Mark Adams has been named the next varsity boys basketball coach at Panther Creek. He will be the Catamounts' third coach in as many years after L.J. Hepp resigned to pursue college coaching in 2009 and Travis Chapman announced in February that his family would be moving near Atlanta.

Adams joins Panther Creek after teaching and coaching at Sebastian River High School in Sebastian, Fla. for the past five years. His five-year record at Sebastian River was 103-35.

In 2009-10, the Sharks finished with a 22-6 record, earning Sebastian River its third straight district championship and a trip to the FHSAA 5-A "Elite 8" for the first time in school history.

Adams started his career as a graduate assistant under Jim Boeheim at Syracuse University in 1992.

"We are fortunate to find a person with Coach Adams's talent, creativity, and track record of building successful programs. Coach Adams has impeccable teaching and coaching references," Panther Creek athletics director Todd Schuler said.

"In addition to his teaching and basketball responsibilities, Mark will be helping me with event coverage in the fall and other athletic administration responsibilities. Mark has very high standards for his student-athletes and his program. We fully expect Mark to build on our early basketball success and help develop a strong Panther Creek basketball tradition."

In 1996, Adams began his head coaching career at St. Timothy's-Hale High School in Raleigh. Adams has coached at private schools in North Carolina and built successful basketball programs at two large public high schools in Florida over the past 10 years — Fort Pierce Central High School and Sebastian River High School.

Adams has accumulated 236 career wins in his 14 years as a head coach at the high school level. Adams has been selected to coach in the Don Wallen State of Florida All-Star Games in 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2010. He was inducted into the St. John Fisher College Hall of Fame in 2005 and was inducted into the Christian Brothers Academy Hall of Fame in 2008.

Adams will begin his coaching duties in July. He will be teaching physical education in addition to coaching. Panther Creek has made the playoffs in each of the last three seasons, despite just opening in the 2006-07 year.