There is a new club team on the scene -- the Norcal Wildcats Elite

It can't officially be called an earthquake but the northern California AAU basketball landscape was nonetheless altered recently in dramatic fashion.

A new club team has formed via a merger, one with a different focus than many similar entities.

The official name is Norcal Wildcats Elite, begat by a merger of the Bay Area Hoosiers and the Davis Wildcats entities.

So who is involved?

The braintrust is composed of Philippe Doherty, George Sousa, Steve Cauchi, Bob Silva, Jean Gelpi and, as a skills consultant, Green Room Training, LLC., dba 1% CLUB Basketball.

This inner circle believes there is too much talent in northern California not to be turning out pros in larger numbers and this new setup is designed to correct that.

Philippe Doherty was Mr. Do-Everything with the Hoosiers, Sousa is the longtime coach of the top Davis Wildcats team, with Cauchi and Silva in administrative roles there. Jeremy Russotti trains NBA players, those readying for the NBA draft as well as collegians and top high schoolers.

Cauchi and Sousa coached at Archbishop Mitty when Doherty, a two-time First Team All West Catholic Athletic League player at Sacred Heart Cathedral and a relationship between the trio formed back then. Also, the Bay Area Hoosiers co-founders Rob Jones and Rick Perez, played for Coach Sousa at Archbishop Mitty in the early 90's.

As Doherty explained, "I have known George Sousa, and Steve Cauchi for close to 20 years and what they are doing with Bob Silva has never been done before because it combines many talented people to provide an unbelievable experience for very young, talented, and motivated kids who have big goals."

He continued: "The Norcal Wildcats Elite is is a morphing of the Bay Area Hoosiers AAU program together with the Davis Wildcats program. The team is only for a select number of kids with a two or three year plan focusing on intense and functional skill development," before adding, "the opportunity these kids will receive is second to none because it combines all these resources for a select few kids and will provide a detailed path to success. These young, talented, and focused kids will get the opportunity to train for the next two or three years together and have the chance to maximize their talents in a targeted and productive environment."

Doherty, with D1 playing experience at Santa Clara in the mid 90's and D1 coaching involvement at the University of San Francisco from 2001-06, offered a prominent Wildcats program difference in vision: "the merger is NOT designed to generate exposure by playing in events every weekend. We want to prepare these kids for college, by having them learning to play the right way because that will lead to a greater number of professionals." In summary, the Wildcats Elite program will not be playing in non-viewing events to pile up championship trophies.

He elaborated by providing Salesian High's Jonathan Galloway as an example: "Jonathan got in three solid hours of practice the other day, working with the ball in his hands. He would have gotten maybe 10 touches if he was playing in a game instead."

What elevates this program from other elite ones is the program's relationship with Jeremy Russotti and his Green Room Training Program. Select players on the Elite team will have the opportunity to partake in Russotti's Green Room training program where he prepares players for the professional ranks. Russotti explained, "the last few years we have partnered with the Davis Wildcats Program to provide training for all of their 275+ players at some capacity or another with one of my certified trainers Jean Gelpi. They really saw improvement and enthusiasm within their players and decided to take the next steps. I applaud their board since now they are not only keeping that program intact, but investing in sending multiple players to live, breathe, and sweat basketball alongside my NBA professional athletes in my GRT Program in June. That is a major statement and commitment their board has made for their players." 

He elaborated, "I have formed a similar partnership with other AAU programs such as Dream Vision (one of the top AAU program on West Coast), Stanco Stampede and others but the NorCal Wildcats Elite program really has a special thing going. Their program is run like a college D1 program and business."

According to George Sousa, who will be the head coach of the team, this is the type of situation the Wildcats have been looking for: "we are extremely excited about the opportunity we are now able to provide to these players. We feel we have a very unique situation being able to take advantage of our Wildcat organization's resources alongside the incredible experiences and relationships Philippe Doherty has, in addition to being able to utilize Jeremy's training program which is second to none. We all have the same vision: to provide the best available skill development training for a group of motivated and talented players that will allow them to reach their full potential."

