New Patriot hoops coach ready to go

[KFDM COOP]

New Patriot hoops coach ready to go

By Dave Rogers

Published April 17, 2008

He’s only officially had the job for a couple of days, but already Jeff Keener feels at home in Baytown.

“I’m very excited,†Goose Creek Memorial’s first boys’ basketball coach said by phone Wednesday. “I think this is a great opportunity for me and my family.â€

Keener, 39, was hired Monday night, ending a six-year stay at Hitchcock that saw his teams win six district titles and twice advance to the Class 2A state tournament.

“One thing I’ve always said is in this business, eventually I want to be in a place where I want to stick around and put down roots with my family.

“I have two children and I think Baytown would be a great place for them to go to school and grow up.â€

The graduate of Sugar Land Dulles High School, Stephen F. Austin State and the University of Houston naturally listed the move up to a bigger school as one reason he sought the job.

“I’ve had a lot of success in Hitchcock, and I look forward to the challenge to move up in classification (to Class 4A) and to a very good school district to build a program from the ground up.â€

Memorial High is set to open in August and will immediately compete in athletic competitions in UIL District 19-4A. The Patriots will play their first year without any seniors.

“How many seniors do you usually have? Four or five,†Keener said, not sounding a bit concerned.

“I don’t think a kid’s grade (level) is that big a deal. What I want are players that will get out there and compete as hard as they can.

“People may not have high expectations for our first year, but I’ll have very high expectations. We’re going to compete as hard as we can and let the scoreboard speak for itself at the end of the night.â€

Keener earned his bachelor’s degree at SFA and his first job was at a Fort Bend junior high. From there, he went to Beaumont, where he was an assistant coach at Class 5A West Brook for five years.

His first head coaching job was at Class 3A Hamshire-Fannett, where he spent three years.

Along the way, he went earned a master’s in education from UH and an administrative certificate. He doubled up as basketball coach and assistant principal in Hitchcock.

“Oh, no,†he said when asked if he would be an assistant principal in Baytown. “One reason for the move was to cut down on my responsibilities and make more time for my family.â€

At Hitchcock, Keener’s teams went 141-51. After going to state his first two years there, Hitchcock lost in the playoffs to the regional finalist or regional champion each of the past four Februarys.

“I like pressure defense,†he described his coaching philosophy. “I think offense becomes easier when you’re able to put pressure on people and create opportunities for yourself that way.

“I think everything starts with defense.â€

Speaking of starting, Keener doesn’t plan to waste any time getting to work here. He says he’ll make arrangements to start working with Memorial’s players immediately.

“I know they’re working out with the kids,†he said, referring to football coaches Bret Boyd and Wes Rodgers running daily athletic periods at Sterling High for future Pats.

“I’m going to try to get over there and help them with what they’re doing. I want to start creating relationships.

“My relationship with these kids is most important.â€

[Guest DickVitale]

Jeff's a good guy and a good coach...Congrats to him.

[Roll_Left15]

Im really happy for Coach Keener...he was a father figure to me when I played in Hamshire and I will always have the upmost respect for him. 

oh and by the way, dude can ball!  Keener is nice on the court....

[BLUEDOVE3]

Im really happy for Coach Keener...he was a father figure to me when I played in Hamshire and I will always have the upmost respect for him. 

oh and by the way, dude can ball!  Keener is nice on the court....

So what neeeds to be done to get Hamshire back on track?

[Guest DickVitale]

Move in Decarlos Frank, Breon Johnson, Dante Lopez, Jamar Gulley, Willie Jefferson, along with a few others from Houston in to Hamshire-Fannett!!..Dove, there are no basketball players there...Are you shocked at that? :

[Guest nostradamus]

Actually, once upon a time HF was pretty good in basketball even before the Keener years....they have a long standing little dribblers program....but, just like lots of places.....you gotta go to power lifting practice before basketball practice....no basketball off-season for straight hoopers.....and BAM!  There you go....

[Guest DickVitale]

Actually, once upon a time HF was pretty good in basketball even before the Keener years....they have a long standing little dribblers program....but, just like lots of places.....you gotta go to power lifting practice before basketball practice....no basketball off-season for straight hoopers.....and BAM!  There you go....

And now after that...we will have a selection from the choir!!...GREAT POINT..I know EXACTLY what you are speaking of!

