Simply put, we have a fierce passion to coach kids up.

Coach them to have confidence to make the right decisions for themselves. We’ve been blessed with great mentors throughout our life. We are at a point in our life’s story where it is time to give back. Give back to the community that desires for their children to grow up confident, humble, hardworking and serving.

With over 70 years of combined playing, coaching, and business experience, we utilize the many lessons (and mistakes) we have made to coach our kids up! Our mission is very simple: To utilize basketball to build well-rounded young men who culturally model the importance of competition, basketball, and most significantly service to others.

KBA Leadership

About Coach Jacob Gruse

Coach Gruse, from St. Albans WV, moved to SW Virginia in 2015. It didn’t take him long to become a staple in the community. A graduate of Concord College and a three year letterman in baseball, Coach Gruse has followed his passion for sports throughout his professional career. For twenty plus years, coach has worked at the collegiate level and high school level as a basketball and baseball coach. He has coached NBA, NFL and MLB players alike. Coach has been the recipient of many accolades during his coaching career to include, but not limited to: Dogwood District Coach of the Year, River Ridge District Coach of the Year, and Virginia High School League Coach of the Year.

Today, Coach Gruse is the head basketball coach for Cave Spring High School, where he most recently won the VHSL state championship and VHSL Coach of the Year. In addition, Coach Gruse is the Executive Director of Knights Basketball Academy, where he oversees all of KBA programs and teams.

About Coach Kevin Connelly

Coach Connelly grew up in Roanoke, Virginia attending Cave Spring High School. At an early age, Coach knew that his differentiation was going to come from his work-ethic. He immediately had a passion for leadership. After graduating high school, Coach Connelly was able to continue his basketball at Lynchburg College. When anyone asks, he explains his continuation of basketball at the college level certainly wasn’t because of athletic talent, yet instead of hard-work and determination. He captained many teams to include his college basketball team at Lynchburg College.

Today, coach owns a business called W.S. Connelly & Companies, where he is still able to utilize the many sports lessons he learned to help motivate and ‘coach up’ over 100 employees from the Mid-West to the Mid-Atlantic. Coach gives a tremendous amount of credit to his life in sports as a direct result of the humble business success he has had.