James Lewis helped build a championship ninth-grade basketball program at Warren Central. Now he’s got the chance to do it at the varsity level.

Lewis, who led the ninth-grade Vikings to three consecutive Little Six Conference championships, has been hired as the next varsity head coach at Jim Hill High School in Jackson. It’s the first head coaching position for the 32-year-old Vicksburg native, and one he called a great opportunity.

Jim Hill had a dismal 2-19 record last season, but won the 2014 Class 6A championship and has traditionally been a competitive program.

“When you say JPS, it’s a basketball area. And to get the opportunity to be a head coach of a 6A program in Jackson, I felt like it was an opportunity I was waiting for and that I didn’t think I could pass up. I’m excited to see where it goes,” Lewis said. “Even with the pressure of people wanting to have success, I want to step in and do the best I can. I’m looking forward to the situation and developing talent, and letting them know I’m here to support them and make them as good as possible and hopefully give them an opportunity to play at the next level.”

Lewis coached at Warren Central for five years, the first two as an assistant at Warren Central Junior High and then the last three as the ninth-grade coach. He led the ninth-grade team to a 42-8 record and three straight Little Six titles after it hadn’t won the league tournament since 1993.

Lewis also filled in as Warren Central’s varsity coach for nine games early last season while Bruce Robinson was out on medical leave. Lewis said the success at both levels gave him both confidence and a desire to pursue a full-time job as a varsity head coach.

“When you take over a program from ninth grade, you never really know how things are going to turn out,” Lewis said. “Going from junior high to ninth grade, I knew it was going to be a step forward. And then being over here for three years and having the amount of success we’ve had, you get an itch to want to have a bigger challenge.”

Lewis added that his run as interim coach last season convinced him he was ready to be a head coach. He also said Robinson allowed he and fellow assistant Julius Cosby to run various facets of the program behind the scenes, which also helped prepare him to run his own program.

“Coaching for those nine games and going 7-2, the kids were so supportive. They allowed me to step in and do my thing,” he said. “It was a great trial run. I got to see what it was like going against, not just 6A talent, but your rival Vicksburg, playing against JPS teams, it was a tremendous experience. I think it really helped me to get that itch. It reassured me that I was ready for it.”

The 32-year-old Lewis was quick to thank others for his success to this point. He rattled off a laundry list of supporters, from the Warren Central administration, players and coaches, to booster club parents and fans, for helping build the ninth-grade program into the powerhouse that gave him an opportunity to make the leap to the next level.

“I’ve had a support system here that was second to none,” Lewis said. “From booster club parents helping with car washes, to coming to games, to helping with fundraisers and T-shirts, the support has been off the wall. There are so many people I want to thank.”

He’ll get a chance to do it in person in about six months. Jim Hill is scheduled to play in a tournament at Warren Central in December, and then the two teams will meet in a head-to-head matchup on Jan. 18 in Jackson.

Lewis said he plans to treat it like any other game once it arrives, but admitted there would be some emotion when he sees his former players and co-workers on the other end of the floor.

“That’s going to be interesting, to say the least,” Lewis laughed. “It’s going to be a different type game.”