MASON — CJ Fleming said he’s ready to take his high school basketball coaching career to the next level.
“This is just an opportunity that I felt that I would really want to go for,” he said.
Mason High School announced Wednesday morning that Fleming will be the Comets’ next boys basketball coach, pending school board approval.
Fleming was the coach at Badin the last two seasons. This past season, he led the Rams to a 19-7 overall, 7-3 Greater Catholic League Coed record and to the Division III regional semifinals.
“My two years at Badin have been absolutely incredible,” Fleming said. “I’m incredibly thankful for (Badin athletic director) Geoff Melzer giving me the opportunity to be able to be the head coach and taking a chance on a young 24-year-old who hasn’t been a head coach.
“I’ve got to thank all the players involved for absolutely giving me every ounce of effort that we’ve ever asked for. I’m just really, really proud of what we’ve done the last two years.”
Fleming was named a GCL Coed Coach of the Year with Alter’s Eric Coulter. Badin (16-11, 4-6 in 2023-24) was a Division II regional semifinalist in 2024.
The Badin athletic department announced Fleming’s resignation on Tuesday.
“Coach Fleming made valuable contributions to the Badin boys basketball program, leading the team to back-to-back district championships during his two years here,” the Badin athletic department wrote in a news release.
“His dedication to the development of our student-athletes, both on and off the court, has been deeply appreciated. We thank him for his service and wish him and his family the best in his future endeavors.”
Fleming turned around a Badin program that had three consecutive losing seasons. He compiled a 35-18 record over the past two years.
Fleming succeeds former Mason coach Adam Toohey, who stepped away from the program in March after three seasons. The Comets had a 4-19 record overall and went 3-13 in the GMC this past season.
“Coming into Badin, there were three losing seasons in a row,” Fleming said. “At the same time, when you get a new job, you try to come in and bring a new identity, a new culture, a new mindset. So right now, it won’t really be focusing on the past in terms of Mason struggling. They do have a lot of guys coming back, but they did graduate a couple.
“I’m just really excited to get into the gym with them. I’ve been watching a ton of film on them — just trying to figure out some tweaks that we’re going to do — but still being the toughest guys to compete every night and play incredibly hard and competing on the defensive end. That’s still going to be our motto.”
Fleming played at Bellarmine University, where he was a three-year captain and point guard for the Knights during his career from 2017-2022. He was also named the Atlantic Sun Scholar Athlete of the Year during his college career as a fifth-year senior.
Fleming, a 2017 La Salle graduate, has served as a dedicated social studies teacher for grades 9-12 at Badin. He previously coached at Oak Hills, leading the freshman team to a 17–5 record and serving as a varsity assistant.
“Coach Fleming is a dynamic leader who understands how to build a team culture rooted in hard work, accountability, and growth,” Mason athletic director Scott Stemple said. “He’s not only a great basketball mind but an educator who truly connects with student-athletes.”
Fleming said he plans on meeting with Mason players in the coming days to start laying out a plan. He also said he has an idea of what his coaching staff will look like and that “I’ll be taking a bunch of guys with me — guys who have been super loyal to me. Then I’m looking to add a couple of Mason guys to kind of get the best of both worlds.”
Fleming said he plans on interviewing for a social studies position at Mason.
Badin said in a release that it is searching for a new head coach who will uphold its Catholic values and continue to build upon the strong tradition of the basketball program.
Interested applicants should email Melzer ([email protected]) and assistant athletic director Nick Browning ([email protected]). The application deadline is April 14.
