Middle School All-American Game & Coach Francis Classic Announces Coaches for 2016 Game

Chris Cole, Clinton Christian School

Chris Cole – Men Basketball Coach Clinton Christian School, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772

Coach Cole has been reinventing himself from a player to one of the best personal trainers and coaches in the game. Chris has worked with numerous NBA, College, and top tier high school players since 2011. From training camps to universities he has learned from basketball icons Mike Krzyzewski and Hubie brown to name a few. His experience for the game stretches beyond his years, but his life experiences have shaped his character.

Coach Cole's playing career was shortened due to illness, beginning a medical bout with cancerous polyps. Ever since then he has been dedicated to inspiring children and cultivating their love for the game while also aggressively advocating for cancer awareness. In three short years Coach Cole has been named Coach of the Year twice in the powerful and competitive Capital Beltway Association while also winning two championships and coaching the MD state player of the year in 2015.  Chris graduated from California State University  Dominguez Hills with a Bachelor's in Kinesiology.

Matt Lochte – Men’s Basketball Coach Dulaney High School, Lutherville-Timonium, MD 21093

Matt Lochte, Dulaney High School

Coach Matt Lochte is entering his 17^th year of coaching high school basketball. Serving as head coach of Dulaney High School (Timonium, Md.) for the past twelve seasons, Lochte has amassed a record of 179-102 (64% win rate).

While at Dulaney under Lochte’s leadership, 30 plus players have gone on to play college basketball at the NCAA Division I, Division II, Division III, Junior College, and NAIA levels. Division I players include Ramos Krywonis, Citadel;  Colin Stevens, Costal Carolina; Dan Ross, Radford; Matt Fiery, Bucknell; Will Darley, UMBC; and Isaiah Lamb, Marist.

Dulaney has also had multiple Maryland All-State and Baltimore Sun All-Met Selections / Honorable Mentions during Coach Lochte’s tenure, including Baltimore County Player of the Year Award Winners Colin Stevens (2001), Gavin Scanlan (2013), and Scott Harrellson (2015).

Lochte, a true student of the game, has coached at dozens of camps over the years, including running/directing his own camp, Future All-Stars Basketball Camp. He is currently involved with the Hoop Group camp organization among others. In addition, Lochte has attended and presented at many different coaching clinics and roundtables across the county including the Nike Championship Coaching Clinics and the Coach Morgan Wootten DC Clinic.

Lochte has coached in multiple All-Star Games and received a number of Coaching Awards. Lochte coached in the Maryland vs Pennsylvania All-Star Game 2014-2016 and the Baltimore City vs Baltimore County All-Star Game 2001, 2012, 2014 and 2016. In 2016 the game was held at Dulaney High School and Lochte and his staff lead the County Squad to victory. Coach Lochte has won a variety of Coach of the Year awards from Baltimore County and Dulaney High School over his coaching career, but his most prestigious award came in 2011 when he was named Maryland State High School Basketball Coach of the Year by National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

When Lochte took the helm at Dulaney, the program was well-respected in Baltimore County, and is now known as one of the top public school programs in the state. The team is regularly ranked in the Top 15 by the Baltimore Sun and takes on some of the top programs in the DMV.  Lochte, a tactician of the game, is probably most known for high-powered offense and a full court-pressing defense.

 

Nick Jones, Spalding High School

Nick Jones – Men’s Basketball Coach Spalding High School, Severn, MD 21144

Nick Jones is preparing to enter his second year at the helm for the Spalding Cavaliers.  After serving as an assistant at his alma matter, St. John's College High  School (DC) for the past six years, Jones made the decision to build a program of his own.  While at St. John's, Jones was responsible for recruiting coordination, player development, and daily administrative tasks.  In his tenure as an assistant, he assisted in the development and recruitment of over 14 Division 1 athletes, including 8 in his final two years. 

Jones brings a tremendous work ethic and unrelenting energy to his coaching style.  A permanent fixture on the sidelines at the local AAU tournaments, it will not be long before the Cavaliers are fighting for a top spot again. Taking over a previously 4-26 team in the BCL and MIAA, Jones more than doubled the program's win total in his first season.  In addition to this, Justin Kane (Coast Guard Academy) was selected 2nd Team All Conference in the BCL.  Excitement is at an all-time high as the Spalding community continues to watch Jones as his program rises.

A native of Washington, DC, Jones finished his career at St. John's in 2003 and continued his playing career at Hamilton College (NY). While there, Jones was honored as the Rookie of the Year and Second-Team All Conference in first season.  For each of his remaining three years, he was a First-Team All Conference selection, finishing his career with over 1,300 points.  Coming from a basketball family, Jones has three brothers and sisters, all who played college basketball and his father, Collis Jones - also a St. John's alum - was an All-American performer at Notre Dame and an NBA first round draft pick of the Milwaukee Bucks.

 

Chuck Driesell,  Maret High School

Chuck Driesell – Men’s Basketball Coach Maret High School, Washington, DC 20008

Chuck Driesell’s career spans 30+ years of all ranks of Division I, Division III and high school basketball. A former ACC all-academic shooting guard and University of Maryland alumnus, Coach Driesell started his career at the Naval Academy Prep School where he amassed a 40-29 record from 1985-88.

He spent nine seasons as Associate Head Coach at James Madison University under his father, Charles ‘Lefty’ Driesell. He helped build and guide the JMU Dukes to unprecedented success. From 1989-94, JMU either won or tied for five consecutive Colonial Athletic Association regular season championships (the only team in the country to do so at the time). JMU captured the 1994 CAA Tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament where they lost to eventual national finalist Florida, 64-62. JMU compiled a 159-111 record (85-45 CAA) and made four postseason appearances in nine seasons.

