When Gary Kellough resigned Friday afternoon as CHS Boys Basketball coach, it created an opening for what is considered by many to be one of the top high school basketball programs in Southern Ohio.

Speaking Saturday afternoon, Chillicothe Athletic Director Garin Veris said "Coach Kellough has done a great job at Chillicothe High School and has kept the strong tradition of strong basketball teams and successful teams for seven years... Hopefully, he still has the passion to coach because he has a lot to offer wherever he goes..."

In an email released to the media Saturday morning, Veris said "We are grateful for his dedication to this program and the work he did in coaching 7 NCAA Division I college athletes among others. His 2008 state championship season was a shining moment for our school and community."

And now, the search begins in the process to move forward.

Veris added "We'll probably post (the opening) sometime this coming week and look for some strong candidates to apply, and then we'll form a basketball committee... I think because of the strong basketball tradition of Chillicothe High School basketball, we're going to attract some good basketball coaches that we can move forward with..."

While Veris didn't give an actual time table for filling the coaching position, it's hoped a candidate may be in place as soon as possible.

Chillicothe will enter it's final year of membership in the Southeast Ohio Athletic League this November, leaving Warren's Blane Maddox as the longest tenured head basketball coaches in the league.

Listen to an interview with Veris. Garin Veris on Basketball Opening