Anthony Burns putting his stamp on Hawken: 2024-25 boys basketball preseason tour

BEREA, Ohio — With a coaching change coming at Hawken, neither Daron Hill nor Greg Price knew if they wanted to remain at the school for their junior year.

They changed their minds once Hawken hired Anthony Burns, who had elevated Maple Heights in two years at that school.

"That was everything," said Price, who played a few summer league games at Richmond Heights. "That was the reason I decided personally to put back on a Hawken jersey."

In his time at Maple Heights, Burns won the Northeast Lakes District Coach of the Year award after an 18-win season as a rookie head coach. He now replaces Josh Nugent, who led Hawken for five seasons.

The Hawks won 16 games with a Chagrin Valley Conference Chagrin Division title a season ago, but they quickly exited in the second round of the Division II postseason. With the OHSAA's expansion this year to seven divisions, they will compete in the new Division IV.

Burns said in establishing the culture he wants at Hawken there are only minor tweaks. Much of it has to do with intensity.

"It meant a lot," Hill said. "We knew us staying would be an opportunity to change the program forever. Coach Burns is a really nice coach. He's already impacting our program."

Check them out from their four-team scrimmage Thursday at Berea-Midpark on the cleveland.com preseason boys basketball tour with the video above. Below is a quick snapshot of the team:

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Hawken HawksDivision II sectional finalist

Coach: Anthony Burns (first season)

Returning starters: Daron Hill (6-4, jr., G), Greg Price (6-1, jr., G)

In the rotation: Jordan Johnson (5-11, sr., G), Jacob Stovsky (sr.), Kene Obi (6-2, jr., F), Charlie Mallett (6-4, so., F), Ice Taylor (6-1, fr., G), Grant Namy (6-1, sr., F)

Division IV, Chagrin Valley Conference

Dec. 1 at Walsh Jesuit, Dec. 6 at Gilmour Academy, Dec. 7 vs. TBD at Shaker Heights, Dec. 11 at Harvey, Dec. 14 at Chagrin Falls, Dec. 18 vs. Perry, Dec. 20 vs. West Geauga

Jan. 4 vs. TBD at Cleveland Heights, Jan. 7 at Orange, Jan. 10 vs. Harvey, Jan. 17 vs. Chagrin Falls, Jan. 24 at Perry, Jan. 25 vs. University School, Jan. 31 at West Geauga

Feb. 4 at Brush, Feb. 7 vs. Orange, Feb. 11 vs. VASJ

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