(WLOS) After 24 seasons Larry Ross isn't about to start chasing personal accolades, yet one found its way to him this week. The East Rutherford head girls basketball coach was recognized with the Transformational Coach Award.

The honor is bestowed by the North Carolina Basketball Coaches Association.

"It boils down to having a lot of great players, a lot of good coaches, and it's not only me," said Ross. "It's about a group that works hard together."

During his nearly two and a half decades coaching at his alma mater, Ross has compiled more than 400 career wins. He's done so coaching either the boys or the girls teams during that period.

His most recent Lady Cavaliers squad went 27-1, not dropping a game until the third round of the 3A state playoffs. Ross also founded the Forest City Heat AAU program, which offers travel opportunities to a wide swath of age groups.

"When the kids come into the Heat program and they come into the East Rutherford program at a young age they learn that we don't just play basketball here," Ross emphasized. "We play for championships. We work hard to get better to play for championships."

This is the second year in a row the award has gone to a Rutherford County coach, with R-S Centrals Greg Wright taking the honor in 2021.