Mitch Howell takes Saltillo boys basketball job
Jun. 19—Mitch Howell's career detour proved brief.
The former Wheeler head coach was approved Monday as the next boys basketball coach at Saltillo. He replaces Craig Lauderdale, who left for the head post at Jumpertown.
Howell, 45, spent this past year as a New Albany boys assistant but knew he wanted to be a head coach again soon. He had taken an assistant's job at Baldwyn a few weeks ago, but then the Saltillo opening popped up.
"The Saltillo deal has been a blessing," Howell said. "We've been praying for something to open, a head coaching job. I feel like the Lord showed up and showed out on this one."
Howell was head coach for seven years at Wheeler, going 133-67 and leading the Eagles to the Class 1A state semifinals in 2018. He's also been head coach at Alcorn Central and Thrasher.
He inherits a Saltillo team that went 20-10 last season and reached the second round of the 5A playoffs.
"My goal is to have Saltillo as one of the top basketball programs in the state," Howell said. "I'm going to pour my heart and soul into this program, and this is probably where I'll hang my hat. I don't like this moving around."
Howell will be bringing along his son, senior guard Cayden Howell, who averaged 15.2 and 4.0 assists per game for New Albany last season. Cayden Howell has played on the same AAU team as some of Saltillo's players, including forward J.T. Beasley and guard Gunner Wesson.
The Tigers will also return 6-foot-6 junior Demetrius Duffy, a first-team Daily Journal All-Area pick who averaged 21.2 points and 13.2 rebounds per game last season.
"If I had to pick a post player in North Mississippi, he'd be the one I'd go after," Mitch Howell said. "Cayden's a really good point guard. Gunner Wesson's a good two guard, about 6-foot-2 and can shoot it. And they have a lot of other guys that can fill those spots."
Lauderdale is leaving Saltillo after 12 seasons, including the last 11 as head coach. During his tenure, he turned a moribund program into a perennial playoff team. Lauderdale had a 218-101 record and 10 playoff appearances with the Tigers, leading them to the state quarterfinals in both 2016 and 2018.
Saltillo also won eight straight Lee County Tournament titles under Lauderdale.
"We came in, we worked hard, we turned it around," he said.
Lauderdale, 53, is a 1987 Jumpertown graduate and began his coaching career there in 1993. His daughter Macy will be a senior there this coming school year and is a member of the Lady Cardinals basketball team.
"Getting to watch her play and go through all her senior year stuff, that was a big factor in it," Lauderdale said.
Jumpertown's boys went 4-20 last season.
