As a head coach, Jay Tilton operates in a world of what-ifs on the basketball court. Game situations, potential scenarios and big-picture possibilities flooded his mind constantly. But those what-ifs also extended beyond the gym, specifically when it came to his shelf life roaming the sidelines.
“That’s always in the back of your mind, the alternatives and how long you want to do it,” the longtime Phillips Exeter coach said.
Over the last handful of years, Tilton had more of those thoughts. And this winter, he made the difficult decision to hang up his clipboard. Tilton stepped down as Exeter’s head coach following this past season, concluding one of the most successful coaching runs in New England prep school history after he guided the Big Red to a 210-92 record and five Class A championships over 16 seasons.
“It’s been a really good ride for me,” Tilton said.
