Photo by Thomas Grant Jr.
The River Bluff boys basketball team after upsetting Dorman 57-40 to win the Class 5A title in 2021.
By Thomas Grant Jr.
For the first time since opening up in 2012, River Bluff High School will have a new boys’ basketball head coach.
Ben Lee, who has led the Gators since their inception, announced his resignation last Monday after 13 seasons.
Ben Lee
“Over the past 13 years, I have been blessed with unforgettable memories, outstanding players and even better people,” he said to riverbluffgators.com.
A graduate of Lexington High School and Montreat College, Lee won 161 games, two Region 4-5A titles and the 2021 Class 5A title during his tenure.
That year, the Gators went on a game-ending 17-0 run led by Myles Jenkins’ 31 points to dethrone defending 4-time state champion Dorman 57-45 victory. Lee went on to earn S.C. Athletic Coaches Association’s Boys Basketball Coach of the Year honors.
He said the biggest factor in resigning was family. Lee and his wife Ansley have two daughters, Millie and Ashlyn.
. “The basis of my decision is that for 20 years my family has organized their lives around my basketball schedule,” he said. “They have consistently sacrificed without complaint. As my children get older, I began to realize how short their childhoods really are. I want to spend some time giving them my best and support them the best I can.”
Prior to arriving at River Bluff, Lee served as assistant coach from 2005-13 for his high school coach Bailey Harris. He was one of six former players/assistant coaches from the Wildcat legend’s coaching tree that led programs this past season.
Lee is coming off his worst season at River Bluff. The Gators went 2-23 overall, 1-9 in the region and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
A year earlier, River Bluff won 20 games for the second time in program history and finished second in the region. It reached the second round of the Class 5A playoffs.
In addition to the victories and region and state titles, Lee sent 11 players to the college level to continue their basketball careers.
“I think what I am proud of the most is the high-quality young people that have come through,” Lee said. “It’s the kids that do all the hard work. To have been able to work with the groups that grew our program into a successful program has been a joy.”
Lee also praised the “top notch” school leadership he’s worked under over the years. He still plans to walk the halls of “The Swamp” as a teacher.
Athletics director Andrew Peckham said the school will start advertising for the position next week. His plan is to hire Lee’s successor by mid-March.
“Coach Lee has been a vital part of the culture of River Bluff and his success with our basketball program on and off the court speaks for itself,” he said. “Ben has been instrumental in the development of our young men at River Bluff High School not only on the basketball court, but in the way he has helped mold and shape their lives. He will be greatly missed on the sidelines, but I am excited for him to be able to spend more time with his family and enjoy this next chapter of his life.
“His leadership, passion, and dedication have made a lasting impact on everyone around him, and while it won’t be the same without him, we are incredibly grateful for everything he has given to the team and the community.”
