For Kevin Higgins, the opportunity to coach at Hamilton High was a once in a lifetime offer the veteran coach couldn’t pass up.
The St Xavier graduate jumped at the opportunity to coach the storied Big Blue basketball program.
“It is such a great opportunity,” Higgins said. “I have never coached at a school that has the history of Hamilton and the expectations that come with the job. I love great challenges. Professionally, this was a job I couldn’t pass on.”
Higgins spent the past four years at Lebanon High, twice winning 14 games while amassing a 45-48 record.
This isn’t the first Greater Miami Conference job for Higgins, who spent seven years at Colerain, winning district titles in 2006-07 and 2013-14.
“I am a Cincinnati guy,” Higgins said. “I love the GWOC (Greater Western Ohio Conference). It is a great league but the GMC is one of the top leagues in Southwest Ohio. I am excited to be back in the GMC.”
“(Higgins) has a great reputation as an excellent teacher and coach and has had success coaching against the GMC, GCL and other good leagues in Southwest Ohio,” HHS athletic director Todd Grimm said. ” He has been successful coaching different types of players and we liked the fact he is a no nonsense coach who will play the kids who give us the best chance to be successful.”
The Big Blue are coming off a 12-11 season, the first winning season at HHS since 2006-07. Sean VanWinkle had a 43-51 record in his four years running the Blue but stepped down at the end of the last season.
Higgins inherits a team that returns the majority of its varsity team, including its top two scorers.
The Big Blue return high scoring guards D’Marco Howard, who averaged 17.8 points per game last year, and Jaylen Robinson, who chipped in 17.7 a game.
“We played Hamilton so I was familiar with their players only from scouting before our game,” Higgins said. “The returning players didn’t sway me. What caught my eye was the tradition. Hamilton has such a great basketball tradition so when the opportunity came it looked right so I went for it.”
Higgins ran mostly a Princeton offense at Lebanon but said he would like to push the ball in transition more at Hamilton. While offense is important, Higgins said defense will dictate the Big Blue’s season.
” I am a man to man guy and I want us to be the best defensive team in the half court,” Higgins said. “Defense has to be part of your mindset and it will be a focus daily. We have to make sure the guys know defense is key. We will focus on it and try to be the best defensive team in the half court we can be. “
In addition to his success at Colerain and Lebanon, Higgins also spent time at Aiken and Western Hills. Higgins all time record is 166-212 but admits his record doesn’t reflect the rebuilding jobs he has accepted.
“I have had some big rebuild jobs but I like that,” Higgins said. “I like that challenge. That is part of what drew me to Hamilton. The challenge that comes from the expectations with the job. I want to be part of the continued success at Hamilton.”
In addition to coaching, Higgins will also teach Social Studies at Hamilton High.