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Wise has been a varsity assistant at South Point under Mark LaFon, now head coach at Ironton, and also head coach of the Pointers eighth-grade team.

"Being here all those years paid off," said Wise, a former Pointers standout himself. "I wanted a shot at coaching varsity and it's worked out pretty good. We're a little young, but you have to start somewhere. The kids have been in the weight room and working this summer. They'll buy into it."

Young indeed. The Pointers lost all five starters and a senior who transferred. Repeating as conference champion will be a challenge.

"It will be tough," Wise said. "Chris did a great job. We'll be all right."

Wise said he has learned from several coaches, including LaFon, Barnes, Gary Norris and Oak Hill coach Norm Persin, against whose teams Wise played when Persin coached at Chesapeake. Wise said he plans to pattern his team's offense after much of what Persin coaches, emphasizing patience, screens, motion and ball movement to get open shots.

"Coach Persin's players bought into his system of everybody touching the ball and the defense getting tired or going to sleep, then they'd get a wide-open layup," Wise said. "We'll try to do that. We won't run a lot of sets."

Wise said a such team effort will be needed to make up for the graduation of Brandon Barnes, the school's all-time leading scorer with more than 1,500 points. Barnes now plays at Ava Maria University in Naples, Fla.

"We don;t have a pure shooter like Brandon," Wise said. "Last year, everybody knew the ball was going to Brandon."

Wise said his defense will be multiple, with an emphasis on zone because his team is young and lacks depth.

"We can't afford to get guys in foul trouble," Wise said. "We might only have one senior starting. We'll see. I can't look down the bench and see great depth, yet, because we're going to be so young."

Wise's familiarity with the players looks to be a plus for the program.

"I think that will help a lot," he said. "I've coached these kids before. They know me and i know them. I've spent a lot of time volunteer refereeing in the Buddy League. They know my personality and don't have to adjust to adjust to someone coming in from the outside."

Zach Jenkins and Drew Lynd will be Wise's assistant coaches.

South Point Athletic Director David Adams said he is pleased with Wise's hiring.

"Travis has been here a long time, starting as an assistant with Mark LaFon," Adams said. "He's been with the kids when they were eighth-graders, so that helps."