Finding The Right Fit

As reported on this blog yesterday, Walled Lake Western is in search of a new head boys basketball coach.

Here's Burney's Top 5 candidates for the job in alphabetical order

1 Denny Butcher –The former Walled Lake Central-OLSM-OBrandon bench baron, a true master at his craft, might be looking to jump ship from a Hartland gig that might have proved better in theory than in practice

2 Tom Negoshian (aka Old School NOGO) – The longtime OC sideline stalwart & genuine CLASS ACT in every way (the ultimate teacher of the game and life) could be coaxed out of retirement for a short-term stint at the helm of the Warriors' cage kingdom

3 Todd Negoshian (aka New Age NOGO) – The powers that be in Walled Lake might go after one of the town's favorites sons on the hardwood (prolific, two-time all-state point guard at WL Central in the late 90s), to fill the slot. Little Nogo is the current North Farmington head coach and has shown he's one of the best young tacticians and motivators in the profession since taking over for his pops a few years back.:p>

4 Ronnie Thompson – Another one of the city's favorite sons on the basketball court (leading-scorer, co-captain of legendary '93 Elite 8 WLC Central team), Thompson is sometimes underappreciated at cross-town rival Walled Lake Northern, a program that he's personally constructed into a factor on the floor for the first time in school history, and could view Western as a nice relocation destination

5 Dave Walther – Possibly the quiet "leader in the clubhouse" for the position, Walther is Warriors girls hoops coach and works as a teacher at the school. Incredibly reliable and well-liked within the building

Bonus Wildcard candidate: Jamie Thomas – Hot off kickstarting a resurrection of the Walled Lake Central girls bball world, doing a very commendable job in his first year, tripling the team's win-total this, claiming a city championship and invigorating a once dormant, irrelevant program, Thomas is an under-the-radar fast-rising commodity in state head-coaching circles. Was an assistant on a number of excellent West Bloomfield girls and boys cage clubs in the early 2000s and played D1 ball in the 90s at Western Kentucky and might think a well-situated and suddenly-open boys program, such as WLW, is a better fit for his future.