Paris Gulley wants to bring his tireless drive to East Peoria.
The former Manual all-stater was named the new Raiders girls basketball head coach on Tuesday, April 21, marking a new era of East Peoria hoops.
Gulley replaces Adam Binger, who in four seasons led East Peoria to an overall record of 28-93 and 3-53 in Mid-Illini Conference play. He helped EP end a 52-game losing streak in Mid-Illini play during the 2024-2025 season.
“I’m definitely excited,” Gulley told the Journal Star. “Ready for the challenge to kind of go in there and turn that program around and get some excitement going in there and get some good energy in that atmosphere.”
Gulley, who played Division-I basketball at Wisconsin-Milwaukee, says the preparation for the upcoming season begins now.
“Get the (players) really to understand the concept of just hard work,” Gulley said of what he hopes to instill, “and instead of just (playing) in the season. They just (have to) understand that the offseason, you got to put in that work.”
June will feature fundamental training and conditioning for the Raiders, Gulley said. Three days a week will be in the weight room, while the gym will be occupied daily for shooting and skill work. He also wants to incorporate some yoga and pool work for recovery.
Film sessions, Gulley says, will be paramount for the development of the program.
“Build that work ethic in them in that offseason,” he said, “so they can understand going into the season what they put in and it’s just going to help in the long run.”
This might be Gulley’s first high school-level coaching job, but he’s well-versed on the sidelines.
He was the junior high girls basketball head coach at Christ Lutheran for two seasons, winning the 2024 Lutheran Basketball Association of America national championship. That victory capped a 23-0 season where Christ Lutheran was also the Lutheran Sports Association of Illinois state champion.
Currently, he’s on staff of Mac Irvine Fire, a Chicago-based summer travel basketball club. There, he coaches his daughter, Amiyah Gulley, who just completed her sophomore season at Dunlap.
The 5-foot-6 point guard averaged 13.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.5 steals in 31 games last season. She was named all-Mid-Illini first team and Illinois Basketball Coaches Association all-state special mention.
The elder Gulley says he’s unsure if his daughter will be moving to East Peoria and playing for him next season.
East Peoria finished 3-27 during the 2025-26 campaign, posting victories over Peoria High, Rantoul and Streator, but finished 0-14 in league play. Teams can hold their first official Illinois High School Association practice on Monday, Nov. 2.
The Raiders are scheduled to open the 2026-27 season at the Fairbury Prairie Central Tip-off Tournament on Monday, Nov. 16.
Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: East Peoria hires new girls basketball coach
Reporting by Adam Duvall, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
