Hassan Nizam has been named the new head coach for the Macomb Community College men’s basketball program, Director of Athletics Bryan Rizzo announced.
Nizam—well-known across in the basketball world as “Coach Niz”—steps into the role for Blake Jackson, who served as interim head coach last season following the retirement of longtime head coach, Jim Twigg.
“We are very happy to add another strong coach to our staff,” said Rizzo following the announcement of Nizam as the program’s new head coach. “We are confident Coach Niz will bring the enthusiasm and work ethic necessary to build and maintain a successful program both on-and-off the court. I look forward to working with him.”
Nizam, 26, joins the Monarchs after a successful four-year stint at nearby Roseville High School. At Roseville, Nizam—then the youngest head basketball coach in the MHSAA—inherited a program with three district titles in its long history and quickly turned it into a local and state power. During his four years at the helm, Nizam more-than-doubled the boys basketball trophies in Roseville’s case by guiding the program to three district titles and the school’s first regional championship while compiling a 59-28 overall record against some of Michigan’s top programs. Roseville was close to potentially capturing a fourth district title under Nizam’s guidance before the pandemic cut the 2020 season short on the morning of the district championship game.
In addition to the district titles and historic regional crown, Nizam’s Roseville program set numerous school records, including its first 20-win season, and was consistently ranked as high as No. 2 in the state (Division 1). For his efforts, Nizam was named the 2019 MLive Coach of the Year.
Admittedly, Nizam will miss coaching at Roseville but is excited for the opportunity to lead the Macomb program.
“It is an honor and privilege to be named the head men’s basketball coach at Macomb Community College,” said Nizam. “I want to thank [athletic director] Bryan Rizzo and the rest of the administration at Macomb for giving me the incredible opportunity to lead this program. I could not make such a big commitment without the love and support from my family, and I am very thankful for their ongoing support. I am grateful and excited, and ready to get to work. This is a dream come true and something we will take great pride in every day.”
Prior to his incredible run as Roseville’s head coach, Nizam got a taste for college coaching as an assistant coach at the University of Michigan-Dearborn during the 2016-17 season. That year, the Wolverines posted the program’s first 20-win season and won their first road playoff game. Nizam’s time with the Wolverines was brief, but it was enough for the coach to know he wanted to lead a collegiate program of his own when the time was right.
“Getting the opportunity to coach at Macomb was the perfect situation,” Nizam said. “I’ve always wanted to be a head coach at the collegiate level and to be able to do it in the same county that I just spent four years coaching high school basketball is ideal. Macomb is a first-class place and we will run a program that this community will be proud of for years to come.”
On top of his winning high school coaching resume and college coaching stop, Nizam has also enjoyed success as a coach in the travel basketball/AAU scene. Currently, Nizam coaches the EYBL U16 team for the nationally-respected The Family Basketball Organization. Before joining The Family, Nizam also led programs with HYPE Athletics and the Michigan Warriors. During his time in the AAU/travel basketball circuit, Nizam has helped send over 25 players to the next level while gaining valuable experience coaching in some of the top tournaments in the country.
As for his coaching style, Nizam is well-known for his tireless work ethic and exceptional preparation, something he is eager to bring to the collegiate level as a head coach. The Monarchs’ new leader wants the program’s supporters to know what type of coach they are getting with this hire.
“Our program at Macomb will be built around student athlete growth on-and-off the court. We will push our young men to be the best that they can be and instill core values such as dedication, dependability and perseverance,” said Nizam. “Our motto has always been to Get Better Every Day and that will be the primary expectation in this program from day one—in the classroom, on the court, and as a person overall.”
“Macomb Basketball will be known for playing hard and competing at a high level,” Nizam continued. “We will recruit serious-minded student athletes who want to do great things and understand the work it takes to get there. Basketball at its highest level is about teams coming together to achieve common goals, and through team success comes individual accolades and advancement. That said, a primary goal of ours will be to consistently place our young men into four-year programs while winning championships in the process. We will do this with elite preparation and an unselfish, tough brand of basketball. We will be fun to watch.”
https://www.macombmonarchs.com/sports/mbkb/2020-21/releases/20210525g7ylog
