Merritt College men's basketball update

The restoration of the Merritt College men's basketball program continues with new talent being added to the 2009-2010 squad. Here's Coach Keenan McMiller reporting the latest:

* the program is sporting an 85% graduation rate

* Matt Busch is headed to Regis University, a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Interestingly, his brother Chris who also attended Merritt, is now at Colorado State University Pueblo, which is in the same conference as Regis. It will be brother versus brother twice during conference play.

* Jeff Pyrol, 6-foot-9 and 225 pounds, is moving across the bay to Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont and will play for ex-San Jose Stater George Puou, the longtime coach there.

* Korel Mitchell, 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds, had multiple destinations as options but elected to stay at Merritt and finish earning his AA degree. Mitchell is also working out to get stronger and hopes to end up at possibly Sacramento State down the line.

* Andre Martin is completing summer classes with the plan to travel down the road just a bit and play for Cal State East Bay in Hayward.

* The fall semester timeframes for the Merritt basketball student-athletes are already mapped out: classes from 8-12:30, study hall from 12:30-2, practice from 2:30-5, with additional scheduled study time as needed

As for new Thunderbirds:

* Trent Archer, out of Las Lomas High (Walnut Creek), whose uncle was the late Phil Smith of USF and Warriors fame

* Isiah Robinson, 5-foot-10, 165 pounds, out of Natomas High (Sacramento), described as quick on quick and a very good defender, was a team captain in high school

* Mike McElroy, 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, out of Central High in Fresno and Columbia College in Sonora

* Roman Robinson, 6-foot-3, out of Rodriguez High (Fairfield) was named the most valuable player of the Solano County Athletic Conference in 2009 and also captained his squad. McMiller said he's an excellent athlete with a great attitude who also speaks fluent French and actually preaches at his church. Here's a link to some video on Robinson.

* Saajid Polite, 6-foot-3 out of Grant High in Sacramento, sat out last year but McMiller described him as "very athletic with a high motor."

* Shawn McCoy, 6-foot, out of El Cerrito High, was a second team all-ACCAL Alameda/Contra Costa Athletic League selection, a member of the school academic honor roll and was named Youth of the Year by the YMCA of the East Bay.

Youth Giving back to Youth at the YMCA
Hilltop YMCA Youth of the Year: Shawn McCoy

During his three years as a volunteer youth coach in the Youth Sports Program at the Hilltop Family YMCA, Shawn has been extraordinary mentor to several middle school participants in the youth basketball program.

Shawn is an outstanding athlete at El Cerrito High School and has gone beyond the scope of just coaching basketball at Hilltop. His mentoring has helped some of our youth through personal, academic and social challenges. Sports alone could not solely provide these young men the guidance required to help them succeed in the classroom and in life.

Shawn understands that young men growing up without fathers need the guidance of someone that they can look up to and view as a role model. Shawn has served as that role model for many of our youth who don't have someone to talk to about the hurt they feel and the doubt they feel in reaching their dreams. He has spent one-on-one time at the Y talking, practicing and tutoring middle school and student athletes. He has participated with adult coaches in conducting workshops for student athletes, promoting academic excellence and drug- and alcohol-free lifestyles.

Shawn grew up longing to play basketball and to have someone spend that extra time with him just shooting the ball or practicing a particular move or shot, someone to help him work on his dribble. It became important for him to be that someone for the young people who looked liked him and experienced some of the hardships of not having a father figure in their lives. Shawn succeeded in becoming that someone and in providing that same inspiration to young people that his dad, family and coaches were able to give to him.

As an honor roll high school student athlete, Shawn has modeled his life as a beacon young people can look to for guidance. He has been big brother, friend and coach. His academic and athletic achievements, alongside his volunteer work at the Y, have provided our youth participants a genuine example of good choices and their impact on one's life. Committed to academic excellence and living a healthy and drug-free lifestyle, Shawn stresses the importance of faith to the young people under his guidance. He teaches them the value and meaning of the principles of caring, respect, responsibility and honesty.

And these are just the local/regional student/athletes.