By Tabitha Evans Moore
Editor & Publisher
It’s Friday before noon and Coach Lavon King’s cell phone notifications rapid-fire like a excited machine gun. News travels fast in Lynchburg and word on the street is that a beloved former boys basketball coach is headed back to his alma mater.
Speak to any former player, and they’ll tell you that Coach King is one of their favorite people. The reason is simple: Coach King pours into the young men he mentors and not just while they wear his jersey. Just yesterday, he returned to Moore County to support the middle school baseball team as they took on Liberty in a championship game. Why? His former player, Bradly Chapin, coaches the team. It’s a legacy of seeing and appreciating effort that serves him both on and off the basketball court.
Coach King grew up in Lynchburg and was one of a dream team of MCHS seniors — Kevin Eady, Marcus March, Joel Gregory, Gary Eady, and Justin Grogan — coached by Billy Mooney who led the Raiders to a state tournament appearance in 1990. He graduated in 1990 and continued his playing career at Motlow State before earning a BS in Health and Physical Education from Middle Tennessee State University in 1994.
A Raider homecoming in more ways than one
This fall will not be Coach King’s first time at the Raiders helm. He coached at MCHS from 2000 to 2017, earning three substate appearances, six district championship appearances, and a 2008 state semifinal game.
After 17 years, life took Coach King to Marshall County, where he quickly made his mark. In his first two seasons, he coached KJ Johnson, who went on to win Mr. Basketball in back-to-back years as a junior and a senior. This past season, after graduating seven seniors, he guided a young and rebuilt squad to a 13-15 record and a third-place regular season finish — a feat he’s proud of given the circumstances.
But home has a way of calling you back. When the position at MCHS came open, Coach King admits he wasn’t immediately interested. It took some nudging from people who believed in him before he agreed to at least throw his name in the ring. He interviewed on a Tuesday. By Wednesday of the following week, the job was his.
“Once I started thinking about it more and more,” he said, “I was like, it might not be bad to come back home.”
The response from former players has been immediate and emotional. Coach King says Douglas McGary called him to say he “almost shed a tear” when he heard the news. Jesse Ivey also reached out, eager to reconnect. Another former player, Ryan French could barely contain his excitement. The reason is simple: Coach King never really stopped being their coach. He’s been there all along — reaching out, showing up, and encouraging his players.
Aggressive defense and uptempo offense
Next Wednesday, Coach King will sit down with the returning Moore County players for the first time. He hasn’t seen the team play this season, and he’s already planning to attend some AAU tournaments this summer to get a feel for the talent in the pipeline. Early reports suggest there’s a promising youth group pushing up through the ranks.
On the court, fans can expect an up-tempo, aggressive style. Coach King plans to press and trap heavily on defense — he wants opposing teams to prepare for the Raiders differently than they prepare for anyone else. Offensively, expect a four-guard spread with an emphasis on pushing the ball up the floor. He’s also already working with strength and conditioning coach Kris White to get players in the weight room, building the physical foundation for the program he envisions.
And that program? He’d like it to last. Coach King says he can see himself ending his career in Lynchburg, and he’s intentional about building a coaching tree — bringing on young assistants with Moore County ties who can eventually carry the torch.
As for walking back into that gym for the first time on the home bench? He admits it’s going to be surreal.
“We were always on the opposing bench,” he said. “Actually coming back and being on the home bench — it’s going to bring back a lot of memories.” •
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