Former Caldwell County High School and Lipscomb University standout Eli Pepper is entering his first season as head coach of the basketball team at West Kentucky Community and Technical College.
Pepper has been an assistant coach at his alma mater the past two seasons, but saw an opportunity open up to be a head coach with the West Kentucky Stars this summer.
Pepper was on The Sideline Report on WPKY Radio Thursday morning where he spoke about taking the WKCTC opening.
The West Kentucky Community and Technical College team will open its season next Thursday, Oct. 28, against SEMO Prep in Cape Girardeau, Mo.
The first home game is Nov. 1 against Oakland City.
The season finishes up with the WKCTC Invitational Feb. 12 in Paducah.
Pepper spoke about the upcoming schedule for the West Kentucky Stars on The Sideline Report.
After a stellar high school career at Caldwell County, where he was also a member of the Tigers’ state runner-up football team in 2012, Pepper went on to play college basketball at Lipscomb University in Nashville.
Pepper, a four-year starter with the Bisons from 2015-19, is one of only four players in the conference to grab over 1,000 career rebounds. He ranks third in the ASUN record book with 1,016 boards.
Pepper scored over 900 career points while at Lipscomb.
He earned three All-Academic Team selections and helped guide the Bisons to the 2018 ASUN Championship and 2018-19 ASUN Regular Season title.
Pepper played in the NCAA Tournament as a junior as Lipscomb lost a first-round game against North Carolina.
As a senior, Pepper played in Madison Square Garden as the Bisons made it all the way to the national championship game of the National Invitation Tournament before falling to Texas.
Pepper went on to briefly play professional basketball with the Glasgow Rocks of the British Basketball League.
At Caldwell County, Pepper finished second on the Tigers’ all-time rebounding list with 1,172 boards and ranks eighth on the Tigers’ career scoring list with 1,307 points.
You can listen to the entire interview with Pepper on WPKY Radio right here.
