Big Central Georgia basketball coaching shoe drops: Darrell Lockhart leaving Upson-Lee

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

            There is rebuilding, and there is rebuilding.

            And then there’s Upson-Lee.

            One assistant boys basketball coach has moved to Fitzgerald, another to Taylor County. And the Knights had six seniors on the 2018-19 team.

            Now, stunningly, it appears they’re looking for a head coach.

            Darrell Lockhart turned in his resignation on Monday and has reportedly taken the head coaching position at Valdosta.

            Lockhart’s departure was first reported on Twitter by state high school basketball reporter Kyle Sandy, of SandysSpiel.com on his Twitter feed, @KyleSandy355, around dinnertime Tuesday.

            On his list of coaching changes, he had Lockhart taking the Valdosta opening, which was confirmed by another source.

            Antonio Haynes resigned from the position in early March, having gone 84-76 overall and 23-33 in region play. Valdosta is a Class 6A school Upson-Lee Class 4A.

            The Knights were set for a serious rebuild anyway next year, losing standouts Zyrice Scott, Jarrett Adderton, and Travon Walker, longtime mainstays.

            Walker, headed to Georgia on a football scholarship, started for four years, Scott for more than three, and Adderton for two. The Knights won 75 straight games and two state titles before both streaks were broken in 2018-19.

            The winning streak came to an end on Dec. 22 when they lost to Class 7A Discovery 75-57, and then they were knocked off at home 59-53 by Americus-Sumter on Feb 21in the second round to finish 26-2.

            Upson-Lee lost assistants Christopher Jones to the head coaching job at Taylor County and Hamilcar Kelly to the top job at Taylor County. Michael Price is a volunteer assistant.

            Lockhart was nearing the 300-win mark with the Knights.

            Lockhart responded Tuesday night to a text about a phone conversation, saying it wasn’t a good time and that Wednesday would be better.