Stone Joins Men’s Basketball Staff – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/23/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
May 23, 2002
COLUMBUS, Ohio-LaMonta (la MON tay) Stone, a native of River Rouge, Mich., was added to the Ohio State men’s basketball staff, Buckeyes’ head coach Jim O’Brien announced Thursday. Stone will begin his duties immediately.
O’Brien said Stone adds coaching and recruiting experience to the Ohio State staff.
“LaMonta has been successful as a coach and recruiter,” O’Brien said. “Along with Paul Biancardi, Stone gives us another strong recruiter and floor coach with experience and extensive knowledge of the recruiting process.”
Stone was an assistant men’s basketball coach at Eastern Michigan University the last two seasons after a successful high school coaching stint at River Rouge (Mich.) H.S.
Stone joined the EMU staff after spending six seasons as the head boy’s basketball coach at River Rouge High School.
The 35-year-old Stone (7-6-66) directed one of the most successful high school programs in the state of Michigan in his six seasons at River Rouge, posting a 126-24 record. He led the Panthers to back-to-back Class B state championships in 1998 and 1999 and both of those teams earned Top 25 national rankings in the USA Today poll.
Five of his River Rouge teams won district titles and three were regional champions. Both The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press named Stone coach of the year in 1999. He also was singled out for that honor by the Michigan Coaches Association in 1997.
A native of River Rouge, Stone graduated from Rouge in 1984 after participating in basketball, track and football. He went on to earn an associate’s degree at Henry Ford Community College in 1990 and completed his bachelor’s degree in psychology at Wayne State University in 1999.
Stone began his coaching career in 1990 as a volunteer boys basketball coach at River Rouge H.S. He went on to become an assistant men’s basketball coach at the University of Michigan-Dearborn from 1991-94 before returning to River Rouge H.S. as the head coach in 1994. Stone and his wife, Tomica, have one son, LaMonta II (2-21-97).
Noting LaMonta Stone Name: LaMonta Anthony Stone Born: July 6, 1966 (River Rouge, Mich.) High School: River Rouge (1984) College: Wayne State University (1999, psychology) Henry Ford Community College (1990) Family: Wife-Tomica; Son-LaMonta II (2-21-97)
Coaching Experience Year School Position 2002- Ohio State Assistant Coach 2000-02 Eastern Michigan Assistant Coach 1994-2000 River Rouge H.S. Head Coach 1999-00 14-8, District Champions 1998-99 26-2, State/Regional/District Champions 21st in USA Today Poll Detroit News, Detroit Free Press Coach of the Year 1997-98 27-1, State/Regional/District Champions Coach of the Year 24th in USA TodayPoll 1996-97 23-3, Regional/District Champions Michigan Coaches Association Coach of the Year 1995-96 22-2, District Champions Heritage News Coach of the Year 1994-95 14-8, District Finalists 1991-94 Michigan-Dearborn Assistant Coach 1990-91 River Rouge H.S. Volunteer Asst. Coach
