Andy Hill leaves Carter boys basketball for Central

It may have just been in passing, but Andy Hill felt the enthusiasm surrounding Central High School.

So when the opportunity to become the Bobcats' boys basketball coach surfaced, he jumped at it.

"Whenever I've been to Fountain City, the atmosphere around the community, the excitement around athletics and the direction of the athletic department and the school academically is something that is very evident from the outside," Hill said. "It intrigued me, and once I got a chance to sit down with the administration and had conversations with them, the decision was easy to make."

Hill, 28, is two years removed from notching his first head coaching gig with Carter, but he has a wealth of experience for a young coach. As an assistant at Sevier County, he learned under Ken Wright, who has more than 20 years of coaching experience with Gatlinburg-Pittman and the Smoky Bears.

"Andy Hill was raised in a basketball family and it's very obvious when you watch him coach," Wright said. "I had the pleasure of having Andy as an assistant and I was impressed with his knowledge of the game and his ability to relate to the players. His passion for the game and his basketball knowledge are among the best that I have observed."

The Hornets posted a 28-31 record in Hill's two years but showed improvement, turning a 10-19 record and a first-round loss in the District 3-AA tournament in 2015-16 into an 18-12 record with a Region 2-AA tournament appearance last season.

Hill is tasked with putting together a similar rebuild at Central after replacing former Tennessee guard Jon Higgins, who was named coach at Farragut on April 20. Following a 21-12 season that included a Region 2-AAA semifinal appearance in 2015-16, the Bobcats went 7-23 this past season.

"There are some special things going on at Central," Hill said. "If we want to be a part of that, first and foremost, we have to wrap our arms around the players and make sure they know that we are here for them and are 100 percent invested in their success both on the floor and off the floor. It's not about me, it's about them and trying to give them an opportunity to experience as much success as possible."