[Roll_Left15]

Keener knew what was happening at HF, he knew he had to leave after the '03 class.  The talent level dropped terribly bad after Larnette left. So DickieV is right, there are no hoopers in the Hamshire Fannett area ANYMORE.....The days of Brian Delord, Kirk Ensign, Elijah Bob and Cedric Larnette are long gone......Coach Parr had a good group before Keener got there, but couldn't get them to advance in the playoffs.  Keener was there 3 years and got that HF team further than any other Longhorn team in history....He's just a great coach...

To answer your question BlueDove......To get back on track, HF needs talent....you can be the best coach in the world but without talent..your simply garbage!  I went to one HF game this year and it was against Jasper when the Horns lost on a buzzer beater!  Just watching that game made me throw up in my mouth a little.

[Guest nostradamus]

There is a reason there is no talent.  I realize that they are missing some of the athletes of the past but, the kids get no work.  They only do basketball after school during the season.  The rest of the schools around the area that are good have basketball off-seasons for straight hoopers.  They are not required to participate in power lifting, which is not a UIL sanctioned sport.  They don't have to participate in universal off-seasons that do nothing to develop basketball skill.  Bottom line is this, once the kids get into JH the days of playing basketball outside of the season are over which in turn leads to the current situation.

[Roll_Left15]

Then that is the head coach's fault.....when Keener was there, there was basketball offseason/athletics and summer leagues...If the HF players don't have the want to...to participate, then that is another story...

[Guest nostradamus]

See...that is where YOU are wrong.  It is not the head coach's fault.  You find me a head basketball coach around that wouldn't want a basketball off-season for straight basketballers and the ability to work with ALL his players during his season during the athletic period instead of them being coerced into a universal off-season.  The head basketball coach has no control over this.  The athletic director makes that call.  Keener worked under a different AD than what is there now.....think about when Keener left....the same year Tarver left.  No coincidence.

[Roll_Left15]

Yea and then Walker came in and there was STILL a basketball offseason/athletics.......His decision to leave for the Hitchcock job had nothing to do with Tarver, it had to do with him and the fact that he would have a great shot at winning a State title!

I don't know how Mangan runs things now in Hamshire, but basketball offseason or not....your still not gonna be able to work with ALL your players, period.  There has been 3 coaches at Hamshire since Keener left, and believe me..they didn't leave because there was no basketball offseason!

[Guest nostradamus]

I think we are debating the same point.  I know Keener personally, he is a good friend of mine.  Keener left for a better job.  However, the set-up at HF has changed drastically and so has the emphasis on particular sports.  I am just saying that they could be better than they are.  I realize the Spencer George's of the world are not there any more.  However, two years ago they had a 9th grade group that was the only group in the district to play HJ's 9th graders within 10 points.  In fact, they gave HJ's 9th graders fits.  Those kids are juniors now.  Half of the kids on that team don't even play basketball any more.  That is a problem.  Believe me....while talent level is an issue....so is the lack of emphasis on basketball and the extra emphasis on football, baseball, and track.

[Roll_Left15]

I think you are right....but the emphasis on baseball wasn't there before Landry got there and changed everything.  Baseball athletics wasn't even thought of until my senior year of '03 which I think was Landry's first year.

Maybe basketball will get the same thing one day.  A coach (not saying Richards wouldn't) that puts basketball first and demands offseason practices and workouts...someone like Keener.

[Guest nostradamus]

Not very easy for a coach to demand off-season workouts to his boss when his boss is the football coach also.

Plus.....the football coach has "justification" by saying "well, not enough kids play just basketball" to warrant an off-season

[Roll_Left15]

Than do it after school or someting a coach can't prevent you from hoopin'.....you can't just sit back as a coach and get taken to the wood shed two times a week neither..

[Guest DickVitale]

Sometimes that is easier said than done...I can remember a certain SE Texas AD/football coach telling me to park my truck around the back when I had open gym so that ALL of the kids wouldn't flock to the gym!! Nostradamus knows what I am talking about, too....It happens. Been there, done that...And you are right, it does not HAVE to stop you though..

[Roll_Left15]

Keener did tell me to quit football though .....and i did

[Guest DickVitale]

I remember a certain 6'11 post player who played for us that is currently the starting center for the Boston Celtics THINKING about going to football field as a 9th grader....We chained him to the gym door! Not really... we called his granny and SHE told him and I quote, "boy I will beat you silly, if I catch you out on that football field...Love you, sweetie...You can take it from here coaches"....True story.