Former Oceana standout Lusk moves up at Westside

(Originally Published 24 Aug 2006)
(Jamie Lusk, '94; Jason Mathis, '94 and Nick Cook, '96)

Jamie Lusk takes over the Westside High School girls basketball program well prepared for the task.

After all, anyone who has played hoops for Jim Hopkins, or coached alongside Larry Mathis and Steve Cox, has probably picked up a few things along the way.

In fact, Lusk becomes the third player from Hopkins’ 1994 Class AA state championship team to become a head coach.

Jason Mathis is boys coach at James Monroe while Nick Cook is the new boys coach at Westside following Hopkins’ retirement last month.

"Our knowledge has paid off for us a little bit," said Lusk, who was a senior when the Indians won the championship. "I’m looking forward to the challenge."

After graduating from Concord College, Lusk returned home to become ninth-grade boys coach at Westside, which consolidated Oceana and Baileysville high schools. He spent four years with the freshmen and was also Larry Mathis’ assistant with the varsity girls the past two years.

Each coach he’s worked with made an impression.

"Jimmy’s game preparation is what amazed me — how good his practices are," Lusk said of Hopkins, who spent 18 years as head coach and compiled a 328-106 record. "He could get his teams ready to play anybody.

Hopkins would bring in Oceana graduates such as 1980s all-stater Darren Whitten to represent players on other teams.

"Those guys were really good and they got us ready for the games," Lusk said. "And not just to play, but to win."

Hopkins is pleased to see one of his former charges move up in the coaching ranks.

"Jamie was a great player, the kind everyone wanted to have," he said. "I felt like he’d be around basketball a long time."

Lusk was redshirted his freshman year at Concord. He then became the Mountain Lions’ first student assistant coach under Cox.

"I learned a lot from Steve and (assistant coach) Randy Jennings," Lusk said. "A lot of things they did in practice I’d like to start doing here."

Sitting at Larry Mathis’ side the past two seasons furthered his basketball education.

Mathis was great at teaching fundamentals and worked well with his players.

"The girls loved him," Lusk said of the longtime coach, who has wrapped up a successful 34-year career coaching boys and girls at Oceana and Westside. "I learned a lot with how he interacted with kids. I’m going to put it to work in my coaching."

Westside returns most of its key players, including top scorers Nikki Ellis, Sammi Lusk and Ashley Stepp, and full or part-time starters Taylor Lusk, Jennifer Bailey, Markie Gunnels, Sabrina White and Katie Workman.

"We have a ton of experience coming back. That should be our main strength," Lusk said. "Our girls know what it’s like to play against Summers County, Woodrow Wilson and Wyoming East. I think they’ll be ready.

"They have the drive to make it to the next step. It’s going to be a great year."