WEEK 12: HoopDirt.com Coach of the Week presented by Just Play Solutions

Story: Adam Nelson (@HD_DirtKing)

Congratulations to the following coaches who have been selected as the Week 12 HoopDirt.com Coach of the Week presented by Just Play Solutions. These coaches are now eligible to receive the HoopDirt.com National Coach of the Year Award presented by Just Play Solutions which will be announced at the conclusion of the 2023-24 college basketball season.

This is the ninth season that HoopDirt.com has run the Coach of the Week and Coach of the Year programs. The list of 2023-24 Coach of the Week winners, as well as the list of all-time COY winners can be found following this week’s honorees.

To nominate coaches for future weeks, please email [email protected] with your selection(s).

The week 12 winners are:

D1: Lamont Paris – University of South Carolina

Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (17-3)

Past week’s results: 79-62 W vs #6 Kentucky, 72-64 W vs Missouri

Highlights: Paris and the Gamecocks opened the week on Tuesday by upsetting #6 Kentucky 79-62. The win was the first-ever for Paris over a Top-25 opponent, and the was the highest ranked win at home for South Carolina since defeating #1 Kentucky on Jan. 26, 2010. There was no let down for the Gamecocks on Saturday, as they knocked off visiting Missouri 72-64. That win marked the first 17-3 or better start for South Carolina since the 2015-16 season when the team started the year 19-3. Carolina is now 5-2 in the SEC and 11-1 at home on the season.

NCAA D2: Vinay Patel – Angelo State University

Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (14-5)

Past week’s results: 111-89 W vs St. Mary’s, 69-64 W vs St. Edward’s

Highlights: Two home wins last week for Patel and Angelo State have pushed their record to 14-5 and 8-0 at home. On Thursday, ASU shot 58.7 percent from the field and 56.7 percent from three as they beat St. Mary’s 111-89. The 111 points scored was their highest point total vs a D2 team since 2015. On Saturday, the Rams were tied 64-64 with St. Edwards with two minutes remaining. They then went 5-6 from the line, and held the Hilltoppers scoreless the rest of the way to pull out the 69-64 victory.

NCAA D3: Matt Hunter – York College (PA)

Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (12-7)

Past week’s results: 84-64 W vs #15 Widener, 68-58 W vs Eastern

Highlights: York’s win on Wednesday vs #15 Widener was their second straight vs a nationally ranked opponent, as they downed #21 Hood just five days earlier. The Spartans shot a season-high 68.9% (56.5% from 3) in the upset, which snapped Widener’s five game winning streak, and was just their third loss of the year. On Saturday, York’s winning streak hit five with a 68-58 win over Eastern. The visiting Eagles came into the game averaging a conference-best 82.9 points per game but York held them to a season low in points (58).

NAIA: Josh Gamblin – Mid-America Christian University

Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (14-5)

Past week’s results: 84-82 W vs RV Wayland Baptist, 82-47 W vs OPSU

Highlights: MACU’s win streak has now reached eight games with two more wins last week. Gamblin’s squad led by 19 with just over seven minutes left to play vs RV Wayland Baptist on Thursday, and held off a furious charge by the visitors to escape with an 84-82 win. Defense was the name of the game on Saturday, as MACU held Oklahoma Panhandle State just 47 points en route to 35 point win. The Evangels defense tied an NAIA Era (2007-present) program record with nine blocked shots, and the 47 points allowed also ended up in the record books as the third-fewest allowed in a single game during the NAIA Era.

JUCO: Nick Ramos – Rock Valley College

Weekly record (overall): 3-0 (15-5)

Past week’s results: 81-72 W at #6 Milwaukee Area, 81-68 W vs Carl Sandberg, 74-49 at Oakton

Highlights: A three win week for first-year head coach Ramos, including an upset victory over the defending NJCAA D2 National Champs. RVC opened the week at #6 Milwaukee Area Tech, where they jumped out to a 44-29 halftime lead vs the defending champs, and held on for the 81-72 win. Rock Valley then came back from a halftime deficit on Thursday vs Carl Sandburg, and rode 44-27 second half to claim a 13-point victory. Finally, on Saturday the Golden Eagles went on the road and pounded Oakton 74-49 in a game where the limited the hosts to just 30% shooting, and out rebounded them 41-28.

