From left, James Clemens athletic director Eric Terrell, Jets basketball coach Danny Petty and James Clemens principal Brian Clayton. All three were on hand to announce Petty as the new basketball coach for James Clemens on July 19. (Record Photo/Nick Sellers)

By Nick Sellers | Staff Reporter

MADISON – James Clemens High School hired a legend in the coaching ranks of Alabama high school basketball on July 18 with the announcement that Danny Petty would become the new boys basketball coach at James Clemens.

Petty was most recently the girls basketball coach at Bob Jones and comes in as the only basketball coach in AHSAA history to win state titles with three different teams. He replaces Luther Tiggs, who accepted a job as an assistant principal at Bob Jones.

“I couldn’t think of a better person to lead this program,” said Dee Fowler, superintendent of Madison City Schools.

Petty’s coached his first championship team in 1987 with Huntsville’s J.O. Johnson High School, his first high school coaching gig after leading Davis Mills Middle School from 1972-80. He then coached at nearby Hazel Green High School from 1991-97 before heading to Tennessee for four years. He came back to the area in 2001 to coach Madison Academy, where he won his second title in 2006.

From there, Petty went to Bob Jones and coached the Patriots to the state 6A championship in 2010. After a brief retirement in 2012, Petty coached the Bob Jones girls team for two seasons prior to his being hired at James Clemens.

“He’s the type of coach you would want your kid playing basketball for,” Fowler said, alluding to the fact his child played basketball for Petty.

Clayton acknowledged athletic director Eric Terrell’s success in bringing Petty to James Clemens and thanked Tiggs for his service as the Jet’s first coach.

Petty explained that the opportunity only recently came up on his radar, and it gradually picked up steam, ending in his being approved by the school board July 18.

“It just feels right to me,” Petty said. “I’m really looking forward to [being at] James Clemens.”

Petty joins Amber Deline, who was hired as James Clemens’ new girls basketball coach in May.