Andréa Jones, a 2002 graduate of Cheltenham High School, has been named the new head coach of the girls’ basketball team.
Jones was the starting point guard on the Panthers’ state championship team in 2000, which was the school’s first-ever state championship in any sport, boys or girls. The 2000 team finished the season 32-1 and ranked 14th in the nation by USA Today.
She previously served as Cedarbrook Middle School’s girls basketball coach for five seasons, the district said.
“We are thrilled to welcome Andréa, a distinguished Cheltenham High School alumna and former player, back to the Cheltenham Athletic Family in this exciting new role,” said Cheltenham athletic director Sam Sheridan. “Our community is proud to see one of our own return as head coach, continuing a tradition of excellence and inspiring current and future athletes.”
Jones began her coaching career in 2006 as the 9th grade girls’ basketball coach at Cheltenham and contributed as a varsity scout during the team’s second state championship season in 2007. She also coached AAU for Fencor and has continued to coach AAU teams while working at various camps.
She is also the director and lead coach of her own AAU program, Pesky (Purposely Empowering Skills and Knowledge Year-Round) Ballers, which is entering its third season.
“I thought about the girls and the program that once was and after talking about this with former Lady Panthers, I figured why not step into this position?” said Jones, who is one of a handful of 1,000 point scorers in program history with 1,190 points. “I have been asked to coach at other schools and never accepted the positions because in my heart I am always a Lady Panther. This is where my basketball career began, and this feels like home to me.”
According to local historian Chuck Langerman, the last former Lady Panther to serve as head coach of the girls’ basketball team was 1949 graduate and Alumni Association Hall of Famer Adele Boyd (pictured below) in the 1960s.
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Image: CSD