A new era is tipping off for many Lexington County basketball teams as new coaches are set to take over some of the area’s marquee programs. 

In the past few weeks, seven programs announced the hiring of a new head coach. Each brings with them prior coaching experience and success. 

Below is some information on each coach, their background and goals for the future. 

Larry Davis

Former South Carolina Gamecock Hall of Famer Larry Davis is set to take over the Brookland-Cayce boys program. He brings with him years of high school and collegiate coaching experience. 

Davis spent the past three seasons at Mars Hill College. Before that, he coached high school ball at Lewisville, Northwestern and York Prep. Davis said he returned to the high school level because it’s more about the game. 

“It is a purer brand of basketball. The innocence of it is what intrigues me,” Davis said at his introductory press conference. “College is a little bit more predicated towards how much money you can raise and how much money the NIL can generate. And [high school] kids just want to get to the next level, and they'll do whatever they can to improve on a daily basis.”

Davis has an excellent track record at the high school level. He led Lewisville to its first state championship in over 35 years. At York Prep, he led the team to the 2022 title game before losing to Lexington’s-own Gray Collegiate. 

Before he got into coaching, Davis was a highly touted player. He was named South Carolina’s Mr. Basketball in 1991 after averaging over 40 points per game for Denmark-Olar. He was recruited by North Carolina’s Dean Smith and was part of the Tar Heels’ 1993 championship team. 

Davis transferred to South Carolina for his final two college seasons and helped South Carolina win its first, and only, SEC title in 1997. Davis said his playing experience shaped his coaching philosophies. 

“ Just understanding what it takes, the preparation part of it is probably the biggest thing that I feel like I've gained,” he said.  

Terrence Gibson

Joining Davis at Brookland-Cayce is Terrence Gibson. He is set to take over the Bearcats girls program.

Gibson comes to Brookland-Cayce after spending over 20 years as the head coach at Ridge View. The Blazers made the 4A semifinal game in 2024 and have turned into a consistent winning program. 

The task will be a lot tougher at Brookland-Cayce, where the Bearcats have not had a winning season since 2018. Gibson is confident he can elevate the program, even if he has to start from the ground up. 

“First thing you have to do is be committed every single day in the classroom, in the weight room, on the track, and then, it will translate on the basketball court,” Gibson said. 

Robert Wells

Brookland-Cayce’s old boys basketball coach is on the move to Lexington, taking over the Wildcats’ boys program after Eliott Pope resigned.

Wells had a successful tenure at Brookland-Cayce. He coached at his alma mater for 13 years,  making the playoffs every season and winning a region title in 2017. 

He takes over the Lexington program just one season removed from their 2024 5A championship. However, last season, the Wildcats struggled, finishing last in the region with a 4-19 record. 

Wells will also bring his Roundball holiday tournament with him. Previously known as the Cayce Roundball Classic, the tournament has been rebranded as the Lexington Roundball Classic.

Jordan Leath

Former Northside Christian girls basketball coach Jordan Leath is moving out of SCISA and into SCHSL play as the new coach of the River Bluff girls team. 

At Northside, Leath led the program to two of its best seasons in program history. The team won 37 games during that span, including a program record 23 games in 2025. 

“Northside meant a great deal to me, and I’m proud of what we were able to accomplish there in such a short time. The relationships with those players, the trust we built, and the barriers we broke together made it a special chapter in my career,” Leath told the Chronicle. “Ultimately, it wasn’t about leaving something behind, it was about being obedient to where I felt God was leading me next.”

Leath will take over a River Bluff program that has finished last place in its region the past two seasons. The team went winless in region play in 2025 and hasn’t finished higher than third place since 2020. Leath has plans to turn things around.

“Long-term, I want River Bluff to be one of the premier girls’ basketball programs in the state. A program known for its toughness, competitive spirit, and relentless player development. I want to build something sustainable,” he said. 

Leath has already met with a few players on the team and expressed his excitement to get going. 

“Those conversations have been really positive,” he said. “A lot of it has centered around building relationships and setting the tone for what’s ahead. We’ve talked about what it truly means to compete, the standards we’re going to uphold as a program, and the importance of embracing the process.”

Dion Bethea 

Gray Collegiate turned to a familiar face to fill its boys basketball opening. 

Dion Bethea is set to return after spending one year away from the program he built from the ground up. Bethea spent the past season as an assistant in college at Georgia Southern. 

Carlos Powell coached Gray in its first 4A season, leading the team to a second-place region finish and the playoffs.

Bethea won over 250 games and six 2A championships during his first Gray stint. He will try and continue that success as the team prepares for its second season in the 4A classification. 

“Gray has always been dear to my heart,” Bethea said during his introductory press conference. “Georgia Southern was an amazing place. I learned a lot … but my family is so important to me.” 

Terence Jones

Terence Jones is the next girls basketball coach at Chapin. 

Jones spent seven seasons as the head coach at Denmark-Olar High School, leading the team to multiple winning seasons and state title appearances. 

Chapin finished two games below 0.500 last season and was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. The Eagles have had just two winning seasons in the past 10 years. 

Coretta Ferguson

Irmo turned to a familiar face to fill its girls basketball opening. 

Coretta Ferguson joins the Yellow Jackets after coaching at region rival White Knoll last season. Ferguson led the Timberwolves to a 17-10 record last season and had the team competing for the region championship. 

Ferguson was named Region Coach of the Year in 2025 after leading the team to its first winning season in five years. 

Irmo finished 11-14 and was fifth in the region, just ahead of River Bluff last season. The Yellow Jackets’ last winning season came in 2021.