Photo: Southside High School girls basketball coach Justin Bowen, pictured at center during the 2024 Etowah County Schools Tournament, recently took the same position at Boaz High. (Chris McCarthy/Messenger)
By Taylor Beck/For Sand Mountain Reporter
Southside High girls basketball head coach Justin Bowen was recently named head coach of the Boaz High girls basketball program. The Boaz City Schools Board of Education officially approved Bowen’s hire on August 5.
Bowen, who went 48-14 in his two seasons at Southside, led the Lady Panthers to consecutive trips to the Northeast Regional Tournament finals in 2023 and 2024.
“I feel like the last few years we’ve helped to put a huge spark back into the life of girls basketball in the Southside community,” said Bowen. “Watching those girls celebrate at JSU the last two years in our runs to the Elite 8 have been two of the major highlights of my time as a coach, but the relationships that I built with not just them but all of the kids here is what makes it so tough to leave. Ultimately, this decision was based off the opportunity to help my wife and our son.”
Both the 2022-23 and 2023-24 Southside girls teams went undefeated in area play and set school records for most points scored in a single game and the fewest points allowed in a single game. Bowen was twice named the All-Etowah County Schools and All-Messenger Coach of the Year and served as head coach of the North Team for the AHSAA North-South All-Star game in Montgomery last month.
“Coach Bowen is a quality coach, and to be able to get him at this point in time was a godsend,” said Boaz High Athletic Director Josh Walker. “He’s super organized and highly competitive and has a clear vision of what he believes this program can and should be. I truly believe he’s going to be a great fit at Boaz. He’s a guy that checks all the boxes and he’s a guy that we need.”
Bowen also served as defensive coordinator for the Panther football team, which last season went 8-3 and won the program’s first region title in nine years.
“I’ve been super proud of what I have been able to be a part of at Southside High School during the last several years,” said Bowen. “The people of Southside have been incredibly good to me, and I’m very appreciative of everything they have done for my family. I hope I can make an impact and build those same strong relationships with the kids at Boaz and help put a product on the floor each year that regardless of talent or circumstances, the community can be proud of.”
Chris McCarthy contributed to this article.
