The Abilene High boys basketball team gave first-year coach Justin Reese the best present they could on Tuesday night at Eagle Gym, celebrating his 41st birthday with a 65-42 win over Odessa High in the Eagles’ first game of the season on the court that Reese called home as a player in the 1990s.

AHS never trailed, racing out to a 15-6 first-quarter lead and controlling the game from there in improving to 1-1 on the young season.

“It’s the best birthday present,” said Reese of the win — his first at his alma mater after spending the past nine years as the head boys basketball coach at Richardson.