The Missouri Southern men’s basketball program has added a familiar face to the coaching staff as Jamahl DePriest returns to MSSU as an assistant coach for the Green and Gold.
DePriest replaces Paul McMahon who left the program to pursue other career opportunities.
“I’m excited to bring Coach DePriest back to Missouri Southern,” said head coach Jeff Boschee. “I was sad to see him leave the first time, but grateful to get him and his family back in Joplin. He is coming from a big role at Newman and I look forward to getting started with him.”
DePriest enters his second stint on the coaching staff of the Missouri Southern basketball program, this time serving as the top assistant with the Green and Gold. DePriest comes to the Lions after serving four years on the coaching staff of MIAA member Newman, including the previous two as the Associate Head Coach.
In four seasons at Newman, DePriest helped coach seven All-MIAA and All-Heartland Conference selections.
During the 2018-19 season, DePriest helped led the Jets to an impressive 20-9 record overall, the Jets finished tied for 3rd place in the Heartland Conference standings with an 11-5 record. The 20 win total tied the school record for most wins in a single season in the NCAA DII era. The Jets also reached the double digit win total in conference play. It was the first time the Jets have had consecutive seasons with double digit win total in Heartland Conference play since joining the league in 2006. Marshawn Blackmon and Ben Ayre earned Second Team All-Heartland Conference honors. Juwan Davenport was named Honorable Mention All-Conference.
During his first season with the Jets in 2017-18, he helped engineer a turnaround that saw the team go 14-14 overall and 10-6 in Heartland Conference play. Newman went 6-2 in their final eight regular season games to finish third in the conference standings after being selected eighth in the preseason poll. Head coach R.J. Allen was named Heartland Conference Coach of the Year, and a pair of players earned all-conference honors.
DePriest came to Newman after two seasons as an assistant coach in his first stint with Missouri Southern. There, he helped guide the Lions to 37 wins in two seasons and a pair of top-four finishes in the MIAA. The team began the 2016-17 season ranked No. 5 in the country and were the only team to defeat national champion Northwest Missouri State on the season. In his time in Joplin, DePriest helped coach an All-American, an MIAA Freshman of the Year, and seven all-conference performers.
Prior to MSSU, DePriest, spent one year as an assistant at NAIA Langston, helping the team to its most victories in a decade. The Lions finished the season seventh in the nation in 3-point defense and 10th in defensive rebounds, and produced three all-conference players and Langston’s first NAIA All-American in over 15 years.
He began his coaching career with two seasons as an assistant at Coffeyville Community College from 2012-14, as the Red Ravens went 55-12 overall, reaching the NJCAA round of 16 after a KJCCC East title in his first season. DePriest helped coach four Division I players and numerous Division II and NAIA transfers.
DePriest was also listed as one of the top-25 Stop To Go Coaches by CoachStat.net, highlighting some of the best defensive coaches in the game of basketball.
A native of Memphis, Tennessee, DePriest holds a bachelor’s degree in health science from William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa, where he played the final two years of his collegiate career. That career began at Southwestern Community College in Creston, Iowa, where he was a team captain and also a student ambassador.
DePriest and his wife, Tylease, have two children, Zion and Jade.
“I am humbled and excited to be returning to the Lion family,” DePriest said. “Southern is a special place with a ton of pride and tradition. I look forward to upholding that standard as well as work tirelessly to help propel the program to new heights.”
https://mssulions.com/news/2021/6/23/mens-basketball-adds-jamahl-depriest-as-assistant-coach.aspx
