Marple Newtown hired Brian Shane as its boys basketball coach, replacing Gerry Doemling.

The school announced the hiring Wednesday, though -- according to Shane -- he was given the post about a week back.

Shane played played at Springfield (a 1984 graduate) and served as an assistant coach at Lower Merion (from 2003 to '05), so he's quite familiar with the Central League.

He also guided The Haverford School for five seasons and won an Inter-Ac League championship in 1999. He sandwiched three seasons as an assistant at Immaculata University around one season as the head coach of a high school based in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Marple Newtown, in recent years, has had a one-and-done playoff reputation. And, in the years in which the Tigers were able to pick up a District One playoff victory, they failed to qualify for the PIAA tournament. Shane said he expects questions regarding that.

"The goal is to get Marple Newtown better and, any time you take a job, it's to build a team and a future of a championship team," said Shane, 45. "I was very fortunate to win an Inter-Ac championship at The Haverford School and that's the goal -- build a program and build a champion."

Shane said he's already got plans in the making for next season, and has the Tigers registered for a West Chester University summer league.

For more on Shane's hiring, pick up Thursday's edition of the Daily Times.