More on Brandon Berkovatz

Skyline College's Brandon Berkovatz knows his next school and basketball-playing location. It's Cal State University East Bay under Coach Gus Argenal once he signs for his scholarship in April.

But a lot of basketball aficionados in the Bay Area are unfamiliar with what Berkovatz will be bringing to the Pioneers. Try a current 10.7 points plus 7.6 rebounds a game on 62% FG and 74% FT shooting. The 6-foot-9 frontcourter is also swatting away 3.3 shot attempts an outing which places him third in the state.

But the person who can assess Berkovatz the best is the individual who witnesses him everyday, Skyline Coach Justin Piergrossi, who got his big man out of Mills High two years ago.

"Brandon has improved every aspect of his game the last two seasons. He has worked hard to become bigger and stronger. He has put in the reps to become more comfortable as a back-to-the-basket post player, and as a result increased his scoring and FG% considerably this season. He's also developed some of the finer points of post play -- footwork, positioning, and decision-making." That Berkovatz played prep football as a quarterback may come as a surprise to many and is indicative of his ability to determine the best course of action. As a result, he currently also ranks third on the team in assists.

About the shot rejections by Berkovatz, Piergrossi said, "he has really good timing and stays on his feet. He doesn't commit unnecessary fouls and he's usually in the right position -- he plays smart."

One other element of improvement Piergrossi noted "is Brandon has improved at being more selfish" which sounds oxymoronish on its face but the context is that Berkovatz is asserting his talents more and not deferring offensively.

He has also put in the time to dramatically improve his FT shooting. This season he is hitting 74% from the line, compared to 52% a season ago.

A good student (3.2 grade point average), Berkovatz "is respected by his teammates for his work ethic. He does everything you can ask from a player."

The current Cal State East Bay roster isn't populated with a bevy of bigs so the opportunity for earning playing time looks promising.