Smith-Clements
Her time as an assistant girls basketball coach at Greenwood Christian provided Tiffany Smith-Clements a view of four sectional and two regional championships.
That’s a lot of pieces of net in a short period of time.
Earlier this month, Smith-Clements was approved to become the Cougars’ new head coach, replacing Alan Weems, who had held the position since the start of the 2012-2013 season.
Weems guided GCA to a 146-105 record, making him the program’s career victories leader with room to spare.
His successor, an assistant for the past five seasons, strives to continue the momentum while applying her own touch to everything Cougars girls hoops does during the season and offseason.
“It is a hard act to follow, let’s be honest,” Smith-Clements said. “But I was with (Weems) for five years, and I feel he provided a Class 4A experience for a Class A program. We do things to enhance the players’ experience. I’m excited. I’m looking forward to continuing the traditions he started.
“I want my players to be passionate about basketball and not be hindered by negativity.”
Smith-Clements, 47, knows Johnson County well.
A 1993 graduate of Center Grove, she was a backup shooting guard most of her prep basketball career. Smith-Clements was part of the early stages of what amounted to a nine-year run of single-class sectional titles (1989-97).
As a head coach, she’ll have her work cut out going into the 2022-23 season. The six seniors on Weems’ final squad accounted for 72% of the Cougars’ points and 73% of all rebounds.
Greenwood Christian captured the Class A sectional at Indianapolis Lutheran last winter before losing to Bethesda Christian, 54-42, in a semifinal at the Southwestern Regional.
Smith-Clements is confident GCA can maintain the momentum it’s built.
“I believe starting out, I’m going to have to meet the players where they’re at and mold the system to our personnel,” she said. “I’ve already started to talk to the players and get them excited about the season and about playing basketball for me.”
