2023 NCCA Basketball Coaches
Men’s Basketball
East Men
Gerald Melton
East head coach is entering his 10th season as the head coach at East Wake High, where he has compiled a record of 19 – 8 in 9 seasons…he compiled a career record of 394- 207 in 23 seasons…his teams have won 7 conference regular season titles, 7 conference tournament titles, and made 22 playoff appearances, including playing in 4 regionals, 3 regional finals…7-times named Conference Coach of the Year…previously coached women’s basketball, golf, and JV softball at Southern Nash High; served as the men’s basketball coach, tennis coach, and assistant football coach at Bunn High …also previously served as the tennis coach at East Wake…born in Raleigh, NC…1979 graduate of Bunn High where he played basketball…1987 graduate of Barton College…says “It is an honor to be selected to coach the East in the NCCA East-West All-Star game. I look forward to working with some of the best players in North Carolina and representing the East Wake High School community.”
Daniel Mitchell
East assistant coach just completed his 20th season as the head coach at Rosewood High where he has compiled a career record of 219 – 247 in 20 seasons and his teams have won 1 regular season conference title, 4 conference tournament titles, and made 14 state playoff appearances…also previously served as the JV basketball coach, men’s soccer coach (compiling 100+ wins, 3 conference championships, and 3-times being named Conference Coach of the Year), tennis coach, and assistant baseball coach…born in Goldsboro, NC…1992 graduate of Rosewood High where he played basketball and tennis and was named Male Senior Scholar Athlete of the year…1997 graduate of East Carolina University…says “It is a great privilege and honor to serve as the East’s men’s basketball assistant coach. I am humbled to have this great opportunity and feel it’s a defining moment in my basketball coaching career.”
West Men
Jon Hancock
West head coach is entering his 7th season as the head coach of East Lincoln High where he has compiled a record of 132-31 in 6 seasons…he has compiled a career record of 456-264 in 27 seasons…his teams have won 9 regular season conference titles, 4 conference tournament titles, and made 19 state playoff appearances…7-times named Conference Coach of the Year…twice named Gaston Gazette Coach of the Year…named 1995 Gaston Observer Coach of the Year and 2008 NC Basketball Coaches Association District 10 Coach of the Year…also coaches men’s and women’s golf and his teams have won 1 conference title and finished 2nd in the Western Regional and he was named Conference Coach of the Year twice… previously served as head men’s basketball coach at Lincolnton High, Forestview High, East Burke High, and Mallard Creek High…also previously served as the head men’s golf coach at East Burke High…born in Durham, NC…1984 graduate of Enka High where he played basketball and was named All- Western NC, All-Conference, All-Buncombe County and played in the Blue-White All-Star Basketball Game…1988 graduate of Mars Hill University where he played basketball, scoring over 1,000 points …says “I am very excited to be the head coach of the West men’s basketball team at this year’s event. I am very thankful to all the tremendous teams, players, and assistant coaches who have helped put me in a position for this honor. Most of all, I would like to thank my wife Katie and daughter Sydney for being so supportive of me through the years.”
Mike Craft
West assistant coach is entering his 18th season as the head coach at Ardrey Kell High where he has compiled a career record of 299-158 in 17 seasons and his teams have won 4 regular season conference titles, 3 conference tournament titles, and made 15 state playoff appearances (11 straight), including winning 6 sectional titles and finishing as 4A state runners-up in 2015 and 2021…also ranked # 2 in the state (AP) and # 39 in nation (USA Today) in 2015…4-times named Conference Coach of the Year, 3-times named District Coach of the Year…also named 2015 Mecklenburg County and Charlotte Observer Coach of the Year in 2015…previously served as an assistant coach at Appalachian State University and Wingate University…also served as an assistant and Associate Head Coach at Western Carolina University and as an assistant at Davidson College (NCAA Tournament Team)…born in Hickory, NC…1986 graduate of Hickory High where he was named All-Conference in football and baseball and where he played basketball for his father, the late David W. Craft, and was named All-Conference and held the state record for free-throw percentages at 91%…1990 graduate of Wingate University…1991 Masters of Education from Appalachian State University…says “It is an honor to be selected as one of the coaches for the NCCA East-West All-Star game! When I think about all the legends that have coached in this game and all the great players that have played in this classic, I get goose bumps that I will now be a part of this great tradition in the state of North Carolina. I am looking forward to representing the West in the Greensboro Coliseum.”
