NorCal Juco Player's of the Month honors via Signal The Light

John Bynum of Signal The Light Basketball has posted a very detailed list of honorees for the month of November for Northern California Men's Juco Basketball.

Heading the list is Player of the Month, Elijah White, of Skyline College.  For full details click here

Coach Popovich preaches some more

Great article and quotes from San Antonio Spurs coach Greg Popovich on why he doesn't watch film on opposing teams.   
Excerpt
“I don’t see any reason to watch film. When my team has a game and [they] have zero turnovers and shoot 60 percent, and the other team scores 40, then I’ll start worrying about the other teams. But until that happens, I’ve got enough to correct and teach on my team, and that’s how I spend my time.”

American Kids Flunking Basketball 101

In 2009 the Wall Street Journal published a very interesting piece on the decline of American basketball, and the influence of AAU.   This article is a bit old, but five years later it may apply more today than ever.   I still think that America has the best athletes in the world, as far as natural athletic ability (running, jumping, etc).   But unlike other sports such as football, basketball requires more than this raw athleticism.   With AAU taking over the summer basketball circuit the American game of basketball is changing, and not necessarily for the better.   This article was written 5 years prior to the San Antonio Spurs completely dismantling the star-studded Miami Heat with their fundamental team play (and predominate foreign roster).  Some very good points from coaches and NBA players alike who have experienced the effects of AAU basketball.

Excerpts from the Article:

“It’s a bad system for developing players,” says Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy. “They aren’t learning to handle the ball, they aren’t learning to make plays against pressure. The emphasis with our high-school players is to get exposure and play as many games as you can and show everybody how great you are. If I can win the 11-and-12 year old league and tell all my friends about it, that is a whole lot more important than if my kids actually get any better or learn anything about the game.”In Europe, Mr. Van Gundy says, “those guys are doing five or six practices for every game. They are spending a lot of time in the gym working on individual skills. It’s reversed here.”

By the middle of the last NBA season, as concerns build about his dwindling playing time and rough transition to the NBA, last year’s No. 2 overall pick, Michael Beasley of the Miami Heat, finally conceded a fundamental flaw: No one, at any level in his basketball career, had asked him to play defense. And especially not in AAU. “If you’re playing defense in AAU, you don’t need to be playing,” he says. “I’ve honestly never seen anyone play defense in AAU.”

 Personally, I hope that another trend will soon take flight in American basketball, as players realize their is more to the game than high flying acrobatic dunks and mix-tapes.

Coach K's NorCal JC Rankings (Week 4)

*Thanks to the coaches poll last week I was able to take the week off (Nice excuse).  After another eventful week my rankings have been shaken up.   Some teams have played over twice as many games as other teams, so it's still a skewed sample size for the moment and many teams can make huge jumps over the coming weeks.    Please remember, this is a blog and these are only my opinions based on limited information and hearsay.  My rankings have no affiliation or involvement whatsoever in the California Community College Athletic Association.

*My previous ranking will be posted next to season record

1 - Skyline (8-0)  (#11)
Jumps up 10 spots in my rankings after running off 8 straight victories to start the season undefeated and taking down the previous #1 ranked team, Lassen College.   So my rationale here is that Skyline beat Lassen, who beat Merritt, who beat San Jose City.  So I figure it isn't right to have either of those three teams ranked higher than Skyline, especially since they remain unbeaten.  Their strength of schedule remains a concern at this point and could come back to haunt them as more teams play in tougher tournaments in the coming weeks.
Skyline is led by sophomore standout Elijah White, but also has a solid cast of other weapons at their disposal.   The Coast-North Conference will be an all out battle this year as top to bottom it is looking to be the toughest conference in the State!

2 - Merritt (8-1)  (#3)
Moves up a spot as Chabot falls in the rannkings.   Merritt has won two tournaments in a row to pull out a 6 game winning streak since their loss to Lassen in the opening weekend of the season.  Denzell Bellott is leading a team that is a mix of well known prospects and emerging talents.  Sophomore shooting guard Leo Smith and center Travon King provide depth to a team that is showcasing the emerging freshman standouts Rodney Pope, Jovantae Carlton and DJ Kennedy.  Merritt is looking to end Yuba's reign in the Bay Valley Conference this year.

