Long Beach State has announced the hiring of Hawaii men’s basketball associate head coach John Montgomery as part of Chris Acker’s new staff. Montgomery, who had been the last remaining staff member from UH coach Eran Ganot’s first season in 2015-16, was responsible for overseeing the team’s defense and post players.
Sources close to the situation confirmed Montgomery’s move to Spectrum News. When contacted via phone, Acker declined to comment on the matter. Ganot expressed his appreciation for Montgomery’s contributions, stating that he had been with the team since its inception and wished him and his family all the best in their future endeavors.
Montgomery and Acker had previously worked together as assistants under Ganot for two seasons at Manoa before reuniting at Long Beach State. With Montgomery joining him at LBSU, the two will now face each other as conference rivals at least twice a season, with one matchup taking place at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Montgomery brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to Acker’s coaching staff at Long Beach State. As a son of renowned West Coast college basketball coach Mike Montgomery, John has been immersed in the world of basketball since childhood and has built a successful career as an assistant coach. Brian McInnis, who covers Hawaii sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii, can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com for any inquiries related to this story.