Prep Basketball: Graham takes over girls program at Clark

Lexxus Graham gave the biggest applause after her father Robbie Graham was named girls basketball coach at George Rogers Clark High�¿School Monday afternoon.
Graham succeeds Scott True, who resigned earlier this month to accept a similar post at Lexington Catholic High School. Graham has spent the previous seven seasons as head junior varsity and assistant boys basketball coach at Clark.
Graham credited the opportunity to Clark principal David Bolen, George Rogers Clark boys basketball coach Scott Humphrey, assistant coach Larry Allison and his mentor, the late Lake Kelly, who gave Graham his coaching start at Fleming County High School. Graham also thanked his wife Deena and family for understanding the “long, late nights” during the regular season.
“I’m looking forward to this opportunity,” Graham said. “I’m very thankful to the Lord Jesus Christ. Without him, none of this would be possible. It was a very difficult decision to leave (the boys program), but it was something I felt like I wanted to do and I’m very excited about the opportunity to run the girls program. Coach True did a great job, but I’m looking forward to stepping in and taking it to another level.”
Graham said his philosophy is to simply “win.”
“That’s the most important thing,” he said. “We’re going to win. We’re going to work hard and outwork people. It’s not going to be easy and it’s probably going to be harder than anything you’ve ever done. But at the end of this journey, you’ll be excited where we end up. My goal every year is to (win the) 40th District, 10thÃ?¿Region and (get to) Bowling Green. That’s the goal. It doesn’t matter who is here or who graduates. That’s the goal every year.”
Graham isn’t worried about the transition from one gender to another. He previously served as girls volleyball coach from 2005-06 at Clark.
“I’m currently coaching and AAUÃ?¿team with Lexxus and Sandra (Skinner),” he said. “I’m able to put those girls together that I don’t see maybe twice a week. I’m not worried about the transition. The goal is still 10 feet, the court is 84 feet long and the three-point line is ‘19-9.’”
Lexxus Graham knows what to expect from her father on the sidelines.
“I’m used to it, because he’s my AAU coach,” she said. “I know how to play his game, play hard and play to win. He treats me like all of the other girls. If I don’t play good, he takes me out and if I’m playing god, he plays me.”
As for a coaching staff, Graham “has some people in mind.”
“I’m going to go through the process and interview some people,” he said. “I want people who have the same passion that I have for the game (and these girls). If you can’t match my passion, then I can’t have you on my staff. We’re going to work hard, we’re going to scout, know our opponent and practice. This isn’t going to be about Robbie Graham. I want people not working for me, but with me. When I finalize the staff, It will be people who care about these girls first and foremost, care about the school and program and people who have a passion for the game of basketball and work hard.
“I’m not going to settle for second-best. I’ve never been that way.”