Unioto boys basketball coach Matt Hoops stepping down after 17 seasons

CHILLICOTHE − Matt Hoops has seen plenty of change during his 17 seasons at the helm of Unioto's boys basketball program.

A laundry list of achievements dot his over two decades within Unioto's basketball program, both as head coach and as an assistant coach. He turned three consecutive losing seasons in his first three years at the helm into eight Scioto Valley Conference titles, four Gold Balls, six sectional titles and three district championships, and he's amassed a 260-134 record while helming the Shermans.

But there comes a time when a coach needs to step down. For Hoops, that time has come.

After 17 seasons, Hoops has decided to step down from his position as Unioto's head boys coach.

"When you do something for 26 years, I don't know if there's ever the right time," Hoops said. "I always told myself, I didn't want to go out when the cupboard was bare. I always wanted whoever was going to come in next to be able to have pieces to work with, and I think we've more than have that. It's not just next year, it's for years to come."

Coming off Unioto's most recent season, it's easy to see the level of success that the program has had under Hoops, who closes his tenure as the winningest coach in program history. The Shermans ended the 2023-24 season 18-6 overall and 13-1 in conference play, locking down another SVC title and earning Hoops his eighth SVC Coach of the Year nod.

From 2014-2018, Unioto won four straight Gold Balls and won two of its district titles under Hoops. They won a conference-record 69 consecutive games in that span. He's been named the District Coach of the year five times, and he was awarded the Division II Coach of the Year for the 2014-15 season.

Now, Hoops leaves the program with a massive opening to fill.

"You know, Christina and I talked about it multiple times about when is the right time you know," Hoops said. "She's been driving herself to basketball games for as long as I can remember. I just think it's time now that I drive her to the game and sit in the stands with her and kind of just watch Blake do his thing, be parents and let our kid play the game of basketball without his dad being his coach."

Hoops won't be going far, however. He will still continue to coach Unioto's football program, which is fresh off a 9-2 season, its first SVC title since 1998 and first Gold Ball since 1981. He was named the SVC's Coach of the Year in that sport as well, and the program is 27-14 through his first four seasons.

For now, Hoops' tenure leading the Shermans on the court has come to a close. He feels the program is left in a good position, however. The recent conference title and the upward trajectory of the program speak for themselves.

"You have always been taught to leave things better than you found it, and I feel like we've done that," Hoops said. "I'm very appreciative of the administration that hired me, because those first three years we weren't very good but we were headed in the right direction. They allowed me to grow as a coach and build the program. You win with people. I've been surrounded with really good people in terms of staffs that I've had, the family support that I've gotten and just so many of the relationships that I have now because of the game of basketball."

This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Unioto boys basketball coach Matt Hoops stepping down after 17 seasons