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ATHENS, Ohio -- Ohio University has introduced Jeff Boals as its basketball coach, hoping the Bobcats' former captain can revive a team that went 14-17 this season.
He succeeds Saul Phillips, whose contract was not renewed. Phillips went 81-77 overall and 40-50 in the Mid-American Conference over five seasons.
Boals led Sandy Valley High School to a pair of Salem district titles as a player, beating Springfield in the district finals in 1988 and East Palestine in 1990. Sandy Valley won its first district since then last week.
Boals was hired Sunday and resigned after three years at Stony Brook. As a player, he helped lead Ohio University to the NCAA Tournament in 1994. Boals worked as an assistant at the school before spending seven seasons as an Ohio State assistant. He also has been on the staffs of Marshall, Robert Morris and Akron.
Boals went 55-41 in three seasons at Stony Brook, going 24-8 this season and 12-4 in the America East Conference. The second-seeded Seawolves were upset in the first round of their tournament.
Boals inherits an experienced roster, which includes forward Ben Vander Plas, the MAC's Freshman of the Year.