New coach at Whitney High

Nick French is the new boys basketball coach at Whitney High in Rocklin.

Connections with your players

Coach Bob Walsh is back with another fine column, this one on the bonds between players and coaches:

"...It strikes me that it doesn't take very long to tell whether or not a coach has a connection with his players.  The word connection is huge to me in coaching.  When you are able to create a connection with your players, and a connection between your players, you get to a level of investment that allows you to achieve great things..."

DeMain leaving

Bryan DeMain is departing the Appeal-Democrat and we thank him for his basketball coverage through the years. Best wishes.

More kudos for AG

It's hard to believe this is even possible but Jeff Eisenberg believes Aaron Gordon has raised his stock with his play of late"

"...Even though Gordon has come off the bench in the undefeated U.S. team's first four games, he has been the squad's most productive player. The 6-foot-7 Arizona signee has thrived in the pressing, up-tempo system favored by Billy Donovan, averaging team highs of 13.8 points and 7.0 rebounds despite playing only 20 minutes per game. Gordon has showcased an especially effective all-around game, delivering seven offensive boards against China, four assists against Ivory Coast and four steals against Brazil. The longer Gordon plays at this level in Prague, the more excited Arizona fans will be to see the McDonald's All-American don a Wildcats jersey this winter. .."

Santa Clara in 2013-14

Zack Farmer previews Coach Kerry Keating's Broncos come next season.

This is amazing

Look at the Top 20 in the 1999 recruiting class -- weak, weak, weak (not damning, just making an observation). What happened that year? Wow.

More on Julius Brazzel

From the Texas A&M Kingville site, here's more on former Modesto Junior College frontcourter Julius Brazzel:

Texas A&M-Kingsville men’s basketball coach Pete Peterson has announced the addition of junior college transfer Julius Brazzel for the 2013-14 season.

Brazzel is a 6’7”, 230-pound forward who played for Modesto Junior College. In 2011-12, Brazzel was amongst the team’s leaders in scoring and rebounding. He nearly averaged a double-double with just over 15 points a game and nine rebounds a game. He was selected second-team, all-conference honors.

Brazzel is becoming a Javalina, a great nickname.

Coleman to the Gaels

Minnesota transfer Joe Coleman, a 6-foot-4 backcourter, has cast his lot with St. Mary's and Coach Randy Bennett. He'll redshirt next season.

Evaluation time is fast approaching

From this article:

...Starting on July 10th, the first of three five-day live-recruiting periods kicks off. What that means is that from July 10th-14th, the 17th-21st and the 24th-28th, anywhere that a high school-level basketball event is taking place, Division I head coaches are allowed to be in attendance scouting. Since all the coaches are allowed to be out on the road, the companies that run AAU tournaments and exposure camps load those 15 days up with as much basketball in as many places as possible...

The value of prospect rankings

This is eye opening -- a composite list of the top 20 national recruits from 1999 -- and what's striking is how so few ever made it to the NBA, let alone qualified as an impact player. Numbers 21-99 enjoyed better pro careers.

Five Pirates heading to new destinations

The Modesto Bee reports that MJC Coach Paul Brogan has five players moving on, including a pair from the 2011-12 season.

This is not to mock: when everyone sees a train wreck in slow motion...

Not that you couldn't see this coming a long time ago...

ESPN's Dana O'Neill talking to Reggie Theus (then coaching the LA Defenders) about Renardo Sidney:

"He wasn't healthy. He could never get healthy," Theus said. "He had high blood pressure. It was getting better, but he could never get it right. We'd send him to the doctor, but he'd never get it right. At some point, we had to make a decision. You only get 10 spots, and he was taking someone's spot."

Wonder if Reebok wants its money back after sponsoring a club team featuring Sidney and having Sidney's father 'coach' it?

What could have been, redux.

It's too bad for the young man but he is still in his 20s and can make of life what he wishes. It's in his control and let's hope he seizes the remaining opportunity.

The Dons eyeing future recruiting classes

USF is looking to the future:

Verbal Commits: "San Francisco has extended an offer to 2015 La Costa Canyon (CA) G Tommy McCarthy, his first"

and

Verbal Commits: "San Francisco has extended an offer to 2016 Viewpoint (CA) G Christian Juzang, his first"

Castrillo to the Land of Enchantment

Marcos Castrillo came out of Pinole Valley High and, after two seasons at Merritt College, is heading to DII Western New Mexico University of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

At 6-foot-7 and 195, Castrillo produced 6.9 points per game in 2012-13, shooting 48% and 72% respectively. He also nabbed 5.5 rebounds a contest.

Castrillo is graduating with a 3.2 grade point average and an A.A. in Business. He's heading to the right place as the Mustangs' men's basketball program posted a team grade point average of 3.18, the highest of all the teams in the league.

Here's Western New Mexico Coach Jeff Law on Castrillo: "We saw Marcos play in the [State] Final Four and he is going to give us many options. He plays strong on the floor and also does very well in the classroom."

Merritt Coach Keenan McMiller offered this: "Marcos has been a model student-athlete to the best of his abilities. What Western New Mexico University will get from him is a consistent hard worker who will display a good attitude and graduate on time."

The Broncos with a Land of Lincoln recruiting interest

A DeAnte' Mitchell tweet: "University (IL) forward Max Rothschild '14 is taking an unofficial visit to Santa Clara Sunday, per his AAU coach"

Rothschild stands 6-foot-8 and 220. Chicago State, Illinois Chicago and Northern Illinois have already offered. He went on unofficials to Bucknell and Penn last weekend.