New Richmond Hill High School boys’ basketball coach Bill Henderson shouldn’t have any problem finding his way around the school gym.

Henderson, 25, played under coach Jimmy Hires, who led the Wildcats to three state championships and compiled a 647-185 record before retiring after the 2005 season.

More recently, Henderson coached under William Altman, who brought the program back from a down period after Hires’ retirement and won a Region 2-AAAA title before leaving for Metter earlier this spring.

Both men helped prepare him for his new role, Henderson said.

"I learned a ton from coach Hires," Henderson said. "Everything I believe about basketball came from playing for coach Hires. Coach Altman had a similar system and also had success with it."

Both Hires and Altman stressed defense first and hard work always, and that’s something Henderson said he plans to continue.

"We’re going to base everything off of playing good defense and playing hard and executing on offense," he said. "Everything starts with defense."

Henderson might have his work cut out for him in 2012-13, since the Wildcats lost all five starters from last season’s 18-9 team.

But Henderson, who coached junior varsity under Altman last year, said his returning players know what’s expected of them.

"What’s good is they have been in the system for a while and they understand what we’re trying to do," he said. "We also know the guys we have are going to work hard and that’s a big positive."

Read full story in the May 9 issue of the Bryan County News.