In 1994, Jeff DiBattisto and John Combs were managers on the USC basketball team under the direction of former head coach Eddie Fogler. The two paid their dues by working long hours but they also learned a lot watching Folger and his staff build the Gamecock program up to the point where it won the SEC championship in the 1996-97 season.
Now the two longtime friends are taking on new roles.
After 11 years as the head coach at Ridge View High School, Combs is leaving to become the new head basketball coach at Ben Lippen School. DiBattisto is leaving Dreher to take over the program at Westwood High School.
For Combs, his decision was based on the fact that he has two daughters who attend Ben Lippen.
"It is such a tremendous blessing, opportunity and honor to be a part of the Ben Lippen family next year," Combs said.
"Ridge View High School is an awesome place and I will always be honored to have spent 11 successful years working there."
Combs takes over at Ben Lippen for Ryan Molony who is leaving to take a job at a church in Lexington.
In his 11 years with the Blazers, Combs made the playoffs in 10 of those seasons, In 2011, Combs led Ridge View to the Class 4A state championship where the Blazers lost to Irmo. It was Ridge View's first and so far, only trip to the state finals and it saw Combs go head-to-head with Irmo head coach Tim Whipple. Combs served as a student manager under Whipple in the early 1990's.
Like Combs, DiBattisto is also part of the Eddie Fogler coaching tree.
"How about Combs and I (taking new jobs) on the same day," said DiBattisto.
"Can't escape each other."
He takes over at Westwood after former head coach Terry Dozier was not retained for a fifth season at the school.
DiBattisto is a former head coach at Bishop England High School where he was the head basketball coach for five seasons. He also served as the head boys golf coach and actually has a state title in that sport on his resume.
He was the athletics director at Cardinal Newman for three years before taking over the basketball program at Dreher High School for the 2013-14 season. In his first year, he led the Blue Devils to the region title and in his first two seasons, they made it to the Class AAA Upper State semi-finals each year.
"I am extremely excited about joining the Westwood community," DiBattisto said,
"The opportunity to work for an Athletics Director in Jason Powell, who I respect and have known for many years, is exciting. The chance, in many ways, to forge our own path with Westwood basketball and do things that haven't been done before is simply too good to pass up."
In the 1997-98 season, the USC men's basketball team picture featured Combs and DiBattisto, along with newly-hired Hammond head coach David Ross, current South Pointe head coach Melvin Watson and one of the newest members of the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame, BJ Mckie, who is currently the associate head coach at Charleston Southern.