This is an opinion piece.

Bart Hyche is facing some long days at Legacy Arena in Birmingham next week.

The former Winfield and Mississippi State star will once again be a part of the statewide television coverage of the AHSAA basketball finals for WOTM and Alabama Public Television.

He’ll see all 42 games in Classes 1A-7A either as a part of the pregame, halftime and postgame shows or a color analyst for the 2A, 4A, 5A and 7A championships. The tournament starts at 9 a.m. Monday and finishes around 8 p.m. Saturday.

That’s a lot of basketball.

And he absolutely can’t wait.

“I’m on fumes right now. I went to every regional and saw teams that I wanted to see that I hadn’t had a chance to see yet,” he said. “I’m going to go to sleep for about 18 hours, watch college basketball all day, come off radio on Monday morning and be ready to rock for the week.”

Hyche will join AL.com column writing legend Kevin Scarbinsky in a courtside booth between games and at halftime early in the week to provide TV analysis of what is happening on the Legacy Arena floor. It’s hard to imagine a more knowledgeable and prepared duo to handle those roles.

RELATED: See next week’s schedule

Hyche estimates he’s seen or been a part of approximately 25 state basketball tournaments over the years. He played in two finals for Winfield High and has witnessed many more, both in his childhood and as adult. He’s obviously highly qualified to discuss how this state’s high school final four compares nationally.

“Best in the country. Period,” he said. “I don’t have to go anywhere else. I’ve watched it. I’ve lived it. I’ve breathed it. I’ve felt every emotion except winning it. When you get older, you realize how difficult it is to win these things. I wish I had known it more when I was a player.”

Hyche, a two-time Class 3A Player of the Year and Alabama Sports Writers Association Super 5 member, played in two finals at two different locations for Winfield. The 1993 Pirates lost to Francis Marion 82-76 in Tuscaloosa prior to the tournament shifting to Birmingham in 1994. In 1995, Winfield made the 3A final again, this time losing to R.C. Hatch 97-77 in the championship.

“In 1995, I remember I was really mad at Nicole Carruth and Sulligent because their game went into overtime and our game didn’t start until like 10:17,” he joked. “It wasn’t meant to be for us. I remember that helpless feeling of things just not going great. I didn’t have many games like that in high school honestly. At halftime, the vibe just wasn’t great. They were more athletic. I also remember how big the crowd was. It was the first time I ever played in front of a crowd like that, which I believe was like 10 or 12,000.”

Hyche said he also can still recall the “juice” in the arena.

“I had an electric headache,” he said. “I’ve only had it a couple of times in my life. That place exploded when we ran out of the tunnel. No one thought we were going to lose.”

Hyche’s high school team didn’t lose much. The Pirates were 96-6 in his final three seasons, including 31-3 in that 1995 year. And, yes, he remembers the loss that ended the 1994 season one game short of the state semifinals.

“I went 4-of-28 against Colbert County in the regional final,” he said. “Thanks for reminding me.”

You don’t have to talk with Hyche for long to realize how much he loves the game of basketball and the state of Alabama. I’m guessing that, although sleep will be hard to come by, he looks forward to this particular week in Birmingham as much as any other throughout the year.

I asked him what or who he was looking forward to seeing next week. He quickly rattled off multiple names, three at the top of the list:

1. Caleb Holt, Buckhorn: “He is generational. He may be remembered as the best in the state of Alabama when all is said and done. The kid is legit. People need to come watch him.”

2. DeWayne Brown, Hoover: “He’s the best big man we’ve seen since Demarcus Cousins. Everyone in the SEC is on him. Tennessee really loves him. Mississippi State and Auburn are in there as well.”

3. Ace Austin, Spring Garden: “She may be the best player in the history of 1A basketball in this state, boys or girls, though you have Herb Jones lurking around on the boys side. She’s a special small school player. She’s worth the watch.”

If you can’t attend the final four in person, Hyche and Scarbinsky will be worth the watch as well. Their passion for the sport and for student-athletes is contagious and unmatched.

“I absolutely love the game,” Hyche said. “The emotions, the adversity, the life lessons you learn are incredible. There are only five players on the court at a time. Each of them has 20 percent of the accountability. That’s not just offense but defense as well. That team aspect of basketball is just special. I can’t wait until next week.”

Neither can we.

Thought for the week

I thought it appropriate to let Bart lead us this week. He said he “wears Jesus on his sleeve because He owns my heart.” He also wanted to give a shout out to one of his two 18-year-old shih tzu’s, Ella, who died recently.

When I asked him for his favorite Bible verses, these are the two he recited immediately:

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” – John 10:10

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” – Genesis 50:20

Hyche can also be heard on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on the Press Box (PressBoxradio.com).

Ben Thomas is the high school sportswriter at AL.com. He has been named one of the 50 legends of the Alabama Sports Writers Association. Follow him on twitter at @BenThomasPreps or email him at [email protected]. He can be heard weekly on “Inside High School Sports” on SportsTalk 99.5 FM in Mobile or on the free IHeart Radio App at 2 p.m. Wednesdays.