H.P. Christian’s Clifford steps down
BY JOE SIRERA GREENSBORO DAILY RECORD
joe.sirera@greensboro.com
sirera@greensboro.com
Less than a week after guiding High Point Christianto the NCISAA Class3-A boys basketball championshipgame, Brandon Clifford has resigned.
Clifford said Thursday that he “just felt like it was time.” “I’m disappointed with how things ended — we obviously didn’t play well,” Clifford said of the Cougars’ 64-47 loss to Charlotte Providence Day. “But that had little or nothing to do with this decision.
“People aren’t going to believe that, and I understand that. This was moreabout looking back and realizing that it’s time, and I had taken things as far as I could.”
Clifford’s final High Point Christian team finished24-6, with fi ve of the six losses against teams that were ranked in the top 25 nationally at somepoint during the season.
The centerpiece of this season’s Cougars team was 6-foot-10 power forwardEdrice “Bam” Adebayo, a Kentucky signee who transferred from Pinetown Northside High for his senior year. Other prominent transfers who joined the program before the season were former Page point guard Ty Graves, who signed with Boston College, former Page forward Jalen Seegars and former Fayetteville Village Christian shooting guard Michael Hueitt Jr.
Seegars and Hueitt are juniors. Those transfers joined returning Division I signees Amidou Bamba (Coastal Carolina) and Ben Robertson (Bucknell), among others.
“It’s hard to take a team of talented guys and, in one year, make them a champion,” Clifford said.“We were able to make them into a very good team, but it’s hard to make them a champion. Those goals and expectations are going to be put on you when you have that kind of talent.”
Clifford, whose High Point Christian teams went 153-67, said his players were surprised when he told them he was resigning. He added that athletics director Corey Gesell and the school’s administration were “very understanding” when informed of his decision.
“This is a unique place,” he said. “It’s a great small Christian school that we turned into a basketball powerhouse. When I took over seven years ago, I had big dreams, but I don’t think anybody believedwe could do it. Well, we did it.”
Clifford said that once he made the decision, he wanted to let the schooland his players know.
“I didn’t want to play the game and dance around entertaining new transfers while looking for other jobs,” the Page alum said. “I felt like it was in the players’ best interest that I make the move now, and it also gives the school time to fi nd the right fit to replace me.”
Clifford intends to stay in coaching, but he’s just not sure where and at what level he’ll be doing it next season.
“I don’t know what’s next,” Clifford said. “This is a move I made without really having a plan. ... My motivation in coaching highly talented kids was helping them get to where they wanted to go. Obviously, I want to win, but my main motivation is helping kids that were in the same situation I was in when I was in highschool.”
The number of future Division I players on this season’s team was evidence of his success in that area.
“I had a great sevenyear run at High Point Christian,” Clifford said. “This wasn’t about winning or losing Saturday. It was about my future, my family’s future and what I felt was best for the program as far as having a different voice and me moving on to another adventure.”
BY JOE SIRERA GREENSBORO DAILY RECORD
joe.sirera@greensboro.com
sirera@greensboro.com
Less than a week after guiding High Point Christianto the NCISAA Class3-A boys basketball championshipgame, Brandon Clifford has resigned.
Clifford said Thursday that he “just felt like it was time.” “I’m disappointed with how things ended — we obviously didn’t play well,” Clifford said of the Cougars’ 64-47 loss to Charlotte Providence Day. “But that had little or nothing to do with this decision.
“People aren’t going to believe that, and I understand that. This was moreabout looking back and realizing that it’s time, and I had taken things as far as I could.”
Clifford’s final High Point Christian team finished24-6, with fi ve of the six losses against teams that were ranked in the top 25 nationally at somepoint during the season.
The centerpiece of this season’s Cougars team was 6-foot-10 power forwardEdrice “Bam” Adebayo, a Kentucky signee who transferred from Pinetown Northside High for his senior year. Other prominent transfers who joined the program before the season were former Page point guard Ty Graves, who signed with Boston College, former Page forward Jalen Seegars and former Fayetteville Village Christian shooting guard Michael Hueitt Jr.
Seegars and Hueitt are juniors. Those transfers joined returning Division I signees Amidou Bamba (Coastal Carolina) and Ben Robertson (Bucknell), among others.
“It’s hard to take a team of talented guys and, in one year, make them a champion,” Clifford said.“We were able to make them into a very good team, but it’s hard to make them a champion. Those goals and expectations are going to be put on you when you have that kind of talent.”
Clifford, whose High Point Christian teams went 153-67, said his players were surprised when he told them he was resigning. He added that athletics director Corey Gesell and the school’s administration were “very understanding” when informed of his decision.
“This is a unique place,” he said. “It’s a great small Christian school that we turned into a basketball powerhouse. When I took over seven years ago, I had big dreams, but I don’t think anybody believedwe could do it. Well, we did it.”
Clifford said that once he made the decision, he wanted to let the schooland his players know.
“I didn’t want to play the game and dance around entertaining new transfers while looking for other jobs,” the Page alum said. “I felt like it was in the players’ best interest that I make the move now, and it also gives the school time to fi nd the right fit to replace me.”
Clifford intends to stay in coaching, but he’s just not sure where and at what level he’ll be doing it next season.
“I don’t know what’s next,” Clifford said. “This is a move I made without really having a plan. ... My motivation in coaching highly talented kids was helping them get to where they wanted to go. Obviously, I want to win, but my main motivation is helping kids that were in the same situation I was in when I was in highschool.”
The number of future Division I players on this season’s team was evidence of his success in that area.
“I had a great sevenyear run at High Point Christian,” Clifford said. “This wasn’t about winning or losing Saturday. It was about my future, my family’s future and what I felt was best for the program as far as having a different voice and me moving on to another adventure.”
