Thomas Jefferson has found their man and they didn’t have to look very far. Kyle Templeton was hired Friday to take over the boys basketball program at TJ.

Templeton is a Jefferson graduate and a longtime assistant at Decatur High School, working under head coach Kevin Olson. Templeton has been a part of Decatur’s three-straight trips to the Class 4A state tournament.

“He comes with an incredible amount of knowledge in the game of basketball, as well as success experience at the 4A level with the Gators,” said Jefferson Athletic Director Mike Grady. “As this will be his first head basketball position, Kyle’s assistant coach experiences in the toughest league in the state of Washington, the SPSL, has gained him the respect of his coaching peers and the readiness to be a head coach at the 4A level.”

Templeton takes over for David Stone, who resigned following the season, and will be the Raiders’ third new head coach in the last four seasons.

During Stone’s two years as the head coach, Jefferson finished 13-26, including 7-12 during the 2008-09 season and 6-14 in 2007-08.

Stone took over the Jefferson program from Tacuma Williams before the 2007-08 season. Williams coached the Raiders for four seasons.

“Thomas Jefferson is very excited and confident of his ability to make an immediate impact into a program that has seen three new coaches in four years,” Grady said. “Kyle brings with him an up-tempo style of game, as well as an incredible energy level to the up-and-coming Raiders.”

After graduating from Jefferson, Templeton went on to play basketball at Highline Community College under Joe Callero. During his two-year tenure at Highline, Templeton played with former Decatur star Quincy Wilder and current NBA player Brian Scalabrine.