Jay Caserio resigns as Gilbert High School boys basketball coach, Gary Ernst steps in

Posted by Admin October 16, 2024 Basketball

With longtime Gilbert High School boys basketball coach Jay Caserio resigning this week, the school is turning to the winningest Arizona high school coach of all time to lead the Tigers through the 2024-25 season.

Gary Ernst, who won eight state championships, seven of those at Mesa Mountain View, will serve as the varsity team’s interim coach for the season with official practices starting Nov. 5.

Ernst has been helping out at Gilbert with the freshman team and on the varsity since his departure at Mountain View in 2022. His grandson, Brady, played his first two years at Gilbert, but transferred to Mountain View to be with his friends.

“Coach Caserio worked with the kids in the spring, and summer and fall,” Ernst said. “Things were put in, and we’ll carry on what Jay has done the best we can.”

Ernst deferred to school officials for comment on why Caserio resigned. The Arizona Republic left messages with Caserio, and school administrators but had not heard back as of early Wednesday.

In a letter to the Gilbert basketball families, a copy of which was obtained by The Republic, the school’s athletic department confirmed Caserio resigned from Gilbert Public Schools but did not give a reason. It said: “We are fortunate to have a Hall of Fame coach step into this recent vacancy and are grateful for Coach Ernst” taking the interim head coaching job.

The letter said at the conclusion of the 2024-25 basketball season, the school will assess the staff “and make the best decisions possible for the school, program, and most importantly our students.”

Caserio was molded as a coach by legendary coach Tom Bennett, serving as an assistant on Gilbert’s 2002-03 state championship team that won 31 games. Caserio led Gilbert for the past 16 seasons, leading the Tigers to the 2018-19 5A state championship. That team went 29-1.

His 2021-22 team reached the state final, before losing to Peoria Centennial. Last season the Tigers went 15-12. His overall record was 297-146.

Ernst, 76, wasn’t ready to retire in 2022 when Mountain View opted not to bring him back and brought in Andy Johnson to lead the program. Mountain View officials later named the court after Ernst, who has won a state-record 943 games, leading Mountain View for 38 years. He is a member of the Arizona High School Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame.

The Republic honored Ernst with a Lifetime Achievement Award during the end-of-school-year Sports Awards Show in June.

“There weren’t a lot of options for the kids,” Ernst said about serving as Gilbert’s interim coach. “To have somebody fresh right now would have been pretty unfair for the kids. Felt it was best for our kids to help this year and try to get them through this difficult time.”

Ernst said he’s not sure if he’ll apply for the permanent head coaching job following the upcoming season.

“We’ve committed to them for this year,” he said. “I’m worried about right now. I’m not thinking about that.”

Richard Obert has been covering high school sports since the 1980s for The Arizona Republic. He also covers Grand Canyon University athletics and the Arizona Rattlers. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert