Meet the Bay Area Blue Devils Whites

The Bay Area Blue Devils Basketball program will be running a pair of 17U teams this spring and summer -- White and Blue. It's a program begun in 2000 by Coach Ed Hawkins, who ran it for seven years before a hiatus with the Bay Area Hoosiers and then he re-started it in 2010.

A St. Mary's (Berkeley) three-year varsity player, Hawkins has quite the coaching resume, having upgraded programs at St. Mary's High, Oceana High (helped coach with Vince Pavia in reaching the CCS DIV Championship game and a appearance in NorCal Semi Finals in 2003) and Alameda High before come to Moreau Catholic High as the head junior varsity and assistant varsity coach.

Described by Hawkins as a "hard-nosed, blue-collar program,"  the Blue Devils epitomize scrappiness.

As for 2012, "we want a good month of practice before we jump into a tournament," Hawkins explained. "All of our guys made the post-season in high school, some deep into the post-season. So we're still establishing an identity."

They will open their season by participating in the Nor Cal Spring Showcase (NCAA certified) April 27-29 at City College of San Francisco.

Then comes a busy May with the May 5-7 MVP Flight/Oakland Soldiers Tournament, the North Coast Express Invitational May 12-13, the City Championships at City College of San Francisco on May 19-20 and finally the May 25-28 Memorial Day Classic.   

June will feature traveling to Portland June 8-10 for the Rose City Showcase followed by three trips in July: the Adidas Invitational in Indianapolis July 11-15, the Double Pump Best of Summer Tournament in Anaheim on July 18-22 and then it's Las Vegas for the Adidas Super 64 Tournament July 25-30 -- all three NCAA certified events.

Here are the Whites, with descriptions supplied by Hawkins. According to him, "this group has been together for three years, they have very good chemistry and have been through some battles together."

* Sam Bide, 6-foot-1, junior, guard, Freedom High

really athletic, has a mid-range jumper, can really defend and lock down his opponent

* Ramiro Contreras, 6-foot-5, junior, forward, Freedom High

He's a workaholic who can get to the rim and also has a mid-range jumper

*Jehiah Gennaro, 6-foot, senior, guard, Freedom High

Interest from Cal State Northridge, Cal State Los Angeles, Cal State Dominguez Hills

*Wayne Johnson, 6-foot-5, junior, forward, Pittsburg High

Shoots the three well, the best perimeter shooter

* Tim Jordan, 6-foot-3, junior. forward, Freedom High

The most athletic of our wings, he's long and lanky and can defend, will try and dunk on you

* Evan Lowe, 5-foot-10, junior, guard, Oak Grove High

Defensive-minded but can knock down the mid-range floater

* Thomas McDonald, 5-foot-6, point, De La Salle High

A ballhandler who really defends and has a 16-18 foot jumper

* Phil Redmon, 6-foot, junior, guard, Dublin High

A good shooter and rebounder who has interest from Portland.

* Demetri Tyler, 6-foot-3, junior, forward, Encinal High

An honors student who does a bit of everything and can knock down the mid-range jumper

* Marc Voisenat, 6-foot-1, junior, guard, St. Joseph Notre Dame

A point with solid fundamentals who plays very hard.

* Giordi Voske, 6-foot, junior, guard, Dublin High

Really athletic and a good scorer.  Loyola (Maryland) is interested.

*Deryck Ylanan, 6-foot-2, senior, guard, Moreau Catholic High

Is solid, does a bit of everything, led in charges taken