Life has come a bit full circle for Jeff Boals. For years, Boals was a constant figure alongside That Matta during games in Value City Arena. From 2009 to 2016 Boals could often be seen consulting with Matta during timeouts and on the sidelines during key situations of the game.
Then, on April 8, 2016 Boals moved on to a head coaching job at Stony Brook and led the team to an 18-14 season his first season, then followed up with a twenty win season just this past year with the Seawolves.
Before all that coaching however, Boals played for Ohio University. He was a two-time captain and led the Bobcats to NCAA Tournament in 1994, the same season he and Gary Trent beat Ohio State during a run to the Preseason NIT Championship. Boals was a four-time letter winner in Athens, but a torn ACL his senior season ending his playing career.
Now things have come full circle for him. That’s because on Sunday, Boals was hired as the head coach of his Alma Mater, resigning from his post at the head man of Stony Brook to be the 19th head coach in OU basketball history.
“It’s hard to believe I’ve come full circle. The steps that you go, with your family, it means a lot to be here,” said Boals.
Congrats to one of the key and most influential assistants during the Thad Matta era on a new chapter in his life. Michigan fans should remember him well. He was the assistant coach that Thad Matta high-fived after Evan Turner hit the half-court buzzer beater to send the Wolverines packing from the NCAA Tournament in 2010.
