Germantown Academy’s Jim Fenerty becomes Inter-Ac’s winningest boys’ basketball coach

Jim Fenerty stands alone as the Inter-Ac’s all-time boys' basketball winningest coach, after guiding Germantown Academy to a 68-59 victory over Pennington on Wednesday.

Jordan Longino scored a game-high 30 points, followed by Brian Basile’s 16 for the Patriots.

Fenerty passed former Episcopal Academy coach Dan Doughtery with 622 career wins.

Fenerty paid it forward to previous mentors that came before him. Before he became the coach at Germantown Academy in 1989-90, Fenerty was a young assistant coach at Conwell-Egan, traveling around the city to scout some of the best coaches in the area.

“I feel very fortunate,” Fenerty said. “Anytime I’m on a list with Speedy Morris, Dan Dougherty, and Bill Fox is special because each of those guys mentored me.”

“I’m very flattered because it means I’ve been blessed to work around great players. I’m really proud of everyone who’s worn a Germantown Academy uniform,” he added.

Fenerty described making the move to Germantown Academy as life changing. He got to coach his son Jimmy, who graduated in 2001, and is now an assistant coach for Lafayette College, and his daughter, Erin, graduated from the school in 2012. He also teaches juniors and seniors Constitutional Law.

“I think it changed my life in that it gave me an opportunity to do what I love to do,” he said. “I love coaching in the classroom and on the court.”

“I love that school. They changed my life. They educated my children,” he continued.

Though his oldest daughter, Jessica, graduated from Conwell-Egan in 1996, she has given Fernerty his first grandson.

He’s already grooming him to be a Patriot.