FLOWERY BRANCH — Twenty years ago the name Chezley Watson was synonymous with basketball success in Hall County.
Flowery Branch High hopes that will soon be the case again after naming the former East Hall High standout as its next boys basketball coach.
Falcons athletic director Jimmy Lawler announced on Wednesday that Watson will take over the position vacated when coach David Sokol resigned to take over at North Forsyth earlier this month.
Watson, who has also been an assistant coach with Jefferson girls basketball, still holds the East Hall boys career scoring record with 2,411 points after playing with the Vikings 1993-97. He also played at the University of Virginia for three seasons (1998-2001) before transferring to West Georgia, where he led the team in scoring as a senior and was named first team all-conference.
Watson and his wife, Julia, reside in the Flowery Branch community with their four children -- Chandler (16), Chase (16), Ava (12), and Brayden (9).
The Falcons are coming off back-to-back state playoff appearances, having reached the second round of the Class 5A bracket this past season after breaking an eight-year postseason drought in 2017. The Branch will drop down to Class 4A next season.
