When Federal Way senior point guard Marcus Stephens came to the program from Curtis as a sophomore in 2014, Eagles coach Jerome Collins didn’t make him any promises.

Stephens expected to play a big role with the eventual state champion roster, but Collins, a former point guard himself, already had his guy in Viont’e Daniels.

Stephens didn’t pout, didn’t complain. Instead, he formed a tight bond with guards Malik Montoya and Daniels, spending the next two seasons clinging to his elder guards, soaking up all the knowledge he could.

Now, in his senior season, Stephens has taken the reigns of Collins’ offense and is averaging 18 points per game. On Jan. 27, Stephens played his final regular season home game as a member of Federal Way with a 95-59 win over Beamer. The victory sealed the Eagles’ second-consecutive undefeated regular season and upped their active win streak to 62 games, the nation’s longest.

Stephens didn’t disappoint in his final curtain call, scoring 21 points, grabbing four rebounds and four assists in the win. In his three seasons as a member of Federal Way, Stephens has a career record of 72-2 to complement two state championships.

“Marcus really led us, especially when Malcolm [Cola] picked up two quick fouls and had to sit down,” Collins said of Stephens. “He stabilizes us when we need it. As he goes, so will we. I’m proud of the way he’s handled that pressure.”

Collins, who’s nearing the end of his 33rd season with Federal Way, remembers when a young Stephens came to the Eagles in the fall of 2014.

Stephens’ talent was evident from the get-go, but, Collins said, the mental side of his game needed some work.

“It’s been a maturation process,” Collins said of Stephens’ progression. “But we were able to draw him in at the right time. We were able to put personnel around him. The leadership was there.”

The personnel Collins spoke of was Daniels and Montoya.

The pair took Stephens under their championship-experienced wings as their point guard apprentice.

With Daniels, who is now in his sophomore season at Washington State, playing the Eagles starting point guard, he helped teach Stephens how to manage games following Collins’ fast-break offense.

Montoya, who was injured and missed considerable playing time, took the back end of Stephens’ tutelage. Montoya worked with Stephens during and even after practice in areas such as ball-handling and leadership.

“Basketball here is a tradition,” Stephens said. “It’s something instilled by coach in all of us here. There are a lot of players who play Division I basketball here, and they’ve played on this floor that I play on. So, I try to leave my mark on this floor to be remembered that I, that we, played here.”

Stephens remembers his first interaction with Collins, too.

He remembered Collins telling him he had no chance to play a big part on varsity as a sophomore, and maybe not in his junior season.

He told Stephens, however, if he was willing to play limited minutes and endure “dark times,” good things would happen for him.

“He had my back, and he kept his word,” Stephens said. “Through the tough times, he always believed in me. It’s bigger than basketball with him. He makes us good men.”

Stephens said Daniels and Montoya weren’t the only ones who helped build his success.

He has received a lot of help from Collins, who played the position through college and a year of semi-professional basketball, as well as former Federal Way point guard Yattah Reed, who played under Collins in the 1990s, earning All-South Puget Sound League North Division first-team honors as a junior in 1991. Stephens also looked up to Jeffrey Forbes, Collins’ point guard on the 1999 state champion team. The two have formed a close relationship, and the Federal Way alum attended Stephens’ final home game.

“Jeff always came back here whenever he could,” Stephens said. “He’d work with me in practice, or we’d talk about the game and he’s given me tips. That’s something I’m really grateful for.”

Federal Way faces off at 7 p.m. Saturday against Kentwood, the team the Eagles beat 66-54 on March 5, 2016, to win their second-straight state championship.

Just as Collins didn’t promise success to a young Stephens in 2014, he didn’t promise his team playoff success after last week’s win. Instead, Collins was content with dangling what could be and allowing his team the opportunity to write its own destiny in the pursuit of a third-straight state title.

“We’ll use the week of preparation,” Collins said. “We’ve got to get ready for a tough game. Kentwood is a heck of a ball club.”