2023-24 HoopDirt.com / Just Play Solutions Coach of the Week Winners

Week 1

NCAA DI: Mark Byington – James Madison University
NCAA DII: Alfred Jordan – Clark Atlanta University
NCAA DIII: Caleb Kimbrough – Hampden-Sydney College
NAIA: Darnell Archey – University of Mobile
JUCO: Kris Baumann – Odessa College

Week 2

NCAA DI: Ritchie McKay – Liberty University
NCAA DII: Mark Kuntz – Post University
NCAA DIII: Eric Bridgeland – University of Redlands
NAIA: Dannton Jackson – Talladega College
JUCO: Dillon Hargrove – National Park College

Week 3

NCAA DI: David Ragland – Evansville University
NCAA DII: Jordan Fee – Gannon University
NCAA DIII: Anthony Medina – University of St. Thomas (TX)
NAIA: Chase Teichmann – Florida College
JUCO: Hayden Sowers – South Plains College

Week 4

NCAA DI: Damon Stoudamire – Georgia Tech
NCAA DII: John Ellenwood – Ashland University
NCAA DIII: Brandon Linton – Tufts University
NAIA: Matt O’Brien – Southwestern College
JUCO: Darren Stratton – Northern Essex CC

Week 5

NCAA DI: Bryce Drew – Grand Canyon University
NCAA DII: Bob Pietrack – Fort Lewis College
NCAA DIII: Michael McSloy – Drew University
NAIA: Tigh Compton – University of Pikeville
JUCO: Terrell Harris – Prince George’s CC

Week 6

NCAA DI: Danny Sprinkle – Utah State University
NCAA DII: Artis Mattox – Benedict College
NCAA DIII: Dave Macedo – Virginia Wesleyan University
NAIA: Chris Wright – Langston University
JUCO: Joey Cantens – Daytona State College

Week 7

NCAA DI: Christmas Holiday – no winner selected
NCAA DII: Christmas Holiday – no winner selected
NCAA DIII: Christmas Holiday – no winner selected
NAIA: Christmas Holiday – no winner selected
JUCO: Christmas Holiday – no winner selected

Week 8

NCAA DI: Shaka Smart – Marquette University
NCAA DII: Bryan Rooney – Cal State East Bay
NCAA DIII: Todd McGuinness – Case Western Reserve University
NAIA: Scott Moore – Grace College
JUCO: Steve DeMeo – Northwest Florida State College

Week 9

NCAA DI: Shaheen Holloway – Seton Hall University
NCAA DII: Matt Majkrzak – Northern Michigan University
NCAA DIII: Jimmy Smith – Trinity College (TX)
NAIA: Josh Pickens – Lawrence Tech
JUCO: Matt Lee – Herkimer College

Week 10

NCAA DI: Darian DeVries – Drake University
NCAA DII: Dave Moore – University of West Georgia
NCAA DIII: D.P. Harris – Saint Vincent College
NAIA: Dee Brown – Roosevelt University
JUCO: Ryan Miley – Hocking College

Week 11

NCAA DI: Amir Abdur-Rahim – University of South Florida
NCAA DII: Mike Nestor – Lock Haven University
NCAA DIII: Dave Klatsky – NYU
NAIA: Robert Ford – Saint Xavier University
JUCO: Donnie Tyndall – Chipola College

Previous HoopDirt.com Coach of the Year Award Winners:

Division I

Division II

Division III

NAIA

JUCO

  • 2022-23: Rick Cabrera – Tallahassee Community College
  • 2021-22: Greg Heiar – Northwest Florida State
  • 2020-21: COVID Season – No winner selected
  • 2019-20: Randy Casey – Milwaukee Area Technical College
  • 2018-19: Billy Gillispie – Ranger College
  • 2017-18: Paul Cisek – Brookdale Community College
  • 2016-17: Todd Lorensen – Southwestern Community College
  • 2015-16: Craig Doty – Rock Valley College

USCAA

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