Hixson High School has hired former City High standout Lawanza “Ricky” Crutcher to take over its boys’ basketball program, the school announced Thursday.
Crutcher coached at Centennial High School in Franklin, Tenn., the last two seasons but resigned after a 20-34 mark. He played at Lee University — then Lee College — from 1979 to 1981 and was a Christian college All-American and inducted into Lee’s Hall of Fame in 1999.
He was a two-time all-city selection and made all-state once during his career at City, averaging 17 points, 11 rebounds and five steals per game. He went to Cleveland State and was named all-conference before going to Lee, where he averaged 23 points and eight rebounds per game in his two-year career.
He was inducted into the Greater Chattanooga Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for me to come back home,” Crutcher said. “I prefer a variation of styles — not just one set style. Once I evaluate the talent, we’ll develop our styles from there. I’ve had a lot of time dealing with college coaches from large programs that have helped me develop my skills.”