Boy’s Basketball at East Hamilton will enter a new and exciting era under Gary Long. Coach Long is well known in the Chattanooga area as a respected mentor, educator, and former collegiate athlete. Coach Long brings over two decades of basketball experience and a proven track record of leadership both on and off the court.
A 1999 graduate of Tyner High School, Coach Long was named All-State during the 1998-1999 season and helped elevate the Rams’ basketball program to statewide recognition.
Following graduation, he signed with Walters State Community College (1999-2001), where he was named 1st Team All-Conference in 2001. He later committed to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) before transferring to Lane College, where he played from 2003 to 2005. His tenure at Lane College included a championship season, winning the SIAC title in 2005. In 2024, Coach Long was inducted into the Lane College Men’s Basketball Hall of Fame, an honor recognizing his impact as a player and his continued contributions to the sport.
Coach Long brings 12 years of coaching experience with Chattanooga Elite AAU basketball, where he earned a reputation for developing young talent and inspiring athletes to excel both on and off the court. He also served as an assistant coach for the boys’ (2 years) and girls’ (4 years) basketball teams at Tyner Academy, as well as for the boys’ basketball team at Red Bank High School (8 years), earning widespread respect for his dedication to sportsmanship, discipline, and academic achievement.
School Principal Brent Eller, commented that he is excited to see Coach Long’s expertise, basketball IQ, and dynamic energy shape the boys' team. Aside from player development throughout the interview process, Coach Long articulated a clear vision for the program that expressed a holistic care for the development of its young men.
Assistant Principal, Keitha Booker, commented Coach Long brings well over a decade of coaching experience along with a robust history as a player to East Hamilton. Due to Coach Long’s background as a Chattanoogan, Mr. Booker is excited for him to fill the void of stability in our men’s program. At East Hamilton, we focused our search on not only finding ‘a coach’ but ‘The Coach’ to lead the program into the future.
“I am honored and excited to lead the East Hamilton Hurricanes and look forward to building a program rooted in hard work and integrity,” said Coach Long.
Coach Long holds a bachelor’s degree from Lane College and a master’s degree from Lee University.