HICKORY— St. Stephens High School has elevated assistant coach Murphy Post to the position of head men’s basketball coach.

According to the Hickory Daily Record, Post, 25, has been an assistant to Gary Bowne for the past four years and served as the junior varsity head men’s basketball coach.

Bowne retired after 21 seasons as the Indians’ head coach.

Post teaches social studies at St. Stephens and will continue in that position he has held for the past four years. He’ll be taking over a team that went 21-7 last season but graduated seven seniors.

St. Stephens assistant principal and athletic director Dennis Whitener said school officials knew they already had the man in house for the job, and there was no need to look outside.

“Murphy has been with us for four years and is an ardent student of the game and is very passionate about basketball,”Whitener said in a press release. “He has worked very, very closely with Gary the past four years, and I know has learned a lot about basketball from him.

“Murphy exudes a contagious enthusiasm and youthful exuberance for the game of basketball while incorporating an excellent rapport with his players.

“He is an excellent classroom teacher and will be a very successful high school basketball coach. We are glad to have him prepared to take the helm of our boys basketball program.” 

Post is a 2007 graduate of Appalachian State University and is a graduate of Watauga High School.