Stacy McGehee knows about turning around a struggling basketball program, which makes him a perfect fit for Jemison.

“I know, for one, there are athletes at Jemison, talent to work with,” McGehee said.

McGehee is the new coach of a Panthers team that won only a handful of games last season.

Rather than being daunted by the task of making Jemison a winner, though, McGehee instead will draw on his experience of similar turnarounds.

McGehee took over a Vincent program that hadn’t had a winning season in five years and led the Yellow Jackets to three playoff appearances in as many seasons and a 22-8 record last year.

“I’m hoping I can do the same at Jemison,” McGehee said. “I feel like we can have some success if they want it.”

Before his time at Vincent, McGehee won an AISA state championship with Jefferson Christian in 2005.

McGehee is a 1987 Tarrant graduate and has coached at that school as well as Piedmont, and West Birmingham Christian in addition to Vincent and Jefferson Christian.

McGehee is also a Lipscomb University graduate.

McGehee and his wife, Christy, have two children: 10-year-old Wes and 1-year-old Wendy.