Franklin High has hired their new boys basketball coach – and they didn’t have to go very far to find him.
CJ Neely, who has been the head coach of the Foxboro Warriors for the past seven years, has been selected to lead the Panthers and replace Dean O'Connor, who was relieved of his duties near the end of the school year.
"I’ve been in the league for a long time as a player and a coach and Franklin is one of those places that is really committed to winning," Neely said. "They have a strong foundation at the youth program and obviously the new school is exciting. New gym, new school, new feeling and all that good stuff. It’s a new challenge for me with a Division 1 school that has proven they can go far in the tournament and I look forward to hopefully leading them back to where they went and hopefully further."
Neely has been apart of the Hockomock League for many years, including a standout playing career at Oliver Ames. He was named a Hockomock League All Star twice during his three years on varsity. OA is the same school he served as an assistant coach from 2005-2007. Neely took over head coaching duties at Foxboro in 2007.
“Just every aspect of it, he was the guy that stood out to everybody that was involved,” Franklin athletic director Brad Sidwell said. “It was obvious he had the skills and the knowledge and the program vision that led him to the forefront of the candidates.”
During his tenure at Foxboro, the Warriors qualified for the postseason in all seven seasons Neely said, including last year’s buzzer-beating lay up in the last game.
According to sources, Neely beat out former Milford coach Steve Manguso, Norwood coach Rich Cormier and Ashland coach Mark Champagne among others.
Neely is currently the cross country and spring track coach at Foxboro High School.
The Boston Herald was the first to report the hiring.
Below is a press release from Franklin High School:
The Administration of Franklin High School hired C.J. Neely as the FHS Boys’ Varsity Basketball coach. Coach Neely has accepted the varsity position and will direct the basketball program beginning with the 2014-2015 basketball season. The candidate pool was exceptional and the decision was challenging as all the finalists had the technical skills, professionalism and expertise to lead the Franklin program. Mr. Neely has been serving as Head Coach for the Foxboro basketball program.
The administration conducted a thorough search, and the committee was representative of
all stakeholders including student athletes, a parent volunteer, teachers, coaches and school administrators. Coach Neely comes highly recommended for his knowledge of the game, his
ability to communicate and inspire student athletes and his skill as an educator and leader. We are confident that he will lead the Panthers to success both on and off the court.