JOURNAL STAFF
Bossier High School’s Nick Bohanan has stepped down from his position as head boys basketball coach and will be accepting a position at the Bossier Parish School for Technology & Innovative Learning as an HVAC instructor, it was announced Thursday by BHS principal David Thrash.
Assistant coach Justin Collins will take over as he has all summer and serve as interim coach.
“It has been a blessing to be the coach for the Bossier Bearkat family over the last 13 years with the last five being the head coach of your beloved basketball program,” said Bohanan in a press release from the school. “I will always be thankful for the opportunity Mr. Thrash gave me entrusting the thriving Bossier basketball program. I have been blessed to coach some extremely talented players who have gone through the program and made the program what it is today. I will be playing a lesser role moving forward.”
The move allows him more time to see and coach his own two kids, he said. He will retain an as yet undefined role with the Bearkats.
In his five seasons of leading the program, Bohanan compiled a 139-33 record with five district championships and won the 2020 Class 3A state championship after a runner-up finish in Class 4A the previous year. The Bearkats were 49-1 in district play under his leadership and averaged 27 wins overall a year.
“We have a solid coaching staff that had the team all summer so the coaches and players knew what could possibly happen,” said Thrash. “We will trust the ‘next man up’ mentality as we always have and make sure our program is in good hands. After winning the league championship with both freshman and JV squads and returning some solid starters in Tahj Roots, Javon Johnson, LaKavin Thomas and a wealth of young talent in Demarquis Trammel, Quin Scott, Kerel Woods, Cam Davenport, Sentavion Ball, Keyshawn Johnson, Keyshawn Daniels, Javonte Small, Jakavarious Guice, and Mateo Guerrero so we will build on that.
“I am more focused on getting the academic piece in place as Coach Bo did an outstanding job in the classroom in the Special Ed Department,” continued Thrash. “This makes navigating this a little tougher than normal since we only have a special ed position open. Justin Collins will serve as interim coach until approved by the upper staff of central office.”
Collins is a graduate of Airline High School where he was a four-year starter under coach Miles Holaday from 1997-2001. He was an All-State pick who is the sixth-leading scorer in Vikings’ history with 1,730 career points. He finished his basketball career at LSUS under coach Chad McDowell where he was an all-conference performer.
Photo courtesy of KTAL-TV