3 - San Jose City (7-1)  (#4)
Moves up a spot in the rankings as they capitalize on Chabot moving out of the Top 2 spot.   Only loss of the year is to Merritt, and also is on a 6 game winning streak after taking home the DVC Tournament Championship with a 2 OT victory over the host team.    Could have another shot at Merritt in the San Jose City College Classic Tournament held Dec 11-13 if both teams can make the Championship game.     Speed City is living up to the name this year with a very deep roster with numerous talents that can make it very difficult to match up for 40 minutes.  Is the favorite in the Coast-South Conference this year.

4 - Marin (3-1) (#5)
I cannot punish Marin for only having played 4 games.  They come from a conference that has so many teams it limits their pre-season contests.  They still have the 20 point victory over CCSF, and a win over San Diego City to make the Championship of the CCSF Tournament. Their only loss is to the State's #1 team, Mt San Antonio.  Looking forward to this Thursdays game vs. Santa Rosa as this can be a statement for either team.

5 - San Francisco (7-2)  (#6)
Looks to be improving from the opening weekend where they had to go to the consolation bracket of their own tournament.  In their last 3 games they had to play 3 teams from the Coast-South Conference to fulfill their duties as a Coast Conference member.  Unfortunately, this season they drew Gavilan, Hartnell and De Anza, who have a combined record of 3-14 on the year.  So this isn't doing much to help CCSF in the power rankings, but they will have a chance to boost their competition as they head to the Mt San Antonio Tournament in Southern California this weekend.

6 - Fresno (7-2)  (#7)
The Rams are on a 5 game winning streak after being forced into the consolation bracket of their own tournament.  Most recently they traveled to Southern California and took home the Championship in the El Camino Tournament.  The Rams have a tough road ahead as they head to the Mt San Antonio tournament in Southern California and then open up the 16 team Modesto Tournament that is loaded with some of the State's Top teams....and they aren't in Modesto's bracket so you know they are in the stacked bracket this year.   Coach Madec is wise to play as much talent as possible in pre-conference, since the Central Valley Conference is looking dismal, once again.

7 - Lassen (10-2)   (#1)
Falls from my top spot after suffering 2 losses in 3 games.  In their last 3 games they lost to Skyline, escaped Columbia by 2 points, and lost at Cabrillo.    If the Cougars needed to be humbled, they certainly have.  With a very talented group they are sure to bounce back up in the Top rankings this year.   They have over a week to prepare for their home game against Chabot to see if they can turn the tide.

8 - Chabot (3-2)  (#2)
The Gladiators lost at the buzzer to a tough Monterey Peninsula team which has caused them to fall 6 spots in my rankings.  The only bright spot is that I noticed Chris Patterson is active for the Gladiators which should make an impact for Chabot who has an impressive roster, particularly at the forward spots.  Chabot has only played 5 games this year, so they have plenty of time to turn things around as they head to the Cosumnes River Tournament this weekend before heading up to Susanville for another father-son match.

9 - Canada (6-1)  (#9)
Has won 2 in a row after suffering their first loss of the season to SJCC.    Canada looks loaded with offensive talent will contribute to the Coast-North Conference being an all out war this year.   Their next action is at the Monterey Tournament this weekend.

10 - Santa Rosa (3-3)  (#8)
Falls 2 spots in my rankings due to inactivity and success of other programs.  Has had the unfortunate luck of landing Mt San Antonio twice on their schedule so far, but playing the #1 team in the State multiple times seemed to work out pretty well for the Bear Cubs last year.   Do not count Santa Rosa out by any means, as they have the typical well balanced and well coached squad.  They are a definite favorite in the Big 8, which is looking down so far this year.    SRJC is scheduled to take on another tough opponent this week on Thursday, as they travel to face Marin.


11 - Ohlone (5-2)  (#13)

The Renegades are off to a solid start, considering they are playing for a first year coach with only a few returning sophomores.  Plenty of time to grow and develop chemistry.   The Renegades host San Jose City College this Friday to see if they can make a statement and work themselves up in the rankings.

12 - Feather River (7-2)  (#10)
Took home the consolation at the DVC Tournament over the holiday weekend.  Is headed to the Cosumnes River Tournament as they have a chance for a possible rematch against Chabot in the 2nd round.   Feather River has mastered 'small ball' as they run and shoot and scrap for 40 minutes.  They also have a potential star in Jarrell Tate who is a match-up nightmare for the opposition.

