Former Birmingham Detroit Country Day boys basketball coach and OC Zen Master Kurt Keener only lasted a year on the job at Scottsdale Desert Mountain, in his first season away from the Metro Detroit prep cage scene.

Keener, who relocated with his wife to Arizona after 35 years holding the reins at DCD, constructing the Yellowjackets into a national high school hoops powerhouse, recently stepped down at Desert Mountain and accepted the head coaching and athletic director job at Gilbert Christian, a small-school juggernaut in a Scottsdale suburb.

Gilbert Christian won repeat state championships in 2012 and 2013 (AHSAA Division 3).

Desert Mountain had high hopes for the 2014 campaign, with Keener coming onto the bench and a veteran lineup returning. However, injuries and discipline issues derailed the season and Keener and his new club finished barely over the .500 mark at 15-14, bounced in the opening round of the state tourney.

While at DCD, Keener mentored future NCAA All-Americans and NBA first-round draft picks Chris Webber and Shane Battier, and raised nine state-title banners.