Bob Martin, a highly accomplished basketball coach with over three decades of experience at the high school and collegiate levels, has been named the new head coach of the Calvary Day School boys basketball team. He replaces Scepter Brownlee, who accepted the boys’ basketball coaching position at Greater Atlanta Christian School, as announced on Monday.
Martin joins Calvary Day after two successful seasons coaching the Pickens Dragons in Jasper, Georgia. In his two years at Pickens, he led the team to an impressive 49-11 overall record, reaching the Sweet 16 in the Class 3A state playoffs in his second season (28-2 record) and the second round in his first (21-9 record). This remarkable success builds upon his already extensive coaching resume.
Martin’s coaching career boasts significant achievements in Georgia and Indiana. His previous Georgia high school coaching stints include roles at Lambert High School and King’s Ridge Christian School. At King’s Ridge, he guided the Tigers to a state runner-up finish in 2022 and a Class A Division I state championship in 2023, a testament to his ability to build winning programs. Before his return to Georgia in 2005, he honed his skills as an assistant coach with successful Indiana high school programs. Upon his arrival in Georgia, he served as an assistant boys’ coach at Glynn Academy, followed by a role as an assistant coach with the men’s basketball team at the College of Coastal Georgia from 2008-2012, a period which encompassed the program’s transition from the junior college level to NAIA. He concluded his time at Coastal Georgia with a season coaching the women’s team in 2012-13.
The move to Calvary Day, Martin explains, is rooted in a strong pre-existing relationship. He maintains close ties with Calvary Day headmaster Hunter Chadwick and principal Taylor Smith, both of whom were at King’s Ridge during his tenure there. “Dr. Chadwick took a chance on me at King’s Ridge,” Martin shared. “We had four wins in our first season and four in the second before reaching the state finals and then winning the state title. We stay in touch and are still close. This move wasn’t by design—everything was going well at Pickens, and the community was very supportive. But I’m stepping into this job on faith, and believe Calvary is the place I need to be right now.” The 51-year-old Indiana native, who played at Elkhart Christian Academy before attending Ball State University, expressed his excitement about the opportunity.
Martin inherits a talented Calvary Day roster featuring standout players like 6-foot-10 Kuol Deng and 6-foot-8 Chol Kiir, both seniors next season. These players, who hail from South Sudan, bring significant experience and skill to the team. Deng earned Region 3-3A Co-Player of the Year honors and has received offers from Alabama and Florida State. Kiir was named the Region 3-3A Defensive Player of the Year. The team also boasts promising returning guards in rising junior Marlon Knight Jr. and rising senior Demetrius Brown. Calvary Day finished last season with a 19-7 record, reaching the Sweet 16 of the Class A-3A Private School playoffs.
“I’ve been able to connect with the players on social media and am looking forward to meeting them face-to-face,” Martin said Tuesday morning, while en route from Atlanta to Savannah. “I know they are great kids.” Adding a unique family dimension to his story, Martin’s son, Jamin, will also be joining the Calvary Day team as a rising junior next season. His other son, Isaac, is a sophomore guard playing at Berry College, and his daughter, Bella, will play basketball at Belmont Abbey College after graduating from Pickens High School. “It’s been really cool having the family experience we’ve had around our passion for basketball,” Martin reflected. “It’s a great way to spend quality time together.”
Martin and his wife, Shawn, have been married for 29 years. The family dynamic clearly plays a significant role in his life and career.
Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at Dknight@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Bob Martin hired to coach Calvary Day boys basketball team