Conrad Weiser boys basketball coach expected to be approved
Conrad Weiser is expected to name Mike Dooley its boys basketball coach at Wednesday’s school board meeting, two Berks basketball sources have confirmed.
The Temple grad comes to Weiser from Spire Institute in Ohio, where he was a head coach the past two seasons.
He was named Ohio Prep Conference Coach of the Year last season after Spire went 11-5 in the regular season and 19-10 overall.
His resume includes more than 10 years of coaching experience at the college and high school levels. Prior to coaching at Spire he was the head girls basketball coach at Pottsville for two seasons. He has also been an assistant women’s coach at Alvernia University and Cecil College and an assistant girls coach at Phoenixville.
Dooley replaces Rich Miller, who was forced out after two seasons.
The Scouts, facing a brutal schedule that included six games against eventual district champions, finished 7-15 overall and 3-9 in Berks II last season. They went 8-14 in Miller’s first season.
With the return of their top six scorers, including sophomores Donovan Gingrich and Brad McKee, the Scouts are expected to close the gap on Berks II champ Exeter and runner-up Berks Catholic.
Gingrich averaged 14.3 points per game and made 60 3-pointers, more than any underclassman in the league. McKee averaged 12.3 points and made 57 3’s.
“I really thought next year we could be successful,” Miller said after leaving the job. “Whoever takes the job, that’s going to happen. It’s a great opportunity because they’re going to win.”
In March, before Miller’s departure and after Dooley was named Coach of the Year, McKee posted a shout-out to Dooley on Twitter, saying the coach “made a huge difference for me as a young player. Helped me gain confidence and skills at Point Blank Period.”
Dooley will be one of four first-year coaches in the Berks Conference next season.
Wyomissing named Garrett Etzel as head coach earlier this week. Earlier this month, Kutztown named Eric Luckenbill as head coach. Will Wilson was named Hamburg coach in March.
Dooley worked in skill development with Reading High when Lonnie Walker IV led the Red Knights to their first PIAA championship in 2017.
Dooley is a 2016 graduate of Temple University’s Fox School of Business. During his time at Temple he served as a volunteer coach for the Owls’ women’s basketball team.
Dooley, a Downingtown East grad, has a master’s degree in sports administration from Arkansas State.