Wallace hired at Danville as new boys basketball coach

For the Enquirer

Sam Wallace, a West Morgan graduate and former head coach for the Rebels, has been selected to be the new boys’ basketball coach at Danville.

Wallace was the head boys’ basketball coach at West Morgan in 2017-18. He left West Morgan to take over the girls’ basketball program at Elkmont. Wallace led the Red Devils to back-to-back 20-or-more-win seasons in 2021-2022 and led the team to the Elite Eight in 2022.

Now he’s back in Morgan County and back coaching boys basketball as the new head coach at Danville. According to him, he’s a much better coach this time around.

“When I was coaching at West Morgan, I was 27-28 years old and single. Now I’m married with kids, and my perspective has changed,” Wallace said. “I’ve matured a lot since then, and I’m a better teacher (of the game). I understand now how to build better connections with kids, and when you have a better relationship with them, you can coach them harder and they’ll play harder, too.” Wallace knows he has big shoes to fill as he replaces Ben Mastin, who left to be the head coach at Decatur. Last season Mastin led the Hawks to a 22-10 record and the Elite Eight.

“Danville has a great history. Before Ben it was Wayne Bowling, Robert Pope, Doug Oldacre and Scott Ellis. Danville is just a great community that loves basketball,” Wallace said. “We’re not going to try and reinvent the wheel; we’re just going to continue to build on the traditions and success that every coach before me has set.” Russell Frye contributed to this report.