Former coach back at helm of PHS girls hoops

PALMER — The reins of the Palmer High School girls basketball program have been returned to the last coach to lead the Moose to a state basketball title.

Longtime Valley basketball coach Lyle Busbey has been named the new head coach of the Moose girls program.

“I’m excited to be back at Palmer. It’s nice to be back,” Busbey said.

This is Busbey’s second tour as head coach of the Moose girls program. The 1982 Palmer High graduate and Sherrod Elementary physical education teacher first served as head coach of the Moose for 10 seasons, holding the position from 1994-2003. Busbey led the Moose to the 4A state championship game twice and a state title in 1999.

“It’s great to be back. I’m really happy to be back,” Busbey said. “Since I teach in the Palmer system, I’ve known these kids since they were in the third or fourth grade. It’s nice to be back.”

Busbey, who also spent four years as an assistant in the Colony High girls program between his tenures as a head coach at Palmer, coached the Moose girls C-team during the 2012-13 season.

“I really appreciate that Paul Reid invited me in this year,” Busbey said of Reid, Palmer’s former head coach who stepped down from his position in March, after capping his ninth season as head coach of the program.

Busbey’s C-team finished 18-1 during the season, and Busbey said he’s excited he has the opportunity to help continue the development of young talent, now as Palmer’s head coach.

Busbey also coached Palmer’s 11-player freshman class during their eighth grade year. Of those 11 freshmen, two were starters on Palmer’s junior varsity team. One freshman, center Leya DePriest, was a varsity starter, and was named first-team All-Northern Lights Conference following the conference championship tournament.

The eight remaining players in that freshman class were part of Busbey’s C-Team that finished 18-1.

Palmer is graduating a guard-heavy senior class, a group that includes Taylor Blake, who leaves as one of the most prolific scorers in Palmer girls’ basketball history. Despite those losses, Palmer is expected to return promising talent, including DePriest, a 6-foot-2 center.

Incoming senior Kalei DePriest will return as a leader of the team, Busbey said. Busbey also noted guard Molly Osiensky, who will be a junior next year.

Since last serving as head coach of the Moose girls, Busbey has spent ample time coaching at the youth ranks.

“The last couple years, we’ve been building up the feeder program,” Busbey said. “(This year) we have over 50 girls playing spring ball, fourth through seventh.”

In addition to coaching at the youth ranks, Busbey said his time as a Colony assistant was also key to his own growth as a coach.

“I really appreciate the opportunity I had to coach in the program at Colony,” Busbey said. “I can say for certain I am a better coach today after working alongside Don Witzel and Tom Lincoln. Being on the staff over there for four years made me a much better coach.”

Busbey was an assistant coach during Colony’s run to a 2009 state title. He also helped coach the Knights team that finished as the 4A runner-up in 2010.

During his time away from being a head coach at the high school level, Busbey has been waiting for another opportunity.

“It’s no secret, you want to be the head of your own program if you get the chance,” Busbey said. “These positions don’t come open very often.”

Palmer High activities director Jeff Thiede confirmed the hire Friday.

“We’re excited,” Thiede said. “During his (first) tenure, he grew the program into a state championship caliber team. We’re hoping that comes back around again.”

Thiede said Busbey’s history working with youth basketball programs in the Palmer area and desire to continue to build a feeder were major factors in the hire, in addition to Busbey’s tremendous success during his first 10 years as head coach. Thiede compared Busbey’s efforts to a handful of Palmer coaches, including head football coach Rod Christiansen, head volleyball coach Steve Reynolds and assistant hockey coach Brad Hanson.

“They all take it to the lower levels and are working with the coaches down there,” Thiede said. “And you look at those programs. At the end of the day, those are the programs going to the state tournaments.”

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.