HIGH SCHOOL

Mike LaTorre named new Millville boys basketball coach

Josh Friedman
Vineland Daily Journal
Mike LaTorre is Millville High School's new boys basketball coach.

It was an easy decision for Dave LaGamba.

The Millville High School athletic director didn’t have to look too hard to find the Thunderbolts’ next boys’ basketball coach as assistant Mike LaTorre was officially promoted to the head job on Oct. 18.

“It’s the dream,” said LaTorre, 37, who’s also the school’s head golf coach. “It’s the dream come true.”

LaTorre, a 2002 Sacred Heart graduate, has spent the past 10 seasons with the Millville program, which reached the playoffs seven of the last 11 years under former coach Mike Jones, who stepped down to spend more time with family and finish grad school.

More:Mike Jones steps down as Millville boys basketball coach after 11 seasons, 7 playoff trips

“Mike Jones had done a great job with our program the last 11 years,” LaGamba said. “… The number of wins he had, the number of playoff appearances, Mike Jones did a great job getting that basketball program in a good spot and he would be the first to tell you he had great assistants. Sticking with Mike LaTorre, one of those assistants for the last 10 years, it was an easy decision man. This was an easy decision.”

LaTorre was a three-sport athlete at Sacred Heart, playing soccer, basketball and golf. He then went to Alvernia University, where he played golf and club hockey.

After graduating, he spent one season as an assistant with the Sacred Heart basketball team before moving to Ohio, where he officiated games and assisted as well.

He came back in 2010 and was hired at Millville. In addition to his work with the golf program, he’s also the school’s equipment manager and runs the greenhouse.

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However, coaching basketball has always been his top goal.

“We’ve made a big difference at Millville coaching some of the young males,” LaTorre said. “Mike Jones, Jason Kessler, volunteer assistant Reggie Hunter, we’ve put a lot of hard work in with these guys to change where the program is going. We’ve put a lot of hard work in to restore the culture.”

LaGamba believes LaTorre will keep the train heading forward.

“Mike’s going to do very well as the next head coach of the basketball program,” LaGamba said. “He’s very knowledgeable, has plenty of years of experience as an assistant coach and he’s developed a really good rapport with the kids and staff in the building. I’m expecting some really good things out of Mike.”

Josh Friedman has produced award-winning South Jersey sports coverage for the Courier Post, The Daily Journal and the Burlington County Times for more than a decade. If you have or know of an interesting story to tell, reach out on Twitter at @JFriedman57 or via email at jfriedman2@gannettnj.com. You can also contact him at 856-486-2431. Help support local journalism with a subscription.