BOYS-BASKETBALL

Prep boys basketball: Anderson leaving Golden Gate; Neumann gets new coach

Adam Fisher
adam.fisher@naplesnews.com; 239-403-6135
Golden Gate's Boys Basketball team celebrates a win against LeHigh high school during a Class 6A reigonal quarterfinal game in Naples, Fla. on Thursday, February 11, 2016. (Logan Newell/Special to the Daily News)

Two Collier County high schools will have new boys basketball coaches next season, including one of the area’s most successful programs the past few years.

Greg Anderson recently announced his resignation as Golden Gate’s head basketball coach. In four seasons, Anderson led the Titans to three playoff appearances, one district championship, and three 20-win seasons.

St. John Neumann announced this week the hiring of Barron Collier graduate Justin Anderson as its basketball coach. Matt Paul coached the Celtics the past three seasons.

After 20 years as a basketball coach, Anderson is leaving the court to focus on his career in education, as well as his wife and two daughters, ages 8 and 6. He wants to go into administration. Collier County Public Schools has a rule that administrators cannot coach.

“If teaching and coaching paid what administration pays, I wouldn’t even consider it,” Anderson said of leaving coaching and his job as a social studies teacher. “I want to be able to provide for my family and provide for them a little more.”

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Anderson, 44, got his administration degree in 2009 and planned to pursue the field a few years ago. But when the Golden Gate job opened following the retirement of local coaching legend Joe Consolino, Anderson couldn’t pass on the opportunity.

The Titans went 83-30 under Anderson and 3-3 in the FHSAA state tournament. Their most successful season was 2014-15, when Golden Gate went 22-8 and advanced to the regional championship game for the first time in school history.

“Whoever takes over, I hope they continue what we started,” Anderson said. “It’s one of the best coaching jobs in the area. I know I was extremely lucky to have it the past four years.”

Golden Gate athletic director Pete Seitz said the school still is searching for a new coach.

2017 Naples Daily News All-Area Boys Basketball Team

Paul left Neumann this offseason after what athletic director Damon Jones called a mutual parting. Jones sought out Anderson, 36, after getting recommendations from other coaches he respects.

Anderson graduated from Barron Collier in 2000, then played basketball at Seminole Community College and Palm Beach Atlantic.

The past five seasons, Anderson has been the head coach at Potomac State, a junior college in Keyser, West Virginia. Anderson led the team to a 97-40 record, its first NJCAA tournament and first region championship.

Jones said Anderson will teach at Neumann, which will help him get to know the students and players and build a program.

With a bachelor’s degree in organizational communication and a master’s in curriculum and instruction, Anderson will teach speech and debate as well as sports marketing, elective classes at Neumann.

The Celtics went 34-46 with two playoff appearances in three years under Paul.