Richie Oliver can attest to the fact that chance conversations sometimes are the genesis of new opportunities.

Oliver was visiting Saint Joseph’s College in Standish in September to watch his son, former Rockland High multisport standout Wade Oliver, play fall baseball as a freshman outfielder for the Monks.

During that visit he ran into Searsport High senior pitcher Matt Nickerson, who was visiting the school as a potential college option once he graduates.

Since Oliver had coached both his son and Nickerson on a Babe Ruth baseball team that won back-to-back state championships in 2002 and 2003, they quickly struck up a conversation.

“I asked him about basketball season, and Matt said he wasn’t sure because Searsport didn’t have a coach yet,” said Oliver. “I told him I ought to come up there and coach him. I was kind of half-kidding.”

It wasn’t long after that conversation that Oliver got a phone call from Searsport officials gauging his interest in the Vikings’ boys varsity basketball coaching vacancy – and now the Rockland resident has that job.

Oliver inherits a team that went 0-18 a year ago.

“I’m new to the team, and they’re new to me, so everyone is going to start with a clean slate,” said Oliver, who replaces Mike Garcelon as the Searsport coach.

Oliver is best known as a high school baseball coach in the Midcoast region. He’s been the varsity coach at Rockland High for the last six years, and plans to continue with those duties next spring. He also has coached the Knox County American Legion team in recent summers.

Oliver coached middle school basketball in Rockland a year ago, after spending three seasons as the Tigers’ junior varsity coach under former Rockland and Washington Academy coach Buddy Wood and one year as freshman coach under Larry Terrio.

“I learned a lot from Buddy,” said Oliver. “I liked the system he ran, and I’ll probably use a lot of what he does.

“I’d like to play up-tempo, but it all depends on what I see when I get there.”

Oliver acknowledges some challenges within the Searsport program, particularly a limited feeder program and a summer basketball program that was nonexistent this year.

“I’d like to work on all of that,” he said. “But it’s going to take some time, it’s not going to happen overnight.”

Moran leaves Hodgdon post

The Hodgdon boys basketball program will have new leadership this winter with the decision of Rob Moran to step down after seven years as the varsity coach.

“I kind of needed a break,” said Moran, who had coached at Hodgdon for the last seven years. “I’m pursuing my master’s degree [in health care management] and I’ve been coaching for more than 20 years when you count everything, and I just needed a break.”

Moran coached the Hawks to an 88-44 record during his tenure, leading Hodgdon to six playoff appearances, including five trips to the Eastern Maine tournament at the Bangor Auditorium.

Also active as a soccer and basketball official, Moran said he expects to return to coaching in the future.

“I definitely want to get back into it at some point,” he said, “possibly at the varsity level but maybe even coaching a junior high team.”

Hodgdon athletic director David Minzy said Monday that he expects Moran’s coaching vacancy to be filled when the local school board meets Wednesday.