Memmen named Bozeman boys basketball coach

SAND HILLS — Every first-year head coach should be as fortunate as Mike Memmen.

The new Bozeman boys basketball coach has his mentor and former boss a couple of hallways over.

Memmen spent five years as an assistant at Bay, three under Bozeman physical education teacher Matt Anderson, and two under current Tornadoes coach Mike Grady.

“Matt is definitely going to be available to me,” Memmen said. “It’s one of the perks with the job. Anytime you want to be successful you need to surround yourself with people who are successful.

“If there’s anything I need or needs to be taken care of I can trust Matt.”

Memmen, 30, inherits a Bozeman program that is coming off a 5-20 season. Memmen succeeds Roland Hankins, the head coach for one season after Cas Gant left the school following the 2008-09 school year.

Memmen approached Bozeman Principal Bill Payne about a vacant reading position at the school and said he was interested in coaching basketball. Memmen has a wife, Teresa, a 2-year-old son, Maddox, and is expecting a daughter in December.

The former two-sport athlete at Centenary College in New Jersey, who still ranks among the school leaders in 12 basketball categories, said defense will be the foundation for his coaching philosophy.

“Good defensive teams always have a chance to win,” Memmen said. “The team that plays harder every single night always puts themselves in a position to be successful.

“I think it’s got to be an all-year thing. I think these guys have to be committed to putting time in around the clock — fall, spring and summer.

“It’s got to be consistent all year-round. I think these kids will buy into it.”