Cape Central’s search ends, tabbing Frazier as next head boys basketball coach

Poplar Bluff's Phillip Brown, left, and coach Lamont Frazier watch the final seconds tick away Wednesday night, December 6, 2006, in the consolation semifinals of the SEMO Conference Tournament at Sikeston, Mo. Poplar Bluff's 52-34 win was Frazier's first as Mules coach.

Brian Rosener ~ Daily American Republic

After a month-long coaching search following the resignation of longtime head coach Drew Church, Cape Central announced its selection of Lamont Frazier to be the next head coach of its boys basketball team on Tuesday.

Frazier, a native of Charleston, Missouri, is no stranger to the area, nor is he a stranger to coaching in the area as he previously coached at Poplar Bluff back in the early 2010s.

A graduate of Charleston High School, Frazier played under legendary Tigers coach Norm Stewart at the University of Missouri, helping the team to an Elite 8 appearance in 1994.

Coming back to the area in 2006 with his hiring at Poplar Bluff before departing in 2012, Frazier spent five years in Willard, leading the Tigers to a state quarterfinal, before spending the last seven years in Rogers, Arkansas.

Becoming a highly-regarded coach at Rogers High School down south, he led the Mounties to multiple 6A state playoff appearances and built up a reputation among the local ranks.

Over the past four seasons, his Rogers squad has finished well below the .500 mark, most recently finishing 8-14 in the 2023-24 season per MaxPreps.

But he gained a lot of status early in his time with the team, turning the team around for a 21-7 record in 2018-19 and earning the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s award as the Division I boys basketball coach of the year.

He repeated those efforts in the 2019-20 season, finishing with a listed 21-5 record but ultimately losing in the first round to a great Cabot program.

He’s shown he can lead a team to the highs, now it’s about establishing a continual precedent of success, something he established at both Poplar Bluff and Willard years back.

Now, he makes his big break: He’s returning to coach one of the best, most historic and talented programs in all of Southeast Missouri.

During his time at Charleston, playing under local legend Lennies McFerren, Frazier saw the Blue Jays bring three state titles home: One as a freshman in 1987, and another two in 1989 and 1990.

As a disciple of McFerren, having learned from perhaps the greatest basketball coach to ever pass through Southeast Missouri, he’ll look to bring that championship culture to Central.

Cape Central holds two state championships all-time and is coming off a highly successful 18-year run with elite coach Drew Church, who transformed the Tigers into a dominant program.

The Tigers haven’t finished a season below the .500 mark since 2009, and after finishing 19-9 last season and as the district runner-up to a juggernaut Sikeston team, there’s a lot to look out for.

Frazier gets the keys to two Division-I caliber junior players in Marquel Murray and TySeanDre’ Edwards and a slew of contending talent that could transform Central back into a state power.

With any luck, the Tigers hiring local may be the push they need to get back into the state playoffs and potentially make another run at a state championship.