Hyde Park hires Bryant

Updated: March 22, 2011 4:22PM

Lamont Bryant is back.

The controversial, outspoken basketball coach that led Marshall to a 108-23 record in five years, including back-to-back third place finishes in the state tournament, was named head coach at Hyde Park on Friday.

Bryant coached at South Shore the past two years.

"I've been in hibernation," Bryant said. "Sometimes it's good when you wait. I didn't apply for any of the other jobs that opened up over the last few years."

Marshall fired Bryant in 2007, just before the season was about to start. The move resulted in a student-led protest. Bryant filed a lawsuit against Marshall and the CPS, which was settled in January of 2009 for $500,000.

"We wanted a seasoned guy, someone who could hit the ground running," said Hyde Park principal Thomas Trotter, a former Division I head basketball coach. "We found that guy in Lamont Bryant. We wanted someone with a reputation as a winner, who will bring discipline, experience and toughness."

Hyde Park returns four starters from a team that reached the semifinals of the city championship last season.

"I think any competitive coachwill be happy to hear I'm at Hyde Park, because they like challenges," Bryant said. "But I don't think we have a lot of competitive coaches in the city. If you aren't a competitor you aren't going to be happy."

Bryant replaces Donnie Kirksey, who resigned last week to take an assistant coaching job at UIC.

Contributing: Joe Henricksen

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