Marshall Baker is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Basha High School for AZPreps365.com

Winning has been the main priority for Basha head coach Mike Grothaus, and he’s brought plenty of it since taking the helm for a school that needed a fresh start.

Grothaus, who lived and grew up in Gilbert, got his taste of success back in 2003, when he won a state championship at Gilbert High School under head coach Tom Bennett. Grothaus owes his love for coaching and basketball to Bennett, who approached the game in a unique way.

“I always wanted to get into coaching because of him,” said Grothaus. “He just helped me see the game in such a different way, I was motivated by him, I loved every minute playing under him.”

Grothaus is not the only coach to come from Bennett’s tree, with Gilbert High School’s head coach Jay Caserio and Northern Arizona University’s head coach Shane Burcar also branching from Bennett’s tenure at Gilbert.

After high school, Grothaus played a short college stint in Jamestown N.D., but ended up back home where he played at Grand Canyon University. After graduating, Grothaus had his mind set on coaching, so he joined the GCU staff as a grad-assistant.

It was there at GCU where Sam Ballard, an Arizona High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee, invited Grothaus to join his staff at Mesa Community College as the assistant coach. After a five-year tenure, Basha High School had an opening for the head coaching job and Grothaus has been there ever since.

The success didn’t come right away, and it took a while for Grothaus to build what he envisioned for the program. After losing in the semifinals of the 6A playoffs the year prior, the Bears would go on to win their first state championship in 2017. It was a special group for Grothaus, with the team of seniors being his first full freshman class, having been there the same year he arrived at Basha. They finished the season 30-1.

“To come in and watch those guys grow for four years, it was special, just a special, special team,” said Grothaus.

Grothaus has had the Bears playing in the postseason in 5 of the last 6 years, most recently coming off a semifinal loss to Sunnyslope in this season’s first Open Division playoff in Arizona. They finished this season 25-5.

Despite molding the program more and more to how he sees fit, on the court success isn’t the only thing Grothaus is looking for. Off the court, he wants to help his players grow into successful individuals through hard work and discipline.

“The basketball side of it is fun, we enjoy that, but I want to see these guys be great fathers, great husbands, great men when they leave this program,” said Grothaus.

Former player and now assistant coach Klay Stall commends Grothaus for the kind of effort he’s put into helping his players, noting his love for the game.

“I think just the passion and intensity it takes to be a successful game. It is an everyday type of agreement, not just sometimes,” said Stall.

With the offseason now starting for his young team, the Bears have a lot to look forward to in the coming year. Grothaus knows the kind of work they’ll have to put in to replicate a season like this past.

With much of this season’s production returning next year, coupled with the growth of standout freshman Mason Magee and Elijah Summers-Livingston, Grothaus is looking to bring another title to Basha sooner than later.

“It’s a process of getting better every single day, the results will come if you put in the work, that’s our motivation,” said Grothaus.