Monday, October 17, 2011

The 2011-12 Yuba College 49ers

Not to be condescending but getting to Marysville, California is not on the bucket lists of most. But with Yuba College (YC), specifically men's basketball, you're talking something completely different.

Coach Doug Cornelius and his 49er squads are both a source of local pride and an entertainment of choice for many.

That might have something to do with this item on the YC basketball site:

"Back-To-Back-To-Back-To-Back-To-Back Bay Valley Conference Champions 2006-2011"

But what's even more remarkable is that Yuba's success is usually generated utilizing area talents. In fact, every player but one on this season's roster is from a northern California school. Cornelius certainly works at it but in the minds of quite a number of 18-plus-year-olds, Marysville and Yuba College hoops ARE a magnet, a mighty lure to experience what it feels like to be crowned a champion and be assisted in moving on to a four-year college.

And for 2011-12, Yuba is loaded once again. Here's a roster rundown with commentary supplied by Cornelius:

* Trev Abraham, 5-foot-9, sophomore (Sacramento High)

"Trev has unbelievable quickness similar to Cervante Burrell, he's a good scorer and shooter and a lockdown defender, we haven't had a point guard like Trev"

* Nick Alongi, 6-foot-3, sophomore (Woodcreek High)

* Spencer Butterfield, 6-foot-3, sophomore (Del Oro High)

"He plays so hard, he rubs off on other players. Spencer wants to win every sprint, he stays after to lift or heads out to the track"

* Kevin Crabb, 6-foot-8, sophomore (Roseville High)

"He's ambidextrous and longer than you think, really athletic and tough to guard in the post -- Kevin had shoulder surgery last year and grayshirted but he's back 100%"

* Sean Harris, 6-foot-7, sophomore (Rocklin High)

" has a 4.0 grade point average, he's tough and physical -- I call him a 6-foot-7 version of Spencer Butterfield -- the kids see how hard Sean works, know that he has a scholarship to Utah State and think 'hey, if I work that hard it will happen for me."

* Tyler Fry, 6-foot-2, sophomore (Yuba City High)

"Tyler is a two time most valuable player in his high school league who could have gone elsewhere and scored 15 points per game but is willing to play a role for us"

* Caleb Johnson, 6-foot-9, sophomore (El Camino High)

"Caleb is finally healthy and in shape, he's dunking and finishing with either hand, not settling for jumpers -- he was hurt as a junior in high school, missed his senior season, grayshirted for us and then missed the first half of last season but he is ready and different now"

* Cody Kale, 6-foot-3, sophomore (Rocklin High)

"Cody transferred to us from Cal State Bakersfield, he's in the mold of Spencer in that he is really strong, a good rebounder and good defender who can also get to the rim"

* Anto Olah, 6-foot-5, sophomore (Australia)

"He averaged 10 and 8 for us last season"

* Deaundry Robinson, 6-foot-6, sophomore (College Prep High)

"Deaundry is another Cal State Bakersfield transfer"

* Anthony Romero, 6-foot-1, sophomore (Rocklin High)

"Anthony is everyone's biggest surprise. He's off the charts athletic and easily our best shooter -- offensively he is playing as good as anyone and we want his defense to catch up"

* David Wilson, 6-foot-4, sophomore (Wheatland High)

* Jacob Courage, 6-foot-7, freshman (Lincoln High)

* Yev Dyachenko, 6-foot-4, freshman (River City High)

* Rob Long, 6-foot-4, freshman, (Burbank High) "is grayshirting this year"

* Vic West, 6-foot-5, freshman (Burbank High) "is grayshirting this year"

Cornelius also made it a point to salute Associate Head Coach Ken Griffin, a very successful coach at Marysville High: "the kids love him, he's our X's-and-O's guy."

He wasn't finished there. About the upcoming season, Cornelius said, "We're putting a lot more emphasis on defense than we have in the past. I saw Citrus, Saddleback, Fresno City and CCSF play amazing defense in the Final Four last year."

Things were also different this summer and fall for the 49ers but not necessarily by design.

"We didn't have our gym for a long time -- all this summer and six weeks into fall," Cornelius explained. "We did nothing with a basketball. It was conditioning on the track, running sprints with medicine balls and relay races involving tractor tires."

He added, "The good thing is we have a remodeled gym with a new floor, lights, air conditioning, sound system, bleachers and weight rooms."

About his proclivity for landing talent, Cornelius offered, "There is an advantage being in Marysville. Kids in the Sacramento area can experience living away from home but still be close enough to see family and friends on the weekends."

He is also both proud and thankful for the support his program receives from the community.

"A lot of fans travel with us. Sometimes, we have twice as many fans as opposing teams in road games. We sell out home games, it's standing room only and the Appeal Democrat (the local newspaper) does a great job in covering us."

In talking about the attraction of talent to Yuba College, Cornelius said, "I have great relationships with the players and they enjoy playing for us. They get coached and we help them move on.

Continuing, he said "It's about accepting roles. We try and recruit the guys we identify as the best players in the area, going after the top six or seven and then we take and mold them into accepting roles."

25+ D-1 transfers later with five to seven likely added to that total after this season is completed is a more than healthy indicator that the process is working.

Regarding the 2011-12 go-around, Cornelius understands that an element of luck is always involved in success. He relayed his experiences of a pair of his previous teams losing the services of a top talent to a tweaked ankle for a tournament game that Yuba lost and also falling on a halfcourt desperation shot even though his players were clearly a more talented bunch.

It was entertainer Neil Diamond who said "Hard work is the key, but luck plays a part." 

Doug Cornelius agrees.

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