Coaches
Francis Flax
Head Coach
Phone: 785.823.4647
Email:
fflax@brownmackie.edu
Widely known throughout the coaching circles, Francis Flax is no stranger to Junior
College Basketball. Beginning his 28th year as a Junior College Coach, Flax is the
only men's coach Brown Mackie College has ever known. As the dean of JC coaches
in Kansas, this season will be his 19th at Brown Mackie College in Salina, Kansas,
a school that has only had basketball for 19 seasons. Prior to Brown Mackie, Flax
coached at Highland Community College in Highland, Kansas. He also spend 9 seasons
at two Kansas High Schools, Spearville and Ellinwood. Entering the 2010-2011 season,
Flax has amassed 659 career wins, 535 JC wins, 369 while coaching at Brown Mackie.
Since joining the ranks of NJCAA Division II in the 1996-97 season, the Lions have
won 300 games and have lost 168. This includes 5 trips to the NJCAA National Tournament,
claiming one 5th place finish, two 4th place finishes, and 2 National Championships.
Two of his former players have signed NBA contracts, but more importantly, 101 former
players of Brown Mackie have furthered their careers at 4-year schools.
In addition to his High School and Junior College experience, Flax served as the
Head Coach of the Kansas Cagerz, a professional team in the United States Basketball
League (USBL) from 2000 through 2007. At the end of the 2007 season, Flax had won
more games than any other active USBL coach (129). His coaching competition included
former NBA stars Kareem Abdul Jabaar, Darryl Dawkins, Rick Berry, Rex Morgan, Lionel
Hollins, Robert Parish, Roy Rogers, Kenny Charles, Cliff Levingston, John Starks,
and others. Five former Cagerz coached by Flax either are or have played in the
NBA, while countless others are playing overseas.
Flax and his wife Carmen reside in Salina. He is the father of 4 children; Renee,
Lynell, Rachael, and Bryson.
Milestones
1997 NJCAA D-II Final Four
1998 NJCAA D-II Final Four
1999 NJCAA D-II National Champions
2002 USBL Finals
2005 NJCAA D-II National Champions
2007 USBL Champions
2008 NJCAA Basketball Hall of Fame
2008 NJCAA Basketball Coaches Association D-II Rep
2009 NJCAA Basketball Coaches Association Vice-President
2010 Court Couch USA Basketball
Greg Gibson
Assistant Coach
While at Salina South High School, Brown Mackie coach Francis Flax tried to make
Greg Gibson one of his top priorities for recruitment. Although Gibson opted to
attend and play basketball at Barton County, both continued to keep the lines of
communication open. The relationship developed and Flax has been successful in recruiting
Gibson, this time as an assistant coach for the Lions.
Greg Gibson was a stand-out basketball player at Salina South, still holding five
school records: 37 points in a game; 6 3-point field goals in a game; 9 steals in
a game; 161 steals in a career; and 396 field goals in a career. His 1,023 career
points puts him second all-time high at South. His career flourished at Barton County,
where in two seasons, the Cougars went 67-5, including a perfect 31-0 at home. During
the 98-99 season, Barton won the J-Hawk west title, won the Region VI tournament,
and finished 2nd in the National Tournament. Ironically, that was the year that
Brown Mackie claimed their first National Championship.
Gibson brings a high level of love for the game, a great knowledge of defensive
schemes, and a passion to win to the Brown Mackie program.
Jeremiah (J.J.) Davis
Assistant Coach
In his second season as the top assistant men and women's basketball coach for the
Lions, JJ Davis brings extensive basketball knowledge in recruiting, strength and
conditioning, and academic and community service, particularly in the Midwest. Davis'
duties include recruiting coordinator, strength and conditioning, academic monitoring,
and guard development.
Davis brings a multitude of coaching experience to the table, including high school
basketball, baseball, and football. He has also coordinated strength and conditioning
programs and summer camps for basketball, football, and volleyball.
In his athletic career, Davis played semi-professional basketball in LNBP's Mexico
(2000). He spent one year as a basketball walk on and two years on the football
special teams practice squad at West Virginia University. Prior to his time at WVU,
Davis started one year of basketball at Kansas Wesleyan University and two years
at Pratt Community College, as well as playing two years of tennis at Pratt. A native
of Wichita, Davis was a four-year starter in both baseball and basketball at Wichita
North High School.
Davis earned a bachelors degree from West Virginia University as well as an associate's
degree from Pratt Community College. He is married to his wife Lisa and has two
daughters, Brittany and Addyson.
Bryson Flax
Assistant Coach
Bryson enters his first season as an assistant coach at Brown Mackie College. An
All-State performer in football and basketball at Southeast of Saline High School,
he finished his basketball career as the schools all-time leading scorer, scoring
over 1,400 points. After his High School days, Bryson played for 2 years at Brown
Mackie. He is 4th on the all-time list in assists, and 12th in the all-time list
in steals. He also owns the Brown Mackie record for charges taken, both in a game
(6) and in a season (52).
After Brown Mackie, Bryson transferred to Kansas Wesleyan University, where he was
the starting Point Guard for his Junior and Senior seasons. At the present time,
he is a 5th year Senior at Kansas Wesleyan, majoring in Physical Education, with
a emphasis in Secondary Education.