Gray Collegiate turning to familiar face to lead basketball program. Here’s what we know
Dion Bethea is coming back to Gray Collegiate.
Bethea is leaving Georgia Southern after one year as an assistant coach to return to lead Gray boys basketball team, a local athletics source confirmed to The State on Wednesday. A press conference to introduce Bethea as new coach is expected next Thursday.
WLTX’s Reggie Anderson was the first to report the news.
Bethea, who helped build Gray to a state-championship winning program, replaces Carlos Powell, who officially resigned from the school on Wednesday.
Bethea, a Richland Northeast grad, was the first coach in Gray program history, going back before the school joined the S.C. High School League in the 2014-15 school year and was eligible for postseason play in 2016-17.
Bethea won 273 in his career at Gray Collegiate. The War Eagles won 20 or more games in six of Bethea’s last eight years as head coach and he won the six Class 2A titles, including three in a row from 2022-24.
Under Bethea, Gray had five players win 2A Player of the Year honors including Jalek Felton, who was SC Gatorade Player of the Year in 2017.
Gray Collegiate moved up to Class 4A this season because of new multiplier rule in SC High School League and is in the same region with Airport, Brookland-Cayce, North Augusta, Aiken, South Aiken and Midland Valley.
The War Eagles finished second in the region this year and lost in the third round of the playoffs at North Augusta, which went on to play in the 4A championship game.
Gray will return several key players next season including all-state selection Levi Ball, guard Hunter McGraw, Jayden Rowe, Chase Starkey and Cam Arthur.
