Chayse Lambert stood at the free throw line in the Kentucky Christian Athletic Association boys basketball state tournament final. Community Christian Academy’s only senior was waiting to receive the ball from an official in the waning seconds. The Crusaders’ lead over Galilean Christian Academy was growing with each made free throw. Lambert was given the basketball.
The veteran shooting guard took a deep breath and exhaled while fighting back tears.
“It was a rush of emotions,” Lambert said. “There’s about 20 seconds left and we’re making a bunch of free throws to seal it. The crowd was standing up. People started crying because they knew at that point we were going to win. I think I’m starting to cry because I’ve never won a championship, ever. I’m looking at the back board but I’m seeing coach Smith.”
Fourteen months earlier, tiny Community Christian faced a horrible loss: the death of its head basketball coach, Ryan Smith. He was 38. Diagnosed in August 2023, Smith passed away in December after a battle with an aggressive form of soft tissue cancer. His midseason passing devastated the entire school community.
The coach left behind his loving wife of five years, two adoring young children and many heartbroken family members. He left behind countless friends and associates as well as more than 100 current and former basketball players—including Lambert.
“He was my best friend,” Lambert said. “When I was at the free throw line, I was thinking of all the hours we put in together to make me better. There were a lot of free throws, a lot of shooting. I’ve been getting up at 4:45 in the morning to get going. I knew, no matter what, I was going to make those free throws and win a state championship.”
In those moments at the line, Lambert felt like his basketball life was flashing before him. Yet he still had his life—and plenty more of it—to live. He has a college offer to continue playing the sport he loves. Pressure? What pressure? He cocked his elbow and flicked his wrists.
Swish. Swish.
“I made them both,” Lambert said of his free throws March 1 at West Jessamine High School. “We made 10 free throws in a row in the final minute. I had four and Maximus Hays had six. It was awesome.”
Their successful free throws with heavy hearts underscored the finality and triumph. It wasn’t just about the points but also about fulfilling a promise and overcoming loss. And sealing a championship victory for a beloved school, a place that changed their lives.
Community Christian defeated Galilean Christian, 72-59, avenging a loss in the super regional. The championship round took two teams from each super regional. Community Christian competes in the KCAA’s Third Region.
Lambert scored 13 points in the final and was named tournament most valuable player. Hays, a freshman, led the team with 20 points. Junior Trey Casper added 19. Both joined Lambert on the all-tournament team.
All the players and coaches, including second-year head coach Adam Jump, a former Smith assistant, arose from a nightmare to live out a dream. They captured Community Christian’s fourth KCAA boys state championship, following titles in 2012, 2014 and 2017. Three came under Smith’s direction. Smith was head coach for 15 years.
“He was our leader and quite frankly the face of the program,” said Jump. He took control of the team when Smith left the bench. A 2015 Community Christian graduate, he played under Smith for three seasons.
“Ryan built this program and I think he was one of the best coaches in the state,” Jump continued. “A good coach can change a player. A great coach can change a life. Ryan changed lives. He changed my life. We did this for him and his family. We did it for the players and the school. It just seemed to make it a little better. We’ve been grieving for two seasons because we lost an icon at our school.”
The Crusaders put together a record of 24-4 one year after finishing 22-7 and making the KCAA state tournament semifinals. They took on this season with a roster of 10 regular players. Seven comprised the primary rotation at a school with about 12 boys per graduation class.
Community Christian, located on Taylor Mill Road in Independence, has a K-12 enrollment of approximately 275 students. The non-denominational school is dedicated to providing a Christ-centered education. It nurtures the spiritual, academic, and personal growth of each student.
Casper was the Crusaders’ scoring leader this season with 17.8 points per game. His rise is a testimony to Smith’s eye for talent and Jump’s penchant for improving players.
“He got me involved. I owe him a lot,” Casper said of Smith. “I can’t believe he’s not here. Without him, there was so much doubt. Now, there’s a lot of belief. Life teaches you lessons outside of a sermon. I think this was a good experience in belief and faith.”
Lambert was second on the Crusaders with 13.9 points followed by Hays at 13. Kyle Berkemeier averaged 11.3. Next were Cooper Lambert (7.1), Rhyder Lovins (6.8) and Aiden Odom (4.9). Chayse Lambert and Casper were named KCAA all-state.
Not bad for a team that at one point had just three returning varsity players after last season. Jump said the program lost 14 players total. There were concerns about fielding a team in 2024-25.
“Not only did we lose our coach, we lost a lot of kids that we expected to return,” said Jump. “Fortunately, we had some solid first-year players come in.”
Hays is one of them.
“They were thinking of rebuilding when I got here,” Hays said. “But after a while we felt like we could win a championship. They lost their coach. Chayse is our guy, and I wanted to help them win. We just knew we had to get it done.”
The combo guard is part of the Alexander extended family. The clan includes local prep football legend and one-time NFL MVP Shaun Alexander. Among Hays’ many cousins is Cooper football standout Austin Alexander.
“Maximus is a do-everything guy. He’s the guy we want with the ball in his hands in crunch time. That’s saying a lot for a freshman and a new starter on the team,” Jump said. “Chayse was our only returning starter. He’s our leader out there.”
They anchor a sturdy lineup.
“They can score and so can Trey who was our sixth man last year. This year, he’s our starting point guard,” Jump said. “Aiden Odom was another guy off the bench who gives us starting minutes. He brings a lot of defensive energy. Cooper Lambert is Chayse’s brother. He’s 6-4 and our tallest kid. He had hardly ever played varsity and made a huge jump for us. Lovins is probably our most offensively gifted player. Berkemeier is our best defender. They all shoot pretty well.”
Community Christian shot nearly 49% from the field, 33% from 3-point range and 72% from the free throw line. Those are rock-solid rates for any team in any association. And the Crusaders don’t play a KCAA-only schedule. Though they can’t play KHSAA opponents, they did face Ohio teams such as Deer Park and Finneytown. They also took on a team from Illinois.
Chayse Lambert led the Crusaders from 3-point range at 37% and the free throw line at 90%. Hays was the assist leader with 4.8 per game and rebounding leader with 6.7.
“We love sharing the ball and I like having lots of scorers and shooters,” Jump said of his motion offense. “It’s team basketball. Make the extra pass. Find the open man. Take the shot and have fun. On defense, it’s man-to-man with ball pressure and getting to the help side.”
Jump said somehow all the elements came together as the team persevered, and he has a theory.
“It was a perfect storm,” the coach said. “But God’s timing is always perfect.”
Chayse Lambert agrees.
“We did everything we could to honor his legacy,” Lambert said of Smith. “Our whole family was invested in this. My brother Cooper is a junior on the varsity and my brother Carson is an eighth grader on the JV. My dad is an assistant coach and my mom is in charge of concessions. We know if we put faith first, everything will fall into place, and everything fell into place at state.”