13 - American River (4-1)  (#14)
Has some solid wins against both Yuba and DVC.  Not bad for only 5 games into the season.  Up next they face another tough opponent, as they travel to play a hot Monterey Peninsula squad.

14 - Butte (5-2)  (#15)
Moves up one spot as they evened the score against Columbia with a victory in the Cabrillo Tournament.  Has the week off before heading to the Foothill Tournament.

15 - TIE

15 - Monterey (4-4)   (#15)
Has played a solid schedule so far, and with the win at Chabot they deserve to stay in the Top 15.  Devin Koeplin still has yet to play, so watch out for MPC.

15 - Delta (4-1)   (NR)
Decent record, but their wins are over teams that are a combined 5-16.  Lost to the only team on their schedule with a winning record.   Has lots to prove still.


Others to consider:
Columbia (4-3)
Foothill (4-4)
Las Positas (5-4)

California JC State Coaches Poll is out for 11/24

The State Coaches Poll is out this week, making my job a little easier.  Although my rankings would be quite different, that is the beauty of the coaches poll as you get a combination of various opinions throughout the state. At this point, sample size is important, as teams who have played more games and proven themselves are garnering the most respect.
   After defeating Lassen in the Mendocino Tournament Championship game, Skyline has slid to the #1 spot as one of the only few undefeated teams in the State.  Columbia is a surprise at #5.  Merritt holds a solid #3 after winning the Shasta Tournament.  Fresno isn't getting much love after winning the El Camino Tournament, and is probably still hurting from their consolation performance in their own tournament.  Marin is still riding off their solid performance in the CCSF Tournament.  The Coast-North Conference has the #1 team, including 5 of the top 11 teams, Yikes!   Looks like Chabot needs to play more games to earn their stripes.  Delta earns a spot in the coaches poll.  Santa Rosa isn't earning much respect at the moment falling to #14.  Here is a link for all the details

Top 5
1) Skyline (7-0)
2) Lassen (9-1)
3) Merritt (5-1)
4) San Jose City (4-1)
5) Columbia (4-1)

So what the heck are the Massey Ratings?!

So for those who were wondering, "What is this guy Massey on?"  

Now that basketball season is underway, most of us basketball junkies seem to be scouring the internet for all the information we can about our favorite leagues, divisions, etc.    One thing I'm noticing, especially in the California Community College basketball world, is that many people are having questions about the Massey Ratings.  These questions arise due to them omitting some current hot teams or rating teams very differently than what most would expect at this point in the season.   One can look at the current Massey Ratings and scratch their head wondering where these ratings are coming from.

To start things off, the Massey Ratings is strictly a highly complex mathematical calculation, taking into account many factors (and fun things like linear algebra, etc).  This formula will rate teams in order based on the criteria and information used.   This may be enough to answer most people's questions, because no human or group of people is involved in these ratings.   These ratings are used by just about every sport and many levels of competition.  Once the schedules and results are plugged in, this program runs and will update on a regular basis with the new information.
From wikipedia, "Computer rating systems can tend toward objectivity, without specific player, team, regional, or style bias. Ken Massey writes that an advantage of computer rating systems is that they can "objectively track all" 351 college basketball teams, while human polls "have limited value".^[2] Computer ratings are verifiable and repeatable, and are comprehensive, requiring assessment of all selected criteria. By comparison, rating systems relying on human polls include inherent human subjectivity; this may or may not be an attractive property depending on system needs."

So, in my opinion, as long as we aware at what type of information we are analyzing, this system can be beneficial when rating a very large group of teams.  For instance, I do not rank the Southern California Juco teams in my weekly unofficial rankings, because I do not have the capability of watching these programs, nor do I have the time to research them.   I am sure this is true for most of the coaches as well, so these rankings can be beneficial in some ways in comparison to a standard coaches poll.   However, just like any other computer program, there are definitely room for flaws in the system.  (Here is an article I wrote last year with some major defects in the CCCAA Men's Basketball version of the Massey Ratings)

This early in the season, this type of rating system is almost pointless, other than spurring debate and for entertainment purposes.   California Community College Men's Basketball schedules are heavily filled with tournaments in pre-conference play.  The Massey Ratings take into account "Strength of Schedule" in their algebraic equations.  When looking at each teams' schedule in the Massey Ratings, you only see the first opponent listed, if any opponent is listed at all, during the dates of these tournaments.   The opponent you face on the first day of a tournament is out of your control, so if you are matched up with a team with a very weak Massey Rating it will greatly diminish your power rating and overall rating in the system (and have a domino effect on every team you have on your schedule as well). You may be in the bracket with some highly rated teams, but this system does not take this into account, until after you have played the tournament through.  For greater depth into  this system and the effect on CCCAA Men's Basketball please see my article above.


