DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) -- A respected figure in the Decatur basketball community and a graduate of MacArthur High School’s Class of 1997 will be the next leader of the Unity Christian basketball program, bringing with him decades of playing and coaching experience at the high school, collegiate, and national levels.
As a student-athlete at MacArthur High School, he distinguished himself as one of the area’s top competitors. In 1997, he earned IBCA All-State honors in basketball and captured the IHSA State Championship in the long jump. His athletic success extended to the national stage, where he claimed a title at the AAU/USA Junior Olympics in the long jump.
Following high school, he continued his athletic and academic career at Wabash Valley College, earning NJCAA All-American honors during the 1997–98 season. He later went on to compete at Wichita State University, further solidifying his foundation in high-level athletics.
His coaching career began in 2003 at MacArthur High School under the mentorship of Clark Barnes, where he contributed to a regional championship. He has since built an impressive coaching résumé across multiple programs. From 2012 to 2015, he served as assistant head coach at Lutheran School Association, helping guide the program to its first regional championship and first-ever sectional game appearance.
He continued his success at Eisenhower High School from 2015 to 2019, where the team secured a regional title and advanced to a sectional championship appearance. Most recently, from 2024 to 2026, he has served as assistant head coach for the Unity Christian Lions, helping the program achieve a school-record 34 wins and its first-ever sectional championship game appearance.
With a wealth of experience gained under respected coaching leaders, he now looks ahead to the opportunity to guide a program of his own.
"I am looking forward to the opportunity to lead my own program,” Phillips said. “I have learned under some of the greatest minds in high school basketball and feel prepared to lead the young Lions and build on the incredible success from a year ago. We are in a strong position to be a very competitive team next season. While we will be a different group, our goal remains the same—to develop outstanding individuals and a very good basketball team. I look forward to the challenge.”
“We are thrilled to have Mike Phillips leading our program. Mike brings a wealth of experience, a proven track record of success, and a deep understanding of what it takes to build a winning culture." Kurt Younghouse, Unity Christian Athletic Director, said. "His commitment to developing student-athletes both on and off the court aligns perfectly with our mission. He has learned from some outstanding coaches throughout his career, and that knowledge, combined with his passion and leadership, will have an immediate and lasting impact on our program. I am confident he will continue to build on our recent success and guide our young men to compete at a high level while representing our school and community with pride.”
Copyright 2026. WAND TV. All rights reserved.
