COLUMBIANA — As the Crestview Local Schools community turns the page into a new era, the Rebels are turning to an old friend to create some excitement in the boys basketball program.

On Thursday, veteran coach Herman Miller, 59, was told he will once again lead the Rebels for the first time since 2017.

Miller had served as the Rebel freshman coach the last two seasons under Lou Mateo, who resigned after the season. Before that he was the junior varsity coach under Rick Gates for three seasons. Miller decided to apply for the head coaching position because he knew the program and the kids.

“As I have coached the freshman the last three years I’m familiar with the team and think I can do what it takes to turn the corner here at Crestview,” Miller said.

Miller’s last go-around at Crestview ended in 2017 after he went 5-41 over his last two seasons. In all, Miller has a 71-109 record at Crestview over eight season and a career mark of 151-178, including 27-35 in three seasons at Columbiana from 2004-2007 and 51-35 in four seasons at United from 2000-2004.

The high school mathematics teacher said the biggest change from the last time he was in charge is that league stability has now been pretty much thrown out the window.

“You don’t have that stability as you used to from year to year,” Miller said. “Every year you knew who was in your league and who you were playing. Now we really don’t know where will be two years from now.”

The Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Gray Division is set to break up by the end of next school year. Miller said he has no inside information on where the Rebels will end up. As of right now Crestview has no league affiliation heading into the 2027-2028 school year.

Crestview will also head into this season with the possibility of playing on two (or even three) home courts as the school district plans to open the new building in December.

This season’s practices and games will start in the current gymnasium. Could a varsity send-off of the original Crestview gym — the current Rebel junior high gym –also be in the cards?

“It’s not something we’ve discussed yet, but when I was here last time we did bring it up,” Miller said.

Miller said he also plans to put the new Andris Baltputnis Athletic Center to good use. It won’t take long until the team is back to work.

“We’ll meet on Monday and I have gym time booked on Tuesday,” Miller said.

Miller said we wants to have a better summer program, so the team can be more united heading into the new season.

“I’d like to see more commitment,” Miller said. “We have good athletes here. I want it to be less about me and more about we in the offseason.”

Miller does not have his coaching staff set yet, but has begun making calls.

The Rebels will return six seniors and he will have several juniors on the team who he worked with on the freshman team.

“Sometimes when you have a coaching change you might get some new interest, but as of right now there isn’t a 6-6 kid who doesn’t play basketball currently who is walking around the halls,” Miller said.