Portland Raiders have a new Varsity Boys’ Basketball Coach

The Jason Goerge era as Portland Boys Varsity Basketball Coach began with the first practice on Tuesday of this week, following the School Board’s Monday night decision to approve his hiring.

Area Basketball fans might recognize his name. Goerge has been the Boys Varsity Basketball Coach at Fowler for the past four years. In fact, he has thirteen total years as a Fowler coach including stints as Boy’s JV Coach, Girls JV Coach, Freshman Girls Coach as well as three years as Assistant Boys’ Varsity Coach. Goerge’s roots go deep in Fowler. He grew up there, raised a family there and continues to live there with his wife. Area Basketball fans may also recognize his brother Nathan Goerge’s name. Nathan was just honored as Division 4 Coach of the Year in Girls Basketball after leading the Eagle Girls to their best finish in twenty years and continues as the Varsity Girls Coach in Fowler.

Jason said it was a “tough decision” to leave Fowler Basketball but that the opportunity to coach at Portland, “with the passion and success that it has for athletics”, was just too good an opportunity to pass up. “I was born and raised in Fowler. I played High School sports in Fowler. I live in Fowler, but I am really excited about coaching in Portland,” Goerge exclaimed. Goerge has also recruited his son, Jamison, to be an assistant coach for the Raiders. Jamison played for his dad at Fowler and knows his system well. Goerge has also recruited longtime friend Doug Fox to be another assistant coach for the Raiders.

While Goerge has only four years of head coaching experience he has already established a career record of 57-32 (64%) and has had some notable success as a head coach so far. His Fowler team three years ago lost in the Quarterfinals to eventual State Champion Southfield Christian. His Fowler team two years ago got off to a 13-0 start and were ranked #1 for the first half the season before finishing with a 16-6 record. Two of his former Fowler players are currently playing college basketball. Mason Pline at Ferris and Jeremy Pung at Saginaw Valley. “I think I was really hard on them as a coach”, Goerge told the Beacon, “but when I talk to them now, they tell me how much they appreciated playing for me”.

In looking forward, Goerge said, “There is a lot of athleticism on this Portland team and this is an awesome facility. When I played in High School, we had a game against #1 rated P-W and it had to be moved here for the extra seating and even then it was standing room only. We packed the house!”

If Goerge’s contagious enthusiasm and past success is any prediction about the future of Portland Basketball it may not be long before Raider’s begin to pack their own house. The Beacon will provide a more in-depth review of the 2019-2020 Basketball Team as the season draws near.