La Vergne boys basketball names Tony Rutland head coach
Cecil Joyce
La Vergne's new boys basketball coach has a strong pedigree as a player and coach.
Tony Rutland has been named to take over the Wolverine program after Jeremy Moore resigned during the offseason to take a similar position at Centennial.
"He'll be great for our kids," said La Vergne principal Theowauna Hatchett. "He has such a passion and is very knowledgeable. He brings more than just basketball, and our kids need that."
Rutland averaged 10.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists at Wake Forest (1994-98). The 6-2 guard was named third-team All-ACC in 1996-97 before going on to play nine years professionally overseas.
"I hope to bring my knowledge of college and European ball to help develop everybody individually and as a team," Rutland said.
Rutland had some notable teammates teammates during his playing days.
He is a 1994 graduate of Bethel High in Hampton, Virginia, where he was a teammate of Allen Iverson, and the two teamed up for a state title in 1993. He scored more than 1,900 points in his high school career.
He was a teammate of Tim Duncan while at Wake Forest.
After his playing days Rutland worked for almost a decade as a probation officer in Georgia before returning to his hometown to coach at Hampton Christian in 2016.
"I want to take the things I learned from all the coaches I played for and watched and learned from and instill it into the players," Rutland said. "Hopefully they'll get it and learn and have fun while they're doing it."
He spent the previous two years as a boys assistant at Stewarts Creek, so he already has some familiarity with District 7-AAA.
"I think the kids will take to him very well," Hatchett said.
La Vergne is coming off a 17-10 season. The Wolverines will be reloading, having graduated top scorers Devin Kline and Antuan Williams.
Moore also left behind the role of athletic director at La Vergne. That role has been taken over by Wolverine swim coach and assistant soccer coach Jeremy Stansbury.
Reach Cecil Joyce at cjoyce@dnj.com or 615-278-5168 and on Twitter @Cecil_Joyce.