West Catholic Preparatory High School is proud to announce James Lewis as the new Head Coach of the Boys Varsity Basketball Team
Coach Lewis, a native of West Philadelphia, brings over 20 years of coaching experience, including serving as an Assistant Coach at West Catholic Prep for the 24-25 season. He previously served as Head Coach at both Philadelphia Electrical and Technology Charter High School and Del-Val Charter High School, where he built respected programs known for discipline, toughness, and consistent postseason appearances. His teams reached the Philadelphia Public League and PIAA State semifinals multiple times and won three District XII 3A City Championships. Most recently, he was part of the coaching staff that helped lead West Catholic to a 2025 PIAA 3A State Championship.
A Philadelphia native and Roman Catholic High School graduate, Lewis began his coaching career at his alma mater, where he served as Assistant Boys Basketball Coach. He later worked with elite-level camps such as the Hoop Group Top 100 and the Princeton University Camp under Coach Sydney Johnson. Lewis also ran community basketball clinics in West Philadelphia for over a decade, reflecting a commitment to youth development that extends far beyond the court.
Throughout his career, Lewis has mentored dozens of student-athletes who went on to play at the Division I, II, III, NAIA, and junior college levels—demonstrating his ability not only to develop basketball talent, but to prepare young men for life beyond high school.
He steps into the role following the departure of Miguel Bocachia, who accepted a full-time coaching position in Atlanta, Georgia after leading the Burrs for seven years.
“We had an applicant pool that was filled with a lot of talented coaches. As we went through this process we were excited about Coach Lewis’ vision for the program.” said Jazz Williams ’97. “Coach Lewis is a proven winner, but more importantly, he understands the mission of West Catholic Prep and the role athletics play in forming young people.”