Hahn taking high-powered offensive philosophy to next level

Whether he has coached boy’s basketball or girl’s basketball programs, the constant themes for Chris Hahn have been: His teams find success and they play fast.

Those traits fit nicely with how second-year Crowley’s Ridge College women’s basketball coach Chris Richardson wants to build the Pioneer program, so with that in mind, he recently hired Hahn to be his assistant coach.

“I think with everybody,” Hahn said, “when they get into coaching, the opportunity to coach in college is always kind of a dream. The thought of being able to pick your kids was super interesting.”

How Hahn, who served as the varsity girl’s coach at Greenville High School for the past two seasons, ended up with the Crowley’s Ridge position was a bit of a twist of fate.

Richardson knew a boy’s coach from his days as a coach at Rector (Ark.) High School, who had seen Hahn’s up-tempo offense and defense when he coached the boy’s program at Delta High School in 2019 and 2020. The success achieved with the Bobcats (42-17 record and a pair of MSHSAA Class 1 District championships), as well as the frenetic pace of play, intrigued Richardson enough to speak with Hahn this spring.

“I had no connection to (Richardson),” Hahn said. “I didn’t think there was any chance that I would get the job. It was just kind of random.”

Prior to Hahn taking over the Bears’ girl’s program, it had won just 12 games in the previous two seasons combined.

Hahn led the program to 17 wins in his two seasons, and in his initial season, improved Greenville’s offense by over 13 points per game.

Richardson took over the Pioneer program in February and won six consecutive games. Overall, Crowley’s Ridge, which is located in Paragould, Ark., has won 33 games combined over the past two seasons after winning 20 in the previous two years.

“He is a really good recruiter,” Hahn said of Richardson. “Ever since he has gotten the job, he has been straight killing it.”

Richardson knows Arkansas high school basketball well, while he hopes to tap into Hahn’s knowledge of Missouri high school hoops.

“He said that he didn’t really know a lot about Missouri basketball,” Hahn explained. “So, he thought that would be a benefit where I could come in where I have some connections if there are any girls who can play.”

There is no shortage of talent in the five-state region for the Pioneers to recruit, Hahn said.

“Crowley’s Ridge is in a hot spot, where you could recruit some pretty good talent,” Hahn said. “You are close to Memphis. You are close to Little Rock.”

Both Richardson and Hahn hope to sell the pace of play to prospects.

“He wants to play fast,” Hahn said. “He is wanting to press (defensively), and he wants to run in transition. It is an exciting style of play and kids will want to do that.

“Nobody wants to go play in college and get two shots a game. They want to get shots up and they want to get in the game. Hopefully, we can play an exciting style.”

Prior to his stint at Delta and Greenville, Hahn spent five years as the varsity boy’s coach at Holcomb High School, as well as coaching younger grades in the Perryville School District.