John Clancy joins JALC coaching staff
Former SIU assistant men's basketball coach John Clancy, who spent last season at Triton College near Chicago, is making a return to the region.
Clancy will be a part of John A. Logan College men's basketball staff, replacing T.J. Cox, Vols head coach Kyle Smithpeters confirmed to the Du Quoin Call.
"I'm extremely excited to bring in John," Smithpeters said. "I've gotten to know him the last four years and he has a great work ethic, he's very good with individual instruction, he relates to players very well and most importantly, he's extremely trustworthy."
"He's worked with some of the best players out of Chicago, guys like Kendrick Nunn (Miami Heat) and Jabari Parker (Sacramento Kings), not to mention the experience he will bring and offer a lot of new insight to our program."
Clancy, who spent four seasons under then-Saluki head coach Barry Hinson, wasn't retained under new head coach Bryan Mullins. He spent last season as an assistant at Triton Community College in River Grove.
The Buffalo Grove native is excited to not only be back in the area, but to be a part of the JALC coaching staff.
"What Kyle has built at Logan is something that is really special," Clancy said. "He runs it like a Division I program and it's probably why he's now been a finalist for two Division I jobs. Kyle and I share the same philosophies when it comes to coaching. I had the opportunity to coach Tyler (Smithpeters) at SIU when I was there, so I know his whole family.
"That's the thing about Logan basketball, it's like a family and they do things the right way and I'm just excited to be a part of it," Clancy added. "There aren't many situations in college basketball right now at any level that are better than what John A. Logan has going on. When Kyle offered me the job, it was really a no-brainer as to whether or not to return (to the area)."
After graduating from Buffalo Grove High School, Clancy went on to play at Concordia University and was named to the Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference All-Tournament and All-Conference teams. Clancy was first in assists and steals and second in scoring and rebounds while at Concordia.
His coaching career began in 2009, when at the age of 25 he became one of the youngest head coaches in Illinois, taking over at Wheeling High School. After stops at St. Viator, Elk Grove and Niles North, he got into college coaching, becoming a grad assistant at SIU in 2015, before being promoted to the role of Director of Player Development in year two and Director of Operations in 2017.
His professional resume includes working as a skills trainer in the Chicago area with high school, collegiate and professional basketball players.
John A. Logan will return 6-foot-8 big man Sydney Curry, along with 7-2 tower Jamarion Sharp. Curry was named GRAC All-Conference sectional and GRAC Freshman Player of the Year, as well as, being named to the Region 24 Team, while Sharp was named to the Great Rivers Athletic All-Conference Team.
In addition to Curry and Sharp, the Vols also bring back Justin Johnson, Teon Nesbitt, Isaiah Ervin and Mario McKinney. In the offseason, Logan got a walk on commitment from Austin Gabe and the Vols have signed Pinckneyville's Dawson Yates, Bowling Green Ky. Dre Boyd, along with Marion's Jackson Connor, Arkansas product Detrick Reeves and Alabama A&M transfer Cameron Alford.
Spyder Dann covers prep and college sports for the Southern Illinois LOCAL Media Group. Follow him on Twitter: @spydieshooter.