Benton High School officially announced the hiring of Gary Belcher as the Cardinals new boys’ basketball coach Wednesday.

Belcher comes to the south side after spending the last nine years as the boys’ basketball coach at Kearney High School.

He went 137-110 with the Bulldogs and Belcher won a Class 4 state championship in 2010 and finished second in 2009.

He is a St. Joseph native and graduated from Central High School in 1982.

Belcher has also been a head coach at Lathrop and Warrensburg, and spent one season in Texas.  He has a career record of 252-156.

Belcher takes over for George Ross, Jr., who went just 11-64 in three seasons at Benton.