"I think it's a little bit of both, I just never dreamed that I would be in this position," said Conway, who earned his 500th career win as the Jefferson City Lady Jays thumped Sedalia Smith Cotton 60-22 at Fleming Fieldhouse. "There will be some reflection, but there's also, 'Hey, it's time to get ready for the next one.' There are still a lot of things we want to get accomplished this year.

"To me, it just means I've been doing it for a long time, and I've been fortunate to coach some good teams and some good players."

As is the case with most good coaches, Conway doesn't care much about individual glory. Still, his 28-year record of 500-239 should certainly be a source of pride.

As the current president of the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association and a member of the Hall of Fame committee, Conway has his pulse on the records of coaches around the state.

With that in mind, and in this moment of reflection, Conway softened his stance a bit.

"There aren't a lot of coaches who have over 500 wins, like 83 or 84," said Conway, who's in his fourth year with the Lady Jays. "And there have been a lot of coaches in Missouri the past 50 or 60 years (as in thousands). So just being in that group is an honor and a blessing."

Conway's first win came at Albany High School in Northwest Missouri in 1990. He doesn't remember who Albany played, let alone the score.

"All I remember is that we'd already lost seven in a row," he said, "so it felt good to get that monkey off your back and get that first win."

Conway, 52, is a 1984 graduate of St. James High School. Most of his success came at his alma mater, as he compiled a mark of 299-97 in 14 seasons, with three Final Four appearances.

"It was home and we had some really teams there," Conway said, "but this is home now, this is where my wife and I are going to retire. We love the community, I love the school and I love what we've been able to do here and what's in store."

The Lady Jays were a struggling program, going 29-51 in the three seasons before Conway arrived in 2015.

Call this a quick recovery, the Conway Way --- 22-5, 20-7, 25-4 and this season, 9-0. A combined 76-16.

Doing a quick check of the math, 76-16 is a lot better than 29-51.

"My goal coming here was to put (the program) back on the map," Conway said. "I knew there was going to be some work, but I've been fortunate to have some good coaches and some talent to work with. All of us, collectively, have this thing headed back in the right direction."

The night against Smith-Cotton (2-7) turned out to be a night of milestones, as senior guard Caitlin Anderson surpassed 1,000 points for her career on a score in the first quarter.

Jefferson City enjoyed leads of 18-6 after one and 36-12 at the half on its way to the 38-point romp.

The Lady Jays are ranked No. 1 in the state in Class 5, and they're looking the part.

"This group is determined and they've set some goals, winning districts and then going as far as we can go," Conway said. "Last year kind of left a bad taste in our mouths (a 35-34 sectional loss to Francis Howell Central), so they're very hungry this year."

With the exception of one year coaching the Carrollton boys team in the late 1990's, Conway has only coached girls basketball.

"I just feel like the girls' game is a little bit more pure," he said, "and that girls are very, very coachable. They're willing to listen and make adjustments."

So now that Conway is a member of the Elite 500 Club, how about 600? 700? Do I hear 800?

"I don't know about that," he said with a laugh. "I don't know how many years I have left in me, but I still love what I'm doing and the competition. I still love the game, I still love the relationships with the players and seeing them grow, and seeing teams come together. And I'm still having fun.

"As long as I still love the game and still have that passion and that fire, I want to keep doing it."

Before looking forward, let's take a final look back at those 500 wins. Does one rise above all others?

"I've experienced the overtime wins and losses and the buzzer beaters to win or lose games," Conway said. "But if there was one game I'll never forget, it was in 2005 when I was coaching at St. James."

St. James had reached the Final Four that season and was playing Jennings in the third-place game at the Hearnes Center. The game was tied with time running down.

"Jennifer Bowen, who was my starting point guard for four years, had the ball in her hands," Conway said. "My assistant said, 'Do you want a timeout?' And I said, 'Nope, the ball's where we want it. She's either going take the shot or find somebody who has a better shot.'

"Well, she ended up hitting a little 10-foot baseline shot as time expired. There are a ton of games I remember, but that's one I'll never forget."

Who knows? Maybe, just maybe, the Lady Jays will give Conway a new, unforgettable No. 1 memory this season.

Jefferson City Lady Jays head coach Brad Conway gives some last-second instructions to his team prior to Wednesday night's game with Sedalia Smith-Cotton at Fleming Fieldhouse.

The 500 Club: Conway reaches

milestone as Lady Jays roll to win

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