Meet the Bay Area Blue Devils Blues

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 Blues, with descriptions supplied by Hawkins:

* Dwayne Burns, 5-foot-11, senior, guard, Liberty High

A lefty who is strong and well built.

* Damien Coleman, 6-foot-6, junior, forward, Freedom High

Loves to attack the basket and block shots.

* Aiden Davison, 6-foot-5, junior, forward, Piedmont High

Long and lanky

*Dante Dominguez, sophomore, point, Freedom High

A solid point who can shoot the jumper and defend

* Cameron Epps, 6-foot-3, junior, forward, Bellarmine College Prep

A solid rebounder who loves to attack.

* Darius Membrick, 6-foot-2, sophomore, forward, San Leandro High

Looking for big things from him

* Scott Miller, 6-foot-1, junior, guard, Head-Royce High

A solid point who shoots really well.

* James Ormond, 6-foot-4, junior, forward, Piedmont High

A solid rebounder with a mid-range jumper.

* Josh Ricafrente, Fremont Christian

A nice scorer.

* Elvedin Tudzinovic, 6-foot-3, senior, forward, Alameda High

An All-League player.