So for those that may have wondered, "What is this Massey guy on?"  Hopefully you have a better understanding that it's just a big algebraic formula without any bias towards the teams actual talent, tradition, momentum, coaching style, current injuries, or anything else in the human world that actually is important in sports.   So have fun with these ratings and enjoy the information, but don't take them too seriously, especially early on in the season.


For info directly from the source, here is a link to the Massey Ratings FAQ's..   I enjoyed his version of the layman's description..   not very 'layman' to me!

Coach K's Northern California Men's JC Basketball Rankings (Week 2)

*Week 2 only had two tournaments in Northern California, but it was not without it's big match-ups and eye opening victories.  Still very early so these rankings are based on very limited information and are only my opinion.  Mt San Antonio is not making things easy on me either, by coming up two weekends in a row from the South to win another big tournament in the North.   These rankings are unofficial and have no bearing on anything in CCCAA basketball, and is for information and entertainment only.   Enjoy


1)  Lassen (7-0) 
Holds down my #1 spot after another very successful run at the Chabot Tournament this past weekend.  Victories over West Valley 70-31, Los Medanos 104-65 and host Chabot 91-75.   Lassen is loaded with talent at the guard spot and has the length and athleticism to bother opponents at the rim and control the boards.  The Cougars are the 'Real Deal' this year.

2) Chabot (2-1)
Opened up the season hosting a 3 day round robin.  Had victories over Siskiyous 95-36, and Feather River 95-88 before falling to Lassen 75-91.   Had to ponder keeping them at #2 after losing at home.  However almost every other team that could be considered for this spot has at least one loss as well, and at least Chabot fell to my #1 ranked team.   Box score is omitting the names of Rae Jackson and Chris Patterson.  Not sure if it's due to an injury or something else.   Either way, Chabot still has the firepower and inside presence to be a top team this year.

3) Merritt (2-1)
Did not play this weekend.  But they did defeat #4 San Jose City and their only loss is also to Lassen.  So this moves them up a spot to #3 this week.  Is back in action this week as they face Shasta.

4) San Jose City (3-1)
Had a nice win over Canada 77-70 this week which will allows them to move up a spot in my rankings.  Only loss of the year is to Merritt, so had to keep them behind the Thunderbirds for now.

5) Marin (2-1)
Had the week off, but is still riding on the success in the CCSF tournament.  They were victorious over CCSF, so I feel they have to be ranked ahead of the Rams for now.   Is back in action against West Valley this week.

6) City College of San Francisco (4-2)
Jumps up three spots in my rankings.  Had victories over West Hills 94-86 & Sierra 79-73 before falling to Mt San Antonio 64-77 in the Championship of the FCC Tournament.  They beat the team that beat FCC, so I had to move them ahead of Fresno for now.

7)  Fresno City College (4-2)
I'm curious if Coach Madec will put themselves against Sierra next year in the opening round of the Fresno City Tournament.  Two years in a row Sierra took out the Rams on their home court.  This put FCC into the consolation bracket, and put them out of the #3 spot in my rankings, falling all the way to #7.   I'm sure the Madec Regime will make some noise and earn their way back towards the top of the rankings, but for now this is where I feel they belong.  Still had victories last week over Merced 80-66 & West Hills 88-84 in OT to win the consolation bracket.

8) Santa Rosa (3-3)
Had wins over Merced 60-55 and Sierra 70-57 to get to the Championship game of the FCC Tournament before suffering to Mt San Antonio 64-77.  By making it to the Championship game in this loaded tournament, the Bear Cubs jump up four spots in my rankings.

9) Canada (4-1)
Had a win against De Anza 108-81 before suffering their first loss of the season to San Jose City 70-77.  Falls a few spots in the rankings due to the loss, but also the successes of other teams with better quality victories at this point in the season.  Canada is showing they are definitely a top 10 team this year, so far.

10) Feather River (5-1)
Had a solid weekend with wins over Los Medanos 85-58 and West Valley 77-65 before falling to Chabot 88-95.  They are an athletic team that can really shoot the ball, which poses some match up issues for the opposition.  They also own a solid victory over Sierra this season.

