By Bobby Narang
Two-plus months after the end of the high school girls basketball season, Jason Nichols made a surprise decision that sent shock waves in the Chicago area scene.
Nichols announced last week that he was stepping down from his position as head girls basketball coach at Montini Catholic High School to accept the head job at Morton College in Cicero.
Nichols had a wildly-successful run at Montini by building the Lombard school into a powerhouse that made regular trips to the State tournament. In total, Nichols finished with a 521-72 won-loss record and won four State championships, including three straight, 2010-2012. He claimed 10 State trophies and 15 sectional championships.
Nichols, who won 69 games at Trinity High School before taking the Montini job, said he’s ready for the next step in his coaching career.
“(Montini) has been great,” Nichols said. “I accomplished a lot, but it’s the kids. They made everything possible….(Morton) is a different challenge and different level (two-year community college) and situation. I’m going to miss (Montini), but it’s a better opportunity for me and my family.”
The Broncos should be in good hands next season, with three starters back from a 33-team win that lost just two seniors and took third place in Class 3A in March. Still, the Broncos’ sidelines won’t be the same without the hard-driving, tough-love, Nichols. He developed a reputation as a hard-nosed, but fair coach, who often bellowed out the words, “Are you serious” from the sidelines in frustration with his players and referees numerous times throughout each game. He built a small private school into a powerhouse that challenged Class 4A schools and he regularly sent numerous kids every season to college basketball teams. Nichols has sent 29 players to play in Division I basketball since 2006.
Nichols said working with former Glenbard South High School and Riverside-Brookfield High School athletic director John Treiber, the athletic director at Morton, was a big selling point in his decision to leave Montini.
“It’s a new beginning for me,” Nichols said. “It was fun there. I’ll support the kids and talk to them. This (opportunity) kind of came out nowhere….But I like challenges.”