Women’s Basketball
East Women
Nicole Sampson
East head coach is entering her 18th season as the head coach at Southeast Raleigh Magnet where she has compiled a career record of 403 – 63 in 17 seasons and her teams have won 12 conference regular season conference titles, 9 conference tournament titles, and made 16 state playoff appearances, including making 5 state championship game appearances and being named 2020 State Co-Champions…named District 5 Coach of the Year and twice named HSOT Women’s Coach of the Year…previously coached volleyball at Southeast Raleigh, winning 2 conference titles and twice being named GNRC Coach of the Year…born in Rocky Mount, NC…1997 graduate of Rocky Mount High where she competed in basketball and track…2001 graduate of UNC Asheville…says “I am honored to be chosen to coach in the NCCA East-West All-Star game. I am looking forward to working with an amazing group of talented young ladies.”
Anissa Little
East assistant coach is entering her 6th season as the head coach at Union Pines High where she has compiled a record of 76 – 40 in 5 seasons…she has compiled a career record of 323 – 374 in 28 seasons and her teams have won 7 conference regular season titles, 4 conference tournament titles, and made 18 state playoff appearances…named 2020 District 4 Coach of the Year… 5-times named Conference Coach of the Year…selected as Head Coach of the 2022 and 2023 910 vs. 336 Clash of Area Codes All-Star Game…previously coached at Wake Forest-Rolesville High, coaching women’s basketball, men’s track, and women’s softball; at Knightdale High, coaching women’s basketball, tennis and serving as the assistant women’s track coach; and also at Gray’s Creek High, coaching women’s basketball, women’s cross country, JV volleyball and JV women’s softball…reared in Bear Creek, NC…1989 graduate of Chatham Central High where she was a 4 sport athlete: in basketball, she was 3-times named All-Conference and All-Tournament, Conference Player of the Year, All-Area Player of the Year, team MVP…played on the ’85-’86 1A State Championship team…scored 1,507 career points and was named school Athlete of the Year; in softball, she was 3-times named All-Conference and twice named team MVP; in track and field, she was named team MVP; in tennis, she was a 2 year #1 doubles player…1993 graduate of Elon College where she was named team captain and was a 3 year starter…says “I am so excited to be coaching in the all-star game. It has been a goal of mine since the first time I attended the NCCA Clinic in 1993. There have been so many legendary high school coaches in this game, so I’m truly grateful and humbled to be given the opportunity to assist. I thank God for allowing me to use basketball as a tool to teach young ladies the necessary life skills needed to be successful beyond high school. I’m grateful for every principal, administrator, and AD for their support and trust. I’ve had hardworking, loyal assistants and committed players who have helped to make this opportunity possible, and I’m thankful. My husband, Pastor Corey Little, and sons, Derrin and Jared, are amazing and have always been there to support and work wherever needed. I am so appreciative, and to sit as an assistant coach is a win for us all!”
West Women
Susie Shelton
West head coach is entering her 25th season as the head coach at Mountain Heritage High where she has compiled a career record of 472-151 in 24 seasons and her teams have won 14 conference regular season titles, 13 conference tournament titles, and made 24 state playoff appearances in 24 seasons, including winning the state championship in 2019…12 times named conference Coach of the Year…named 2019 Region 12 Coach of the Year and NCBCA Coach of the Year…also coaches track and field…played in the 1992 NCCA East-West All-Star game…previously coached track and cross country and served as an assistant basketball coach at Madison County High…also previously served as an assistant basketball coach and coached cross country and track and started the women’s golf team at Mountain Heritage…born in Spruce Pine, NC…1992 graduate of Mountain Heritage where she was named Conference Player of the Year in softball and 3-times named Conference Payer of the Year in basketball…1996 graduate of Mars Hill College where she was named a Division 2 All-American…played in the inaugural season of the WNBA with the Charlotte Sting…says “It has been a great honor to get to coach in such a great event. I am super excited to get to work with such talented young ladies.”
Jennifer Baker
West assistant coach is entering her 15th season as the head coach at North Mecklenburg High where she has compiled a record of 241-122 in 14 seasons…she has compiled a career record of 268 – 167 in 17 seasons…her teams have won 3 conference regular season titles, 2 conference tournament titles and made 14 state playoff appearances, 2 sectional championships, 2 regional semi-final appearances…named All-Observer Coach of the Year, 3 times named Conference Coach of the Year and District Coach of the Year, current NCBCA President…previously coached at Z.B. Vance High…born in Hartford, CT…1998 graduate of Homestead High (Fort Wayne, IN) where she was named All-Conference, All-District, and All-State in soccer and all-Conference and All-State in Basketball…2002 graduate of Ball State University…says “I am excited to be coaching in this event. I feel privileged to be able to interact with young talented ladies who are from all over the state.”