CINCINNATI — James N. Gamble Montessori High School boys basketball coach Michael Holmes has stepped down from the position after four seasons. Holmes said Thursday night he is considering relocating out of town.
"I enjoyed my time at Gamble," Holmes said. "These past four years have been a journey. From taking the job during Covid where were forced out of the gym - we had to practice outside at a park in Price Hill. I enjoyed the growth of each player throughout the program. Gamble will always have a special place in my heart but my time has come to an end."
Holmes led the Gators to their first district final appearance in March. Gamble Montessori (21-5) was a Division III district runner-up to Versailles at University of Dayton Arena.
"I believe this was my best season as a coach because I had an exceptional leader in (senior guard) Ta'Ron Patterson," Holmes said. "Having a leader such as Ta'Ron I was able to speed up the development of my underclassmen. He knew exactly how I wanted to run things due to him going through the process with me."
The Gators had just three seniors this past season and persevered through the preseason and a challenging non-conference schedule to be on the cusp of a regional tournament berth. The Gators won the Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference Blue division (13-0 record) and Holmes surpassed the 100-win career coaching milestone this past season.
"I am most proud of the accomplishments we had during this season," Holmes said. "We made it to districts and only had two players with playoff experience."
Holmes earned a 58-24 record during his time at Gamble Montessori.
Holmes built one of the top programs in the Southwest District. The Gators won multiple conference and sectional championships. He was named a Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference coach of the year three times during his tenure.
"Coach Holmes will be missed by the Gamble community as he moves on in his career," Gamble Montessori athletic director David Miller said in an email. "On a personal note, it was a pleasure working with him. He brought an energy to this program, and we hope to build on what he has left us. We wish him well in his future endeavors!"
Gamble Montessori started its program as a boys basketball club team in the 2010-11 school year, followed by another season in preparation for being an official Ohio High School Athletic Association program in 2012-13.
Miller said Gamble Montessori is seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented individual with high-level experience as its next head coach. Interested candidates should apply online with Cincinnati Public Schools and email their resume and three references to Miller at milleda@cps-k12.org.
