Jason Napier had spent his entire teaching and coaching career in Effingham County. If he was going to leave, it was going to have to be for someplace special.
When the Bryan County boys basketball job came open the veteran coach made inquiries, did his due diligence and decided he had found a place he could call home. He applied and was hired last spring replacing Brent Anderson who left after seven years to accept a position as athletic director and assistant principal at Williams James Middle School in Statesboro.
“I’m from Middle Georgia but I’ve lived here since 1996,” Napier said. “I’ve spent my career In Effingham County but I’m very familiar with Bryan County and this area. I knew about the quality of the school system.
“I know a lot of coaches here and I have college (Georgia Southern) friends who teach in Bryan County and I’ve never heard a negative word about anything or anybody here. So, I applied and got the job and couldn’t be any happier.”
This is Napier’s second head coaching job at the high school level. He was head coach at South Effingham in 2021 but stepped down due to family reasons.
“I wasn’t tired or burned out, nothing like that,” said Napier who was head football and basketball coach at Effingham Middle School for 13 years. “I have a special needs son and it was during COVID.
“We lost our home health care nursing services and my wife and I (she is an Effingham County teacher) were getting about three hours of sleep a day. I stepped away to care for him. When this job came open, she encouraged me to go for it. Without her support and approval, I wouldn’t have done it.”
Napier also had the distinction of being an assistant football coach at South Effingham and assistant basketball coach at Effingham County in the same school year.
“There wasn’t a conflict,” Napier said. “I was teaching at the Career Academy so I was neutral. I’m excited about this opportunity.”
It also didn’t hurt that he’s inheriting a senior dominated team which is coming off three straight state playoff appearances. No Bryan County team has ever qualified for the state playoffs in four straight seasons.
The varsity roster shows nine seniors with Elijah Mincey, who will finish his career as the school’s all-time leading scorer, topping the list. Joining Mincey in the starting lineup will be fellow seniors Mike Smith, Chris Winfree, Jadon Odum and junior Ger’bravion Collins.
However, Napier cautioned, that can change at any moment based on performance in practice and the games themselves.
“Our practices are very intense and they are designed to create competition,” said Napier who was also an assistant on Coach Cherard Freeman’s football staff. “If we had to line up and play today that would be the starting five but we really don’t have a starting five because we have good depth.”
Juniors Darius Edwards and Cayron Rawls, both returnees who saw considerable playing time last year, and sophomore Aaden Frederick will push for playing time while seniors Estavion Rivera and Allen Williams are expected to provide key minutes off the bench. Freshmen Gerome Lee and Breaden Sharpe round out the varsity roster.
“Chris and Mike are two of my better players,” Napier said. “They’re strong, athletic kids and Elijah’s a good floor general. We’ve got several guys who are tweeners in that they can play guard and play in the post which is what I look for.”
Ironically Bryan County opens the season on Nov. 23 at South Effingham which will carry a 39-game losing streak into a Friday night game with Woodville-Tompkins. The Mustangs will play Camden County on Tuesday before facing their former coach.
The roster, numbers in parenthesis: (1) Mike Smith; (2) Elijah Mincey, (3) Ger’bravion Collins; (4) Darius Edwards, (5) Jadon Odum, (10) Breaden Sharpe, (12) Cayron Rawls, (14) Gerome Lee, (20) Aaden Frederick, (24) Chris Winfree, (25) Estavion Rivera, (30) Allen Williams.
The schedule
Nov. 23: at South Effingham.
Dec. 3: at McIntosh County Academy*; 6: Portal*; 7: at Windsor Forest; 10: at Metter*; 13: Savannah*; 14: Bulloch Academy; 17: at Screven County*; 20: Wheeler County; 21: South Effingham; 27: Lake Oconee Academy.
Jan. 3: at Emanuel County Institute*; 7: at Jenkins County*; 9: at Bulloch Academy; 10: Claxton*; 14: McIntosh County Academy*; 15: Savannah Classical Academy*; 17: at Portal*; 21: Metter*; 24: at Savannah*; 28: Screven County*; 31: Emanuel County Institute*.
Feb. 2: Jenkins County*; 7: at Claxton*.
*--Region games.