Argie Rhymes, in his Carl Hayden blue shirt, holds the basketball, still an imposing figure at 71.

Once a feared power forward on the high school court in the the mid-1960s at Phoenix Union, he belts out instructions with that familiar booming voice. Nothing has changed since the 1980s. He still gets emotional. He still stalks the court like he’s about to pounce on any given mistake.

He still has the softest heart off the court, talking in subtle, soft tones, making sure kids know the vicious cycle of life that awaits, and how much more important books are than buckets.

Players are attentive and driven by the revered coach who has more than 700 wins and four state championships.

Now there are three generations of Rhymes inside the gymnasium that is named after Argie.

There is his son Martin “Dinkey” Rhymes, who played on back-to-back state championship teams in 1986 and ’87. He is now a computer engineer who helps out with his dad.

Two of Argie’s grandsons – 6-foot-3 senior Isaiah Rhymes and 6-5 sophomore Terrence Green – drive the Falcons on the court. The team is 13-5, ranked 17th by Arizona Interscholastic Association/MaxPreps 5A, and players are talking about a state-championship run.

A Rhymes cousin, guard Isaiah Chapman has also played a key role, along with senior guard Javon Lamb, in the Falcons’ resurrection of state-title hopes, something that hasn’t been felt since 1998, the last time they were playing for a crown.

Carl Hayden’s’ last state championship under Rhymes came in 1997 when the Falcons beat Tucson Salpointe Catholic in overtime.

Basketball still rules in south Phoenix, and there is no greater name than Rhymes.

“He is a little toned down,” Dinkey Rhymes said of his dad. “But he is the same man. When players feel officials made a bad call, he’ll get on the players and say, ‘No, don’t blame the officials.’

“He stresses defense. We’ve got a lot of talent now.”

The offense revolves around Isaiah Rhymes, who is averaging 22 points. Green,  Chapman and Lamb are all at about 10 points a game.

Green’s mom is Argie’s daughter, who played on Carl Hayden’s girls basketball team in the 1980s, about the same time Dinkey was going through his glory days of playing with guys like Byron Rhymes, Marlon Rhymes, Larry Works and Tracy Collins.

“It’s an experience,” Argie said of coaching his grandsons. “They listen. They do a good job.

“They keep you motivated. They keep you younger. Thank God, I still have my strength and health. I’ve been fortunate.”

Argie has been retired from teaching for 18 years. But he still gets up every day, gets to the gym and pushes kids whose dads were once driven by the man.

This is a special team. There is always the worry that players may become ineligible for failing a class. In the Phoenix Union district, the no-pass, no-play policy is every three weeks and has ripped other teams apart. Not this team.

Isaiah has a 4.7 grade-point average, leading a group that has remained eligible. Like his dad, Isaiah is headed to becoming an engineer, and, he hopes, a college basketball player.

“This is a team of angels,” assistant coach Gilbert Lopez said.

Lopez points to Lamb, whose dad died of a heart attack two years ago, shortly after returning home from a Carl Hayden practice. He points to Chapman, whose baby brother died in a car accident about seven years ago.

Lopez’s wife died from an illness.

Long-time assistant coach Pete Tuccio, who gave the Carl Hayden program to Argie after Argie’s beloved Phoenix Union closed in 1982, died almost two years ago. Tuccio was Rhymes’ assistant since 1982.

Gilbert feels they’ve watched over and picked up this team as guardian angels.

“We have the potential to go all the way,” Chapman said. “Every person in this gym is a special piece to what we do and what we want to do at the end of the season.”

Lamb was heartbroken after his father died. It happened right before his first high school basketball game as a freshman.

“It was hard,” he said. “It motivates me to show what he taught me on the basketball court. I feel his spirit on the court all the time.”

Off the court, it’s “Grandpa.” On the court, it’s “Coach.”

“Some of us have been working for this moment for years and years,” Isaiah Rhymes said. “Some years haven’t been so successful.”

Green couldn’t wait to play at Carl Hayden.

“I wanted to play for my grandpa,” he said.

They look at the vintage Carl Hayden basketball films of the ’80s and ’90s and know what they’ve got to do.

“They ran the ball, played defense hard, passed the ball as a team,” Isaiah said. “We want to do the same thing that made them so good.”

It’s more than family that keeps Argie going.

“It’s just the love of the game,” Isaiah said. “It’s as simple as that.”

GIRLS BASKETBALL REWIND: Momentum buster

BOYS BASKETBALL REWIND: Age gap

To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at [email protected] or 602-316-8827. Follow him at twitter.com/azc_obert.