By Joe Henricksen
Without a lot of fanfare and very much under the radar, one of the highest profile basketball coaching positions in the state of Illinois is open. Proviso East, which figures to be among the top five teams in the preseason next November, is in the process of searching for a new head coach.
“Yes, the position is open,” Proviso East athletic director Glenn Gustafson told the Hoops Report. “You can find all the information you need on the district website, but the job is open. There is no timetable for a coaching hire.”
In addition, the Proviso West head basketball coaching position is also open. However, this doesn’t mean that the current coaches, Proviso East’s David Chatman and Proviso West’s Tommie Miller, won’t be retained.
Proviso Township School District 209 is in the process of making all 19 head coaches re-apply for their head coaching positions as each coaching position has been posted. Those outside the school district are also able to apply. In addition, all assistant coaching positions have been posted as well.
“Really, that’s all we’ve been told,” says Proviso West athletic director Mark Schneider. “We were told all the coaching positions are to be posted and the current coaches will need to re-apply.”
Miller guided Proviso West to a regional title in 2010, finished 18-10 this past season and knocked off rival and favored Proviso East in the regional this past March.
Chatman, who led Proviso East to a 22-6 record a year ago with a young, talented team, has enjoyed success at the Maywood school. When asked if Chatman had been let go or resigned, Gustafson stated “the information can be found on the district website.”
When Chatman was contacted by the Hoops Report, he stated he had “no comment at this time” on the situation.
There have been many rumors floating around the Proviso East basketball program, ranging from “a couple high-profile coaches who are interested” in the position to bringing back former Proviso East great Donnie Boyce as head coach.
Chatman took over the Proviso East basketball program in the 2004-2005 season and went 28-4 in his first year on the job. He followed it up with a 26-6 mark in his second campaign and won regional and sectional championships both years.
Proviso East has been one of the premier basketball programs in the state of Illinois for decades and boasts high-level talent returning to the program next season. Sterling Brown, a 6-4 sophomore and brother of former Proviso East star and current L.A. Lakers Shannon Brown, is one of the top prospects in the Class of 2013. Junior Keith Carter, one of the top players in the Class of 2012, will be a four-year starter next season. Plus, 6-4 Trashaun Carroll and sophomore guard Paris Lee are returning starters.
