The562’s coverage of Jordan Athletics is sponsored by former LBUSD superintendent Chris Steinhauser and the Timu Foundation.
Photo courtesy Long Beach State Athletics
The Jordan Panthers made an impressive hire for their boys’ basketball program, announcing that Allen Caveness would be the next head coach in J-Town.
A veteran head coach at the high school and collegiate level, Caveness said there were a number of factors that drew him to Jordan.
“One was the alignment that I felt like I have with the administration. That was one thing that was really, really powerful for me,” Caveness said. “The understanding of their vision and being able to fit the values and the priorities that I have for a program into what they want, and then two, the history–the success of the program. Obviously Coach (Ron) Massey did amazing things. I know Coach (Chris) Francis did a great job while he was there, and being in a place where the expectation is success is something that is exciting for me.”
It’s another exciting hire for the Panthers’ athletic department, after they hired former NFL running back Rashaad Penny as their new football coach back in May.
“We’re incredibly excited to welcome Allen Caveness as the new leader of our boys’ basketball program,” said Jordan boys’ athletic director Josh Dozier. “Coach Caveness is a proven winner with roots in the Long Beach community and he brings experience from some of the highest levels of basketball. More importantly, he understands what it takes to develop young men, build a strong culture, and create a program our school and community can be proud of. We believe he is the perfect person to lead Jordan Basketball into its next chapter.”
Caveness makes his return to Long Beach, where he spent nearly a decade of his coaching career. Most notably, Caveness was the head coach at St. Anthony High for seven seasons, leading the Saints to four league championships during his tenure, plus a CIF-SS Open Division appearance in 2020.
He mentioned that a return to the city was another key factor in pursuing the job in J-Town–getting back to a place where he’s felt welcomed and had plenty of success.
When he left St. Anthony back in 2021, Caveness elevated himself to the NCAA Division I ranks, taking an assistant coaching position at Long Beach State. After two seasons at The Beach under head coach Dan Monson, Caveness took the head job at St. Monica High School.
The Inglewood native has been heavily involved in the SoCal hoops scene for decades, serving as a coach in the prestigious Drew League since 2007. He also made head coaching stops at multiple junior colleges in the area before making the jump to Division II Cal State Dominguez Hills, where he coached for two seasons before taking over at St. Anthony.
Though Caveness has extensive experience as a collegiate coach, he enjoys the level of mentorship you can provide at the high school level, and he strives to maintain lifelong relationships with his former players.
“Just the ability to connect in a relationship,” explained Caveness of what makes coaching high school teams special. “I’ve been a full-time teacher for the last 10 years at St. Anthony and St. Monica, and seeing kids from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and then having another two to three hours, four hours with them on a game day, you really get a chance to build relationships and connect with the young men. For me, that’s the best part.”
Caveness takes over a proud and reinvigorated program in J-Town, following a successful five-year tenure under previous head coach, Chris Francis. The two were actually teammates in the Drew League and have known each other for over two decades. The Panthers won a CIF-SS title in 2023 under Francis, and made a CIF quarterfinal appearance last season led by a strong junior class.
“There’s some really good players in the program already,” Caveness said. “He’s developed them, and they’ve gotten better over the last few years. So being able to come into an environment where there’s some kids that already make us competitive and viable, is something that for sure is exciting for me.”
One big challenge for Jordan is the ongoing construction on their home gym, which is not scheduled to be completed prior to the upcoming season. The Panthers made use of other local gyms at Compton College, Browning High, and elsewhere last season, and that will continue in the year ahead. Caveness indicated that his preference will be to host as many practices and games at Compton College as possible, and that he’s very much looking forward to opening a brand new facility on the North Side.
“God willing, we’ll be able to open the doors on the facility for the beginning of the 27-28 season,” Caveness explained. “Having one of the premier, if not the premier facilities in this area is something that’s going to be really really exciting, and being able to be part of that opening is something that definitely stood out.”