Driesell spent six seasons (1997-2003) as the Head Coach at Division III Marymount where he guided the Saints to an 88-72 mark. In 1999-2000, he led Marymount to the Capital Athletic Conference Tournament championship and its first NCAA Tournament appearance. Driesell also served as Assistant Athletic Director at Marymount from 1999-2003.

Driesell left Marymount to become an Assistant at Georgetown University where he was the Recruiting Coordinator that included the class of Roy Hibbert and Jeff Green; two standout players for the Hoyas.

Driesell moved on to become the Head Coach at Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria, VA before Gary Williams, Head Coach at The University of Maryland needed someone that knew and understood recruiting in the DMV area. Driesell served for four seasons at the University of Maryland as an Assistant Basketball Coach where he went head-to-head in recruiting with schools from the ACC, SEC and Big East. His time at Maryland included a 24-9 record in 2009-10 and a share of the ACC regular season title with an 11-3 conference record. Maryland earned a berth in the NCAA tournament as a No. 4 seed and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Coach Driesell became the Head Coach at The Citadel in 2010. He spent five years coaching, recruiting and developing players and cadets in the Southern Conference of Division I basketball. Coach Driesell is currently the Head Coach at the prestigious Maret School in Washington, DC. His experience in coaching and developing talent at the college level will be an asset to any young player that plays under him.

What people are saying about coach Driesell:

“Coach Driesell and I came to the University of Maryland at the same time. Since that time, he has helped me reach my goals as a player. He is a hard worker and builds a long lasting relationship with each of his players.”
-Grevis Vasquez, Milwalkee Bucks

“I have known him for a long time and he is the type of coach that understands the player development with his attention to detail. Chuck’s work ethic in practice and during the game will make for improvement of his players on many levels.”
-CBS analyst Len Elmore-
 

"Junior" Burrough, Norfolk Collegiate

"Junior" Burrough – Men’s Basketball Coach Norfolk Collegiate High School, Norfolk, VA 23505

"Junior" Burrough is entering his first year as Head Coach of Norfolk Collegiate.  A 6'8" power forward who attended national power Oak Hill for high school, Burrough played collegiately in the ACC at the University of Virginia where he is still a Top 5 - All Time leading scorer and a Top 3 All Time leading rebounder for the Cavaliers.

After leaving the University of Virginia Burrough and was selected by the Boston Celtics 33rd overall in the 1995 NBA Draft.

Burrough has tangible experience playing at the highest levels of basketball; a four-year starter at Virginia, he has not only competed but he has won while playing a prominent role -  “Junior” in his senior year was the leading scorer on a squad that won the ACC co-championship.  After his time with the Boston Celtics; Burrough had a long tenured career overseas before retiring in 2009.

 Burroughs has sharpened his teeth on the sidelines on the AAU side having coach multiple teams ranked nationally in the Top 5 in the country as well as spending time with one of the most highly regarded AAU programs in the country. 

“Junior” was also seen and heard doing basketball broadcast as an analyst for Comcast as well as other media outlets.  He has touch, trained, and worked with several pro and college players maintaining his edge in the gym.

When asked, “why now, and what made this the right opportunity?” Burrough stated “I’ve had other opportunities over the last few years, this will give me an opportunity not to put Norfolk Collegiate back on the map, but to continue its legacy of success. I hope to do that.”

The Norfolk Collegiate Oaks last season won the Tidewater Conference tournament championship and earned a VISAA Division II state tournament berth.

ODU Head Coach Jeff Jones said about Burrough that he was “poised, ambitious and hungry for the job.”  It was under Jones at UVA that Burrough averaged 18.1 points per game.  Burrough said winning is important, but his goal is to produce well-rounded young men who will be productive citizens and successful after high school.

“I think winning will take care of itself if you take care of those other things first,” he said.

Burrough said he’s looking forward to competing in the tough Tidewater Conference closing with “I don’t want to make any crazy promises. That’s not how I work. But I plan on grinding.”  Look for “Junior’ Burroughs to continue the winning tradition well into the future. 

Coach Ralph D. Flowers, Concord High School

Coach Ralph D. Flowers, Men Basketball Coach Concord High School, Wilmington, DE 19810

Coach Ralph Flowers is beginning his twelfth year as Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Concord High School, in Wilmington Delaware.  He is a graduate of both LaSalle University (BS) where he played alongside former NBA lottery pick Lionel “L-Train” Simmons  and Central Michigan University (MS).  Coach Flowers has also served 28 years with the U.S. Army Reserves as an Engineer and Army Officer.

 

While at Concord High School Coach Flowers has led his Raiders to four Final Four State Tournament appearances and three conference Championships.  Coach Flowers has also earned Conference Coach of the Year and Delaware State Coach of the Year awards while at Concord High School as his teams have won over 74% of their games in the last eleven years.

While at LaSalle University, Coach Flowers played under two Hall of Fame Coaches who taught him the game, Coach Bill “Speedy” Morris and Coach Fran Dunphy.  Coach Flowers was also selected to play with the 1992 All Army Basketball while still on Active Duty.

Coach Flowers and his highly skilled Coaching staff run several basketball Camps each year at Concord High to assist the young and upcoming basketball players with skill development.  Concord High School also runs a yearly Coaches vs Cancer event that raises thousands of dollars each year toward the fight against Cancer.

Coach Flowers moniker is that ‘Hard Work Always Pays Off’ follow his journey at www.raiderssports.com

All Middle School All-Americans will compete in the upcoming Basketball Spotlight Future Phenom Camp - if you are ready to Battle against the Best in the country click below to register!