LUMBERTON — Sam Davis was announced as the new Lumberton girls basketball coach at a special called meeting of the Public Schools of Robeson County Board of Education on Thursday, taking over a position that was vacated after incoming coach Steven Sinclair was assigned to L. Gilbert Carroll Middle School as an assistant principal.
Davis was promoted to the position after serving as assistant coach on Danny Graham’s staff for 17 years.
“It feels great. I’ve been with them 17 years and it’s an honor,” said Davis, who is currently the city’s Parks and Recreation superintendent, a role he has held for 32 years.
Superintendent Shanita Wooten announced the move along with other personnel assignments and reassignments taking place within the school system.
“I owe a lot of this to Danny Graham,” Davis said. “He taught me a lot about the game.”
Davis said his goal is to keep the tradition of success Graham had in his 23-year tenure with the Lady Pirates and push the team to aim for a state championship.
The last time the Lady Pirates won a state title was in 2001. They then logged a runner-up finish in 2002.
“I can only say thank you and that I’m very happy for the opportunity,” Davis said.
Rising senior Rachel O’Neil is expected to be the leading returner for the Lady Pirates after London Thompson, the team’s leading offensive producer last season, graduated and moved on to continue her career at North Carolina Central University.
Sinclair was head coach of the girls basketball team at Red Springs for five seasons before the board approved him as the new coach at Lumberton in May. He was set to take over for Graham, who retired after leading the Lady Pirates to a 25-5 record in his final year with the team.
Sinclair compiled a record of 84-47 at Red Springs and coached the Lady Red Devils to five appearances in the NCHSAA state playoffs.