11) Skyline (4-0)
Had three more victories this week:  Columbia 77-68, Redwoods 72-55 & Solano 68-62.  Led by Elijah White, this years Skyline team is going to fight it's way for a playoff spot and relevance in the Coast-North Conference.

12) Columbia (3-1)
After taking home the Las Positas Tournament Championship the Claim Jumpers lost some momentum by falling to Skyline 68-77.  They still are looking like a solid team this year and we won't ostracize them too much for this one loss.  They do fall four spots in the rankings this week and are looking to recapture that momentum as they face William Jessup JV before facing Lassen in the Cabrillo College tournament on November 29th.

13) Ohlone (3-1)
Won a close one to Hartnell 74-68 in overtime.  It's still very early in the season, so we will see what the Renegades are made of as they head to the Shasta Tournament this weekend to face Cabrillo again.

14) American River (2-0)
After finishing the season 3-23 last year, the Beavers come out of nowhere to open eyes with wins over Shasta 77-50 and Yuba 84-80 in OT.   ARC will be a team to watch this year. Roster has some recognizable names, including 6'9 force Eugene Crockett.   My article featuring Crockett a year ago here

15) TIE ..... again
Too early to discount all these good teams...

*Contra Costa (2-1)
Roster has some names, still plenty of time to show what they can do this year.  Has talent to make some noise.

*Monterey Peninsula (2-2)
Had a nice win over a very solid Foothill team 67-65.  They have a lot of pieces this year, and Devin Koeplin is still out with an injury.

*Butte (3-1)
Only had one game and it was a win over Simpson JV 84-53 which doesn't help much in determining just how good Butte is this year.  But they have almost their entire team back from last years 10-0 GVC Conference Championship team, so watch out.

*Sierra (2-3)
Record looks bad, but they beat Fresno City again, at Fresno.  They have a talented group and have played a fairly tough schedule so far.  Could jump up in the rankings quick.

*Yuba (1-3)
Lots of hype, not a lot of wins.  But it's very early, so plenty of time for this young team to improve and turn things around.


*Thanks for reading.  Again, my rankings are unofficial and for information & entertainment purposes only.

Coach K's Northern California Rankings (Week 1)

    *After a great opening weekend of California Junior College basketball we have some surprises and we have teams that have made statements.  The CCSF tournament saw Marin College come out of the shadows with huge wins over host CCSF and San Diego City college before suffering to Mt San Antonio in the Championship game.  Getting 2nd in that tournament is nothing to hang your head about!    Columbia College came out and shocked DVC and went on to win the Las Positas tournament to start the season 3-0.   The San Jose City Tournament was full of exciting games with Lassen taking the crown after taking out former top team Merrit in the Championship game.   Canada made serious noise by taking home the Ohlone Tournament championship after beating host Ohlone.  Most of the state's top teams have played, so here is how I put things in my weekly unofficial Northern California state rankings, Week 1.

*Please remember that these rankings are my personal opinion based on limited information, and therefore are very unofficial rankings.  I do hope you enjoy the information.


CP = coaches poll ranking

1 - Lassen  (4-0)   CP #10
Had them ranked Pre Season #5, and the coaches poll had them ranked Pre Season #10.   After winning a very loaded SJCC tournament with wins over Merced, Monterey and Merritt (who was coaches poll ranked #1) I feel Lassen deserves the huge jump.  Also because all the teams I had ranked ahead of them lost a game, with the exception of Chabot who has yet to play.  So I don't want to move a team that is 0-0 into the #1 spot after Lassen battled it out last weekend.   And I thought it would be nice to have them ranked #1 alongside Chabot at #2 since they will be facing each other in the Chabot Tip Off on Saturday at 4pm.   One of only two tournaments in Northern California this weekend, this should surely be the game of the day on Saturday.

2 - Chabot  (0-0)   CP #2
Opens up the season this week on Thursday in the Chabot Tip Off tournament.  They will face two current undefeated teams as they face Feather River (3-0) on Friday and Lassen (4-0) on Saturday.  The tournament is more of a round robin, with 6 teams, so the games are scheduled in advance.  We will see if the Gladiators have what it takes to take the top spot.


