Merritt is on the move

There's soon to be a new sheriff in town — he's the deputy right now — and that's all the better for Merritt College and the T-Birds men's basketball program.

Merritt A.D. Maurice Compton just completed the season as interim head coach and will remain in that position for another go-around. But Assistant Coach Keenan McMiller is the designated heir and will move into the top spot come the 2010-2011 season.

Keenan McMiller
(photo by Candice Phrogus)

A graduate of San Francisco State as well as Merritt, McMiller is infusing energy into a program that has been dormant yet is situated in n geographical area long known for producing basketball talents in large numbers. He wants to play a part in the resurrection of Merritt's men's basketball program and make the T-Birds a junior college power in California.

One item kindling the rebirth is that the Merritt gym is receiving a new floor. According to McMiller, "the weight room is soon to be expanded." He is also instituting a study hall, emphasizing that the off-court effort of the players needs to equal what is demonstrated during practice and games. The entire Merritt coaching staff emphasizes a positive coaching tact.

Five local kids reside on the Merritt roster. Sophomore Matt Busch, out of San Leandro High, is attracting attention from Chico State, Chadron State (Nebraska) and University of Alabama-Mobile. Busch was an All-Bay Valley Conference selection this season after averaging 14.8 points per game and 8 rebounds a contest.

Matt Busch
(photo by Merritt men's basketball)

6-0 guard Lamont Horston (Castlemont High), 6-6 forward Joshua Hatcher (Berkeley High and 6-4 Mike Mitchell out of Marin City (Mt. Tamalpais High) each retain further eligibility while 5-9 Javarius James (Encinal High) has just completed his alloted time.

"We want high caliber kids coming to Merritt," McMiller said, offering that he has interest in 6-foot-5 Felix Mapanda of Patterson High (17.9 ppg., 11.1 rpg.), 6-foot-6 Eric Brown out of Las Lomas, an All-League member of the Diablo Foothill Athletic League squad and Las Lomas' Trent Archer, who McMiller calls a "real sleeper" and whose uncle was the late Phil Smith of USF and NBA fame.

McMiller also has some imports attracting attention. "We have seven sophomores graduating and five have been offered scholarships," he said. Besides Busch, there are 6-foot-1 Kerel Mitchell out of Brooklyn who was fourth in the state in three point shooting at 47%. 6-foot-8 New Jersey native Joe Powell averaged 13.6 points a game and 14 boards each time out. Mitchell is deciding between Chadron State, Pittsburgh State and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville while Powell must choose from Utah Valley State, Central Connecticut, Coppin State, University of Tennessee-Martin and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville. Both Mitchell and Powell were chosen to the All Bay Valley Conference team.

Andre Martin, a 6-foot-4 backcourter out of the San Diego area who redshirted this season, is headed to San Jose State.

Hope springs eternal but dreams combined with action determines reality. McMiller is bringing the whole package to Merritt.