 1974 while the basketball program claimed back-to-back conference championships during the 1973-74 and 1974-75 seasons.

The then Vikings were able to put together winning teams by finding talented players from across the country and locally, including Winter Haven High School graduate and NJCAA All-American Alford “Pop” Turner. Turner played from 1978 to 1980, and still holds the program’s single-game scoring record with 63 points.

“There’s a stigma that comes with JUCO, but we showed there was a lot of talent at the time,” Turner reflected. “Polk has had a lot of successful basketball players over the years. I would not have traded my Polk experience for anything.”

The championship years

The most successful tenure for Polk State came during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Prior to the start of the 1987-88 season, the program found the head coach who would take it to new heights – Josh Giles.

Born in 1942, Giles was raised in Detroit and brought more than 10 years of NCAA head coaching experience with him at Shawn University in North Carolina. He was the first head coach of Florida A&M University after its transition to an NCAA Division I program. Giles would go on to lead Polk State to FCSAA championships in 1989, 1991, and 1994.

The 1988-89 season would be the greatest in program history. Center Lorenzo Williams, the only player in program history to make an NBA regular season roster, joined players like Reggie Shields, Dave Carter, Jim Horn, Larry Patrick, and Bart Ross to make a potent lineup. After defeating Miami Dade South Community College to win its first ever FCSAA title 88-73, the program went on to finish fifth at the national NJCAA Tournament.

“Practices were just so competitive that the games seemed easy,” Williams explained. “Coach Giles raised us to be men. That built our character and prepared people like me for the rest of my life – in basketball and beyond.”

Two years later, Polk won its second title with a deep rotation that included Wayne Baxley, Mike Livingston, Sean Prude, Marcus Ford, Mike Hamilton, Mike Green, Dwayne Hackett, and Greg Williams – the younger brother of Lorenzo Williams – and more.

The 1993-94 season featured a core of future University of Georgia star Katu Davis, Shawn Winfree, and Duane Rogers. Polk State capped its most recent FCSAA title run with a 101-77 rout of what is now College of Central Florida. Winfree had the game of his life, scoring a career-high 37 points on a perfect 16-for-16 from the field as the program won its third title under Giles.

“All the players from Coach Giles’ era seemed to have great careers and lives,” Williams reflected. “We had seven players from our championship team go on to play Division I. That’s the most fun I ever had playing basketball.”

One legend replaces another

After leading Polk State to six conference championships, three state titles, and 262 wins over his 12 seasons, Giles stepped down after experiencing health issues. Fortunately for the program, it was able to find an accomplished successor in Matt Furjanic.

“Any time you take over a successful program, there’s pressure to keep it going,” Furjanic said. “What Josh accomplished there was legendary. He was the nicest guy. As intense as he was on the court, he was so gentle off it. I took it as a challenge to have Josh’s legacy live on.”

Prior to coming to Polk State, Furjanic had already made a name for himself in the college coaching ranks. In seven combined seasons at the NCAA Division I level at Robert Morris University and Marist College, where he coached future NBA All-Star Rik Smits, Furjanic combined for three NCAA Tournament appearances. Each time, he faced a coaching legend in the NCAA Tournament – Hall of Famers Bob Knight and Gene Keady and 1990 Naismith Coach of the Year Bobby Cremins.

Upon being hired, one of Furjanic’s first meetings was with Giles at his predecessor’s home in Auburndale.

“Josh told me everything I needed to know – who the boosters were, who the academic advisors I needed to talk were, everything,” Furjanic recalled. “Everything Josh told me, he nailed. I was welcomed with open arms. Bing Tyus was a great (Athletics Director). He made sure I had everything I needed to be successful.”

Giles died of a heart attack in 2002 at the age of 60, but not before he was honored at a home game.

“The night he was inducted into the Polk State Hall of Fame was the most emotional night for me as a coach,” Furjanic reflected. “To see the pride on his face and how much that moment meant to him made it the most memorable night of my time there.”

Over his 17 years at the helm, Furjanic won more than 300 games and six Suncoast Conference championships. His best seasons came in the late 2000s, thanks in large part to 2008-09 FCSAA Player of the Year Lance Jeter, who would go on to join Williams as the only players in program history to have their jerseys retired.

“Having my jersey up there means everything,” Jeter said. “There are a lot of great players who have come through Polk State. I wasn’t just on campus; I was a part of the community and made a lot of friends and people I now call family there. It’s a great place with a rich history.”

Full circle

Following Furjanic’s induction into the FCSAA Hall of Fame and retirement from coaching in 2017, Polk State found a successor familiar with the program. Born with the most recognizable last name in program history, Brandon Giles, the current head coach in his eighth season, is the son of the late Josh Giles.

“The institute alone has been a part of my life since day one,” the younger Giles reflected. “I grew up in a house less than a mile away. This College has been such a major piece of my life for my family and friends.”

With a member of the Giles family once again captaining the Polk State Basketball ship, many from the past have offered fond memories of the elder Giles and/or a helping hand.

“It excites me to see the program continue to thrive,” said Bart Ross, who played for Josh Giles during the 1988-89 season before spending three seasons as an assistant coach under him. “Brandon and Josh are great people. The same is true of (Brandon’s sister) Joslyn and (mother Cynthia). I remember watching Coach Giles at the game with a young Brandon and now seeing Brandon there with his two sons – the cutest kids around, by the way – is just awesome.”

In his third season at the helm – the 2019-20 campaign – Giles coached the Eagles to their first 20-win season in four years. Two years later, he led Polk State to the 2022 FCSAA Tournament. Although the Eagles fell in the first round to Chipola College, Giles and his late father became the first father-son duo to coach in the state tournament.

In his seven previous seasons, Giles has helped 30 players go on to four-year schools or play professionally. Giles also coached the program’s all-time leading scorer in Tekorian “TK” Smith and JJ Romer Rosario, the first former Polk State player to be selected in the NBA G League Draft.

“When people think about Polk State Basketball, I want them to think about community, excellence, and togetherness,” Giles explained. “I want us to win together in everything we do.”

Following the 2021-22 season, Tommie Lewis became the program’s first NJCAA All-American since Jeter more than a decade prior when he was named an honorable mention selection. Giles has prided his program on being one that gives back and one that produces productive individuals long after their playing careers are over.

“There have been so many great players and accomplished individuals who came before us at this program,” the younger Giles said. “Because this is the 60th, this team is always going to be remembered. We want to uphold the tradition of excellence.”