3 - Fresno City  (2-1)   CP #3
Since a Southern California team took the CCSF tournament crown, and most of my previously top ranked teams suffered at least 1 loss, it looks like Fresno City will hold tight at #3, for now.  Had a solid showing in the CCSF tournament by beating Yuba and SoCal #10 ranked San Diego City.  Have another tough weekend ahead of them, as they host the Fresno City tournament that shows a loaded bracket.  FCC opens up against Sierra, who shocked the Rams last year in the first round.

4 - Merritt  (2-1)   CP#1
My main concern about their roster missing more players seems to be a non issue.  Looks like the same team we saw in the Fall Showcase.  So we will write that up to the Summer Showcases having no bearing on regular season.    Merritt had a tough road this weekend as they squeaked by Foothill, took down SJCC on their own court, before losing to Lassen in the SJCC Tip Off Tournament.   With their team intact, they will look to end Yuba's streak in the Bay Valley Conference.

5 - San Jose City (2-1)   CP#9
Drops only one spot in my rankings to make room for Merritt, who beat them for the 2nd year in a row on their home court in the Tip Off Tournament.   Very deep and will pester the opposition for the entire 40 minutes.   Had victories over Cosumnes River and Monterey to take home 3rd place.

6 - Canada (3-0)   CP NR
Came out almost nowhere to win the Ohlone Jon Wallace Memorial Tournament with wins over Delta, #11 SoCal Mt San Jacinto, and host Ohlone in the Championship.  Looks to have a variety of scorers and is on a roll.  Feels weird to place them so far up in the rankings, but they have earned it, so far.

7 - Marin (2-1)  CP NR
Another team that made some serious noise this weekend, when they opened up the season by slamming CCSF on their own court, by 22!  They also scored another key victory after beating SoCal ranked #10 San Diego City.   The blow out loss in the Championship game to Mt San Antonio is a little concerning, but they definitely earned this ranking in my book with their successes in the 1st two nights of the season.

8 - Columbia (3-0)  CP  NR
The Claim Jumpers look like they might be back to their glory days as they start the season 3-0 after taking home the Las Positas tournament crown.  Had wins over DVC, Butte and Sacramento City in a very solid string of victories.  It is still very early in the season, but at this point Columbia deserves to be in the Top 10.

9 -  City College of San Francisco (2-1)  CP#4
Has to fall a few spots after taking home the consolation in their own tournament.  Lost badly to Marin in the first round, but scored victories over Napa Valley and Santa Rosa, which shows that CCSF is still formidable.  They head to another loaded tournament this weekend, as they head to Fresno and open up with West Hills-Coalinga.

10 - College of Sequoias (2-1)  CP#8
Took 3rd place in the Cuesta Tournament with wins over Mendocino and West Hills-Coalinga.  Their only loss came to a tough Chaffey team who headed back to Southern California with the tourney crown.

11 - Butte (2-1)  CP#12
Had solid wins over Contra Costa and Las Positas on their way to 3rd place in the Las Positas tournament.  Lost to Columbia who was the eventual tourney champ.

12 - Santa Rosa (1-2)  CP#6
I am not going to be fooled again by SJRC.  Started off the season last year in dismal fashion, before taking the State Title.  Lost to CCSF and Mt San Antonio, who are no slouches.  Had a nice victory over Yuba who went 0-2 in the stacked tournament.  Will head to Fresno this weekend for the equally vigorous Fresno City Tournament.

13 - Ohlone (2-1)  CP NR
Losing to Canada by 18 in the Championship game had to hurt, especially in their own tournament, but Ohlone still had wins over Shasta and Cabrillo to start the season with a winning record.

14 - Contra Costa (2-1)  CP NR
Lost to Butte in a close one to head to the consolation bracket at Las Positas.  Won the next two over DVC and Siskiyous.  The Bay Valley Conference is looking much more balanced so far this year, with several teams looking to challenge Yuba's dominance and nearly double-digit conference championship streak.

15 - TIE
Feather River (3-0)  CP NR
Beat Sierra and Solano to win the Sierra Tournament and start the season perfect.  Heads to Chabot this weekend where they will face some tougher competition, but deserves the recognition as Sierra was ranked #11 in the Coaches Poll, and #10 by Coach K in the Pre Season rankings.

Foothill (1-2)  CP NR
I didn't get to see everyone play this weekend, but Foothill took Merritt to the brink in the opening game of the SJCC Tournament.  They defeated Cosumnes River before suