Mike Bibby is no stranger to the big stage. He's been there his entire career. From smashing the Arizona state single-season scoring record in high school to winning an NCAA championship to playing in several big-time playoff games during his 14-year career in the NBA, he always seems to find himself in the spotlight.

Bibby will be there once again next week as the head coach of his alma mater, Shadow Mountain (AZ), as it gears up for its first-ever DICK'S Sporting Goods National Tournament next week at Christ The King High School in New York City.

Armed with a perfect 27-0 record, the Matadors are as dangerous as any in the eight-team field and will definitely come to play when they take on Montverde Academy (FL) in the opening round on Thursday.

FloHoops: Coach, Shadow Mountain is going to DICK'S Nationals. Is that still kind of crazy to realize?
Bibby: It's exciting. You know, it's never happened to a high school boys basketball team in Arizona, so we're the first to do it out here. The kids are excited. I mean, I didn't even get a chance to play in it when I was here or even last year when we had one of the top teams in the country, too. It's exciting for the boys and a chance to show people out there that Arizona kids can play basketball.

What was going through your mind when you saw the news you'd be in it, saw the matchup, and everything that goes with it?
Man, I couldn't believe it. I was excited for the boys, just giving them a chance to be seen on a national level because a lot of people get it in their mind that kids in Arizona can't play. We're going to show them that they can, and I'm just excited for the state of Arizona, for the whole organization, and the high school.

Do you think your players will have a chip on their shoulders to prove something to the national audience?
I think they will, but no matter who we are playing, we're going to come out and try to win the game. We were 27-0 this year, and when we get out there, it means business. We do what we can as a team to win games.

This team had a pretty dominant run all season but definitely during the state playoffs. What worked so well for you guys this year?
We just let the kids play. When you go out there, you have to play defense. I've never been the coach to pick about your shots. I figure if you put the work in, and they get in there to get extra shots, that in the game, when that shot comes, shoot it. I don't want to tell any kids that it's a bad shot or don't shoot the ball. Then you get the kids that are hesitant, and even if they do shoot it, it's not going to go in. I just let them play offensively. We have stuff that we do, but we like to run and to let the guys play. If you feel that the shots open or want to be aggressive and taking it to the basket, I have no problem with that, but you have to play defense.

What do you like about this team that makes it work?
We're fast. We don't have much height, but we make up for it with speed. We've been compared to the red fire ants. They get down and play defense, straight up defense, on-the-ball defense, and help-side defense. That gets our offense going.

How is the coaching life going for you? What's that been like?
It's good. It's fun. It's stressful. It's definitely more stressful than playing because you don't really have any control on what goes on out there, but it's fun. It's something that I love doing. I love helping kids and making kids better.

What did you think about your opening matchup initially when playing a program like Montverde Academy (FL)?
It's going to be good. We've been playing against those caliber of kids our whole life and the kid's whole life. We're up for the challenge. I don't think anybody probably has us winning, and that's good for us. We go in there, play the way we play, play together, play our style, and see how it turns out.

What's it going to take to beat a team like that with the pieces they have?
We can only play our game, regardless what happens. Shots aren't always going to go in, but you can control how hard you play and your effort. As long as we put in that effort and play hard, you never know what can happen.

What's the one thing you're most looking forward to on the trip with this team?
Just to see them together playing against top teams on national TV to where they can showcase their talents to everybody across the country.

How much fun can this trip be for this team?
It's going to be good. DICK'S is a big-time thing, and as far as everything that they are doing for us, it's going to be exciting for the kids. The kids might not ever get to travel to New York and get to be in that type of atmosphere, the mecca of basketball.