Southside Christian boys basketball hires Ben Johnson as coach

Southside Christian boys basketball hires Ben Johnson as coach

Southside Christian has hired Ben Johnson as its new boys basketball coach.

Johnson will join the Sabres after spearheading Spartanburg Christian Academy for the past three seasons, including a 2026 SCISA Class 3A state championship appearance.

“I’m excited to invest in our players on and off the court and get to know their families," Johnson said in a school release. "Southside Christian is a special place with a strong community and purpose, and I’m grateful to be part of it. Building relationships, helping our players grow, and competing together are what I’m looking forward to most."

Johnson has deep ties to basketball in the Upstate. He attended Boiling Springs, and before he began coaching at Spartanburg Christian Academy, Johnson served as the associate head coach at Anderson University for seven years. He played college basketball at Spartanburg Methodist College, averaging 6.1 points per game.

“Our focus will be building a strong foundation, and I want our guys to play with a great amount of joy," Johnson said. "Discipline, effort, belief, and toughness are things we will talk about and practice daily. By doing those things, we will represent our school the right way while growing as players and young men.”

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Southside Christian has struggled over the past couple of seasons, posting first-round playoff exits in each of the past four seasons. One of Johnson's goals is to implement a winning culture.

“Accountability, consistency, and player development will put us in a position to be successful long term," he said. "We’ll focus on daily habits, strong relationships, discipleship, and performing in a way that honors Christ. I can’t wait to get to work with the guys."

Kamryn Jackson covers high school and college sports for the Spartanburg Herald-Journal, Greenville News, .