Enterprise selects new boys, girls basketball coaches

The Enterprise basketball program named two new coaches who were approved at an April 25 meeting of the Enterprise City Board of Education.

Rhett Harrelson will coach the EHS boys basketball team, and George Scott will coach the EHS girls basketball team.

“(The) Enterprise High School Athletic department is excited to announce the hiring of Rhett Harrelson and George Scott by the Enterprise City School Board as head coaches for our men and women's basketball program,” EHS athletic director Trent Trawick said in a statement. “We are delighted to have each of these men working and leading these programs at EHS. We look forward to the excitement and skill level they bring to their program.”

One word jumped to the new Wildcat coach when he was asked about the opportunity to lead the EHS boys basketball team.

"It's special," Harrelson said. "It's so special. It's so humbling to be able to have the opportunity to be able to come back, come home and lead the Cats basketball program. I love this town. I love this community. I love these people. I'm so excited and ready to get after it."

Harrelson, a 2012 EHS graduate, began his Wildcat basketball career in eighth grade according to a previous article in The Southeast Sun. He surpassed 1,000 career points during his sophomore season, eclipsed 2,000 as a senior and is believed to be the all-time leading scorer in Enterprise basketball history.

The vision Harrelson has for the program at Enterprise begins with young players in the community.

"I think just establishing a great excitement for basketball in the community, just getting people excited about the game," he said. "I think that starts with a lot of the young people in the community, whether it's elementary schools (or) junior highs, getting them out to games, get them out to camps, have fun playing basketball and looking forward to being a Wildcat one day."

After Harrelson's time as a Wildcat, he had a standout college basketball career at Western Carolina University, where he played for four years, was a team captain as a senior and earned a bachelors degree in health and physical education.

"We are excited to welcome Coach Rhett Harrelson back home to Enterprise,” EHS principal Matt Rodgers said. “Over the last month, I have had the opportunity to get to know Rhett on a professional level.  He is articulate, confident, and knowledgeable about how he wants to build our basketball program.  I am most impressed with his passion for the game.  Spend five minutes with Rhett and you can see the enthusiasm.  I have no doubt that young men in our school system (elementary, junior high and high school) will want to be around him and learn from one of the best.”

Harrelson is enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University where he is pursuing a masters degree and coaching as a graduate assistant on VCU’s basketball staff.

“Rhett has always been very humble yet highly competitive,” Rodgers said. “He will surround himself with coaches and players that believe in the Wildcat Way.  I am confident his teams will play extremely hard and will be fundamentally sound in all phases of the game.  Rhett had many opportunities to advance his coaching career but chose to come home to lead the Wildcats.  He believes in Enterprise High School, our community and he believes without a shadow of doubt he will lead an effort to build EHS basketball into a championship program.  He is a Wildcat and winner.  I am proud of Rhett and know that great things are about to take place with our basketball program."

Scott will take leadership of the girls basketball program from former EHS girls basketball coach Jeffrey Keller, whose resignation of his coaching duties was approved at the meeting.

“I called Mr. Trawick earlier this week,” Keller said. “I felt like God was leading me to do something different. Sometimes, you want to do what you want to do. This is one time I knew I needed to listen to Him. I felt like if I was having a tug-of-war on that, it would take away from investing in the players like they needed to be. They deserve to have 100 percent invested into them, and I felt like I would be taking away from that if I kind of had that conflict going on. I felt it was in the best interest of everybody to approach it that way.”

Scott graduated from Enterprise in 1992, and is honored to be a coach at his alma mater. 

"I feel like it's an honor and a privilege to be able to coach at the high school I played at," he said. "I love the city of Enterprise, and I love Enterprise High School. I'm a Wildcat. I've been a Wildcat. When I was in junior high school I went to Enterprise Junior High School so I've always been a Wildcat. I feel like it's an honor and a privilege to be able to coach at the high school."

The new coach of the Lady Cats said he preaches the basics of the game as the building blocks for the EHS girls basketball program.

"I'm about fundamentals," Scott said. "I want us to play the game the right way. I want us to play all out, play hard and just play the game the way it's supposed to be played. Of course I want to build a program, and I feel like if you do things the right way good things will happen."

Scott has a bachelors degree in mass communications from the University of Southern Mississippi, where he played four years of college basketball. Scott earned his masters degree from Southern Miss in mass communications and public relations before he played professional basketball overseas.

"Coach Scott brings with him an enthusiasm that is unmatched and great knowledge of the game,” Rodgers said. “He has served in various coaching positions and will no doubt be able to teach and mentor our young ladies in all phases of the game.  His experience with working with younger students in our (recreation) leagues will only help him as he attracts newcomers to our ladies program.  George is passionate about Wildcat basketball and will serve as a great ambassador for Enterprise High School.  He is a class act. He is also a Wildcat (who) desperately wants to give back to his community and build first-class young people.  I have no doubt he and the staff he ensembles will make an impact on our school and community."