Tollefsen seeking new school

From Rex Walters: "Mark Tollefsen will be graduating this Spring and has decided that he would like to pursue opportunities at another school."

Remember the day

So is anything you read today (April 1) about this player signing or that coach being relieved of his duties to be believed?

Dunbar departing WSU

Trevor Dunbar, a June signee for Washington State, is leaving Pullman after his freshman year. A snippet:

"...it seemed like Dunbar was expected to carve out a bigger role next year. The point guard was the team's quickest player – even faster with the ball than Ike Iroegbu – and Kent told me he was the only player on the team with enough speed to change a game's tempo simply by being on the floor.

But Kent went away from Dunbar late in the season and he only played in three of the team's final 12 games..."

Robinson leaving the Tigers

Per Jeff Goodman's growing list of transfers, add former CCSF guard Dulani Robinson as transferring from Pacific. He has one year of basketball eligibility remaining.

Smith to head the Toreros

It's Lamont Smith, a New Mexico associate head coach, in at San Diego as head coach. He worked as an assistant at St. Mary's and Santa Clara so there's certainly a familiarity with the West Coast Conference.

The Bay Valley Conference honorees

It's been previously posted in bits and pieces but here are the complete Bay Valley Conference honorees:

League Champ - College of Marin

Coach of the Year - Dave Granucci

Bay Valley Conference All‐League team 2014‐2015

*College of Marin - Pierre Carter Soph G 6’4 Heritage HS (Brentwood, CA) MVP

* College of Marin - Brandon Kenilvort Soph F 6’5 Sir Francis Drake (San Anselmo, CA)

* Merritt College - Travon King Soph F 6’6 Tenack HS (Brooklyn, NY)

* Merritt College - Denzel Bellot Soph S/G 6’2 McClymonds HS (Oakland, CA

* Yuba College - Jojo Zamora Fr G 6’2 Newark Memorial HS (Newark, CA)

* Yuba College - Manny Malou Fr F 6’8 Melbourne, Australia

* Yuba College - Vasilje Saraba Fr F Del Campo HS (Fair Oaks, CA)

* Contra Costa College - Tajai Johnson Soph G 6’2 Vallejo HS (Vallejo, CA)

* Napa Valley College - Jalen Dupree Soph PG 6’0 Fairfield HS (Fairfield, CA)

* Mendocino College - Christopher Ketter Soph F 6’3 Hartsville HS (Hartsville, SC)

* Solano College - Donovan Smith Soph G 5’10 Inderkum HS (Sacramento, CA)

* Los Medanos College -  Wayne Engstad Soph S/G 6’4 Heritage HS (Brentwood, CA)

Why are D1 coaching position 'always' filled by someone with D1 experience?

Here's a feature blowing up the usual thinking that your next D1 coach should either have D1 head coaching experience or be a D1 assistant.

My takes:

What coach hiring firm is going to recommend a DII or DIII candidate? Or make that: what coaching-finding firm will soon go out of business after backing a DII or DIII mentor who doesn't make it?

If I'm a college president (okay, you can stop laughing now), my AD is in trouble if he/she comes to me wanting to hire a coaching-finding firm to fill a vacancy. That's part of the job of an AD and shouldn't require a $40,000 additional hit from the budget.

The team culture of Notre Dame basketball

Here's an interesting and informative look at the culture of Notre Dame's basketball program last season and now this year.

It was: "They’d be out of the locker room before you could even address the team as a whole. That’s not something you can build a program around, or a team around, when people are just kind of leaving and doing their own thing,” [Pat} Connaughton said.

Now: “It’s been unbelievable to see the transformation from last year to this year,” said Notre Dame assistant coach Martin Ingelsby. “Keeping it very simple, one of the main reasons is Pat Connaughton and Jerian Grant have taken complete ownership of this team.”

Raveling on the many aspects of securing a head coach spot and keeping it

George Raveling in a series of tweets involving landing a position as head coach and keeping it:

How many coaches teach players how to be leaders? Don't tell them they should be a leader. Show them how to be a leader.

and

Modern coach should put less emphasis on hiring assistants who are good recruiters & more on effective problem solvers, teachers, mentors

and

Modern day coaches need to invest more time:
-problem-solving
-analytical thinking
-strategic planning
-relationship development

and

Once you secure the job make a list of 10 people that you must have breakfast, lunch or dinner with in the next three weeks!!

and

The best leaders today are servant leaders!! 

and

Immediately upon securing the head coaching job you must construct a 'relationship strategy' that targets the AD & the institution's Pres

The best ever out of Cal

Not sure if this is based on some article or just Joe Davidson riffing on California basketball since that was the location of the state championship games:

"All-time Cal basketball team,all eras: Kevin Johnson, Jason Kidd, Leon Powe, Alfred Grigsby, Darrall Imhoff. Coach: Pete Newell"

Big Dance blowups and their NBA impact

Andrew Sharp takes a look at various college players who blew up in the Big Dance last year and how they are faring professionally.

Chabot College-High School All-Star Game

This years Chabot College-High School All-Star Game will be on April 8 and 9 2015 (Wednesday and Thursday).

@Chabot College
Wednesday
Tri-Valley vs. Hayward @6:15
OAL vs. Fremont  8pm

@Chabot College
Thursday
losers @ 6:15
Winners @ 8pm

Advice for coach wannabees

Coach Bob Walsh offers solid advice for those assistants looking to move up in the coaching ranks and for those wishing to enter that field.

Liked this a lot

All from Ed Graney:

Bo Ryan on his players: "They’re here, they bought in, they’re so committed, the difference between being involved and committed ...

and

“You sit down to breakfast with bacon and eggs. You look at the eggs, you know the chicken was involved ...

and

“You look at the bacon, and you know the pig was committed. I have a lot of committed guys in that locker room."

Brown with 22

Laker Jabari Brown enjoyed a big game last night versus Philadelphia with 22 points in a 113-111 overtime victory. He shot 7-10 overall, 3-4 from beyond the arc and 5-5 at the foul line.