Familiar coach inherits Lawrence North High School boys basketball program

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The Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township School Board unanimously approved the hiring of Chris Giffin as Lawrence North High School’s boys basketball coach at its April 25 meeting.

Giffin will be the second boys coach in program history. Jack Keefer announced his retirement earlier this month after 46 seasons as the boys head coach.

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Giffin

Giffin has been the school’s girls varsity head coach since 2012. His record as girls was 201-60 record and included, seven 20-win seasons, five Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference titles, four Marion County Tournament championships, five sectional championships, four regional championships, two semi-state championships, one state runner-up and a Class 4A state championship in 2020. He also coached nine Indiana Girls All-Stars: Ana Owens, Destiny Washington, Lamina Cooper, Ae’Rianna Harris, Lauren Dickerson, Destiny Perkins, Katie Davidson, Kristen Yong and Indiana Miss Basketball Jayla Smith.

In total, 15 of Giffin’s former players have gone on to play NCAA Division I basketball.

Prior to coaching the girls team, Giffin spent 10 years in various roles under Keefer and the boys program. Giffin previously spent one season as the boys freshman coach, winning the Marion County Championship in 2004. Following that, he served four years as the head boys junior varsity coach, compiling a 67-11 record. He also served as Keefer’s top varsity assistant for two years.

Giffin graduated from Ben Davis High School, where he played basketball, baseball and tennis. He was named to the Indiana All-State doubles tennis team in 1995-1996. He attended Indiana University and was a basketball manager for three seasons under coach Bob Knight.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in secondary social studies education, Giffin became a graduate assistant for Knight at Texas Tech University in 2003-2004.

Giffin is in his 17th year of teaching in the special education department at Lawrence North High School.

“Coach Giffin has demonstrated commitment to the students and student-athletes at Lawrence North and has taken the girls basketball program to the next level. I have full confidence in his ability to continue the tradition of excellence in the boys basketball program at Lawrence North High School,” MSDLT Supt. Shawn Smith stated.

“Coach Chris Giffin will continue the tradition of excellence at Lawrence North High School. His student athletes perform at the highest level both in the classroom and on the court,” Lawrence North Principal Brett Crousore stated.

Griffin and his wife, Jenica, have two daughters, Bailee and Emmerson, and a son, Parker.

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