Ed Bentley resigns as Angola boys basketball coach, effective immediately

Outside the Huddle first confirmed Wednesday morning that Angola boys basketball head coach Ed Bentley has resigned from his position with the program.

Bentley went 120-67 in the eight seasons he spent at the head of the Hornet basketball program, including a 10-5 mark this season. Angola is in the midst of a three game winning streak and scheduled to play host to Concordia Lutheran on Thursday night. The Hornets also currently sit fifth in the Northeast Corner Conference standings.

Under Bentley, Angola won Sectional titles in 2016, 2018 and 2019. Bentley’s best season game in 2016 when the team went 25-3; he also won 20 games in the 2018-2019 season. Before the 2016 title, Angola had not won a Sectional title since 1999.

Bentley was the third longest tenured coach at the same school in the NECC with his eight seasons matching Eastside’s Ryan Abbott. Only Central Noble’s John Bodey and Westview’s Rob Yoder had been with their programs longer.

A source indicated to Outside the Huddle that a dispute of standards for the program between Bentley and the administration was behind the resignation.

Bentley will remain a Special Education teacher at Angola High School. Bentley served as the Associate Head Coach at Trine University for seven years before his time at Angola. Bentley played basketball in college at Bridgewater College in Virginia between serving time in the U.S. Army and Marine Corps.

After Outside the Huddle’s initial report, Angola Athletic Director Steve Lantz did send out a release to area media confirm Bentley’s departure and resignation as of Tuesday, February 4.

“Coach Bentley has brought this program many years of success, including three Sectional titles,” Lantz said in the release. “We are thankful for all of his hard work and dedication at all levels of this basketball program.”

This story will be updated if more information is received from Angola High School regarding plans for the program or who will take over as coach on an interim basis. Josh Sheets is listed on the school’s athletic website as the Assistant Varsity Coach. Adam Tuttle is currently listed as the Junior Varsity coach and Matt Call is listed as the freshman coach.