BUFORD — A Buford graduate has been tapped as the next head boys basketball coach after head coach Eddie Martin retired recently.

Buford High School has hired Benjie Wood from Cherokee Bluff High School in Hall County to head up the boys basketball program.  Wood spent the last three years at Cherokee Bluff before accepting the head coaching position at Buford.  The last two seasons at Cherokee Bluff, Wood’s teams each advanced to the Sweet Sixteen.

Wood has a wealth of coaching experience having coached at Cherokee Bluff, Gainesville, North Hall, Johnson and Madison County.  So far in his coaching career, Wood has an overall record of 447-184.  A few of his more noteworthy achievements during his coaching career were when he led the Johnson girls to two Final Four appearances, the North Hall boys to two Final Four appearances and the Gainesville boys to a state runner-up finish.

Having graduated from Buford High School in 1990, Wood is familiar with the Buford community.  During his time at Buford, Wood was a member of both the basketball and baseball teams.  He received his degree from the University of Georgia and then earned his Master’s degree from the University of Alabama. Wood has a wife, Nicole and two children, Avery and Cooper.

“Coach Wood is excited for the opportunity to lead the Wolves basketball program he grew up in and looks forward to investing in our community,” Buford High School said in a statement released on Tuesday morning.