ST. GEORGE — Continuity is key when developing a program, and Ryan Eves hopes his experience at Pine View, both as a player and as an assistant coach, will help keep the Panthers basketball program among the best in 3A in the state of Utah.
“Sure, things are going to be a little new and different with me as the head coach,” Eves said. “But more than anything, I want to continue what we’ve been building the last few years.”
Eves was named as the new Pine View basketball coach Friday afternoon after interviews Friday morning. He takes over for Darrell Larsen, who retired from coaching last month. Eves has been an assistant at Pine View the past eight years and was the head assistant the past four years under Larsen.
“There are some things that won’t change, like the way we run practice,” said Eves, who also played for the Panthers in 1996-1998. “I haven’t selected my staff yet, but I want everyone to know that when they come into our gym to play us, they’re going to play a tough defensive team that gives maximum effort.”
Pine View principal Mike Mees said Eves didn’t have an inside track just because he was already a teacher and assistant coach at Pine View.
“We had a six-person hiring committee and we wanted to trust the process,” he said. “We interviewed five people and had some really qualified people. It made making a decision challenging. But Ryan came in and his interview was outstanding. It was very clear to us that he was well-prepared and committed to not only the players, but keeping the program moving forward.”
Pine View won the 2015 state 3A basketball title, going 23-2 in that 2014-15 season. Larsen, who stepped down for personal reasons, compiled a 94-64 record at the school, most of those wins coming with Eves by his side.
“We’re in a really good place right now,” Eves said. “We have a lot of good athletes, good basketball players in the program, from the seventh grade on up. I think we have the talent to win championships and I want to build that championship culture at Pine View.”
Eves was a power forward/center in his playing days and one of his specialties is working with post players, producing recent talents like Kody Wilstead and Cody Ruesch.
Eves will be one of three new coaches in Region 9 basketball next season. James Brown retired as Snow Canyon’s head coach. The school recently tabbed Jamison Sorenson as the new head coach. Sorenson is completing his teaching assignment at a school in California and will join the Warriors staff this summer.
Cedar’s Craig Cardon also stepped down recently. The school has yet to announce Cardon’s successor.
Eves grew up in Las Vegas, but his family moved to southern Utah before his junior season. He played for the Panthers under former coach Lynn Christensen.
Eves, who is 36-years-old, is married (Daylemarie) and the couple have three children, Jayla (9), Kenedy (6) and Blake (almost 2).
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