North Putnam’s Brooks named coach of new Crawfordsville Commanders team

Friday, July 11, 2025 at 9:39 AM

By Paul Gable

A familiar face in Putnam County high school basketball will be making his professional debut next year.

North Putnam boys basketball coach Vincent Brooks was recently named the coach of the Crawfordsville Commanders, a professional basketball team that will start next spring.

“I’m very excited and honored to serve as the first head coach of the Crawfordsville Commanders professional basketball team. This is more than just a coaching opportunity — it’s a chance to help build something special from the ground up for Crawfordsville and the surrounding communities to be proud of,” Brooks told The Putnam County Post.

As a high school coach, Brooks has amassed an 84-67 record with the Cougars, who he will continue to coach despite coaching the Commanders, noting the two jobs will not impact one another. Ahead of his seventh season at North Putnam, Brooks has had success, taking the Cougars to the sectional final four times.

While the season is a ways away in Crawfordsville, Brooks is currently busy trying to build a roster and evaluate talent during open tryouts.

“Building a talented roster is a priority to creating a competitive team that is fun to watch. Size and athleticism are very important, but we will prioritize decision-making, shooting, and ball handling.

Recruiting efforts have been underway for some time and we can’t wait to reveal our roster soon,” Brooks said.

For more information on the Commanders, visit www.CrawfordsvilleCommanders.com.