By David Tomczak
LocalSportsJournal.com

Just months after its most successful season in school history, Muskegon Catholic Central’s boys basketball program found itself looking for a new head coach.

Fortunately for the Crusaders, they didn’t have to look too far.

Last week Catholic Central named its new basketball coach, promoting Lamar Jordan to the position.

Jordan, who has coached the Crusaders junior varsity team since 2007, takes over for Dave Ingles, who stepped down as coach, but will continue his duties as MCC athletic director.

“I have some big shoes to fill,” Jordan said. “But I’m excited with this team and the kids coming back and their experience with going to Breslin.”

The Crusaders finished 17-10 last year and reached the Class D state semifinals at the Breslin Center on the campus of Michigan State University, before falling to eventual state champion Southfield Christian, 78-74.

Jordan, a 2001 Muskegon High School graduate who played basketball for the Big Reds, has been a coach or an assistant for Catholic Central since 2005.

The time spent on the Crusaders’ sidelines should make things easier for Jordan.

“I’ve coached all these kids at one point or another,” he said. “It’ll make it an easy transition.”

Catholic Central will return three starters from last year’s squad, in addition to two key bench players. That makes another successful run in Class D a possibility.

“I’m looking forward to leading this group of kids,” Jordan said. “We’ll hope to have another trip to the Breslin.”