Porciau returning to NISH to coach boys’ basketball
Back in May, former New Iberia Senior High School standout Chad Porciau left Breaux Bridge High School, where he was both head football coach and head basketball coach, and took over as head basketball coach at Abbeville High.
He went through the summer with his new team, even participating in the NISH team camp put on by NISH coach Todd Russ and settled into his new job as head basketball coach at AHS.
But a whirlwind 96 hours starting Monday of last week turned all that upside down and Porciau found himself back home as head coach of NISH boys basketball by Thursday afternoon.
“It started Monday afternoon when I found out that Todd Russ resigned at NISH to go to Zachary.” Porciau said. “I was shocked just like everyone else. Coach Russ had been at NISH for many years and had revitalized NISH basketball.”
Russ resigned his position as head boys basketball coach Monday to take a spot as assistant boys basketball coach at Zachary, leaving NISH without a basketball coach with just three weeks until the start of school.
“I didn’t know that was coming,” Porciau said. “That was Monday. The next day, they kind of reached out and talked about a few things. The bad part is that the timing was so bad with school just around the corner.
“I thought about it, kept coach Moy (Abbeville head football coach and AD Roderick Moy) in the loop. I met with them (NISH administration) again on Thursday and kind of came to an agreement on it and I guess the rest is history,”
And just like that Porciau left a school he never officially coached a basketball game at and came back home to the school he graduated from to take over the boys hoops program.
A 2005 NISH graduate, Porciau spent one year as Russ’ assistant coach before moving to Breaux Bridge where he spent seven years, six as head boys basketball coach, and won a Class 4A state basketball title in 2019 and was runnerup in 2020.
“I learned mre in one year working with Coach Russ then I probably knew in my whole life,” Porciau said. “I learned so much watching Russ and Jeremy (then NISH girls assistant coach Jereemy Bonin) coaching while I was there.
“Between those two guys I learned everything I know about basketball.”
Coming back home and coaching at his alma mater is a thrill for Porciau.
“It’s exciting,” he said. “I went there, my wife graduated from there. For family purposes it means everything.”
Porciau attributes much of his success at Breaux Bridge to what he learned under Russ.
“I took a lot of what he did with me,” the new NISH coach said. “What I know basketball-wise came from him. I tweaked it here and there to fit more of my personality.
“I do a lot of what he does. I don’t do it the way he does it but that’s what I do and I’m going to continue to do it. There’s a reason that he had success and we had success at Breaux Bridge. I know that I have big shoes to fill but I’m not him but I’m going to do the best I can to carry on what he has done.”
Porciau added that he’s not happy Russ left NISH but he’s excited for the opportunity to take over the program at the school and continue the legacy that his mentor started.
“I thought one day maybe I could come back and coach here, I just didn’t think it would be now,” he said. “I don’t want to say it’s a dream come true job but it’s great to be home and I’m excited for the opportunity.”