Cary Christian has relieved its girls basketball coach of her duties, even as the team goes for a repeat of the 2-A NCISAA state championship this week in Asheville.
Coach Carmen Javaux, who led the Lady Knights to two straight NCISAA title games, was let go Monday — a day before Cary Christian opened this week's NCISAA playoffs. Javaux's record over the past four seasons was 102-20 (83.6%) with a 33-3 conference record.
Assistant coach John Pettit is now the interim coach. He was on the sidelines Tuesday as the 4th-seeded Lady Knights won their first-round game 57-38 over Asheville Christian.
Neither Javaux nor Cary Christian athletics director Frank Hollowell wanted to comment on why the firing took place.
"It's certainly not what we were desiring," Hollowell said of the timing. "It was just when it had to be done."
Javaux's final game as Lady Knights coach was the Eastern Plains Independent Conference tournament title win over St. David's Saturday. Javaux said she was not the one who told her team of the school's decision.
She did not think that a change would have been made before the season's final week.
"I didn't see it happening before the state tournament," Javaux said.
Hollowell said that Pettit will lead the team this week, but there is nothing determined for a long-term replacement.
"We're not thinking about next year yet, but [Pettit]'s assisted all year long with the varsity girls," Hollowell said. "He's finishing out [the season]. Next year — we'll cross that bridge when we get through this year."