When visiting a workout/practice, Coach Doherty's enthusiasm and passion for teaching is evident within minutes. The Norcal Wildcats Elite program wants to provide elite skill development all year around so the players can take those talents with them to college and hopefully beyond. Here's Russotti: "over the past year or so, Philippe has no doubt transformed himself to be one of the top five skill development specialists in the nation. He has worked harder than anyone to get better at his craft. These families and players are getting GOLD when it comes to training and this will drive their future college potential."

 
It's literally amazing for this quintet of longtime basketball figures to come together but as Doherty said, "Guys are hungry and want to get better and we're offering the best and most positive learning environment."

Here's the Nor Cal Wildcats Elite roster alongside Coach Sousa's and Coach Doherty's descriptions -- call them a mix of youngsters getting it done both on the court and in the classroom:

* Colin Slater Jr., 2016, 6-foot-0, point, Clovis North High

"High major point guard and one of the best in his class nationally, he carries a 4.0 grade point average and is one of the more mature and skilled point guards in the entire country, regardless of age"

* Solomon Devin Young, 2016 6-foot-6 power forward, Sacramento High

"Simply put, this 14-year-old power forward out of Sacramento High has the makeup to be special. He is a very strong and powerful forward who has the chance to be one of the better players in his class nationally and is a very humble and hard working kid whose potential is endless"

* Marquese Criss, 2015, 6-foot-8, wing, Pleasant Grove High

"Helped lead his high school team to the D1 CA state title and is just coming onto the scene. He's a long and smooth wing forward who is going to turn some heads playing his natural wing position this spring and summer and will see his recruitment go through the roof"

* Tre Finch, 2016, 6-foot-0, point, Sacramento High

"A very talented point guard who has the ability to score and attack. He will be another standout guard who comes out of the Sacramento High program which has turned out great guards over the last seven years. Tre is a fearless competitor who was injured most his freshman year"

* Jonathan Galloway, 2014, 6-foot-9 power forward/center, Salesian High

"Jonathan has great size and has just begun to scratch the surface on how good he can be. He comes from one of the better high school programs in the country and with continued work will have a break out spring and summer. Still only 16 years old, his potential is very high"

* Armani Collins, 2015, 6-foot-4 shooting guard, Stuart Hall High

"Armani can really shoot the basketball and playing alongside Colin Slater Jr. and Tre Finch will help open people's eyes on his skill set. He's a long two guard who can also put the ball on the floor. Look for Armani to have a breakout spring and summer as he continues to work on his overall game"

* Keith Datu, 2014, 6-foot-6 wing, St. Joseph's High (Santa Maria)

"Keith is a long wing forward who plays both inside and outside who really rebounds the basketball and finishes well in transition. He's an outstanding student and worker who will look to play his more natural wing position this spring and summer"

* Colin Delaere, 2015, 6oot-4 wing, Clovis West High

"Colin is an athletic wing who comes from a storied high school program at Clovis West. He is a long athlete who can really jump, defend, and rebound. Look for him to have a great spring and summer playing alongside some very talented point guards."

* Karim N'Diaye, 2015, 6-foot-7 power forward, Archbishop Riordan High

"Karim missed the entire basketball season due to a torn ACL suffered in August. A very strong and powerful forward originally from Senegal, he will will have a big impact in the WCAL next year. He is a big time athlete who can really rebound and run the floor and is also very skilled at shooting the basketball. His older sister was an all-conference player at Cal a couple years back. Karim will play in July"

* Jose Alfredo Vargas, 2014, 6-foot-7, power forward, Stuart Hall High

"Alfredo as he is known a very strong and powerful power forward who rebounds the basketball. His wide body takes up space in the key and he has toned his body to make a big impact on the glass. He will be playing alongside other bigs who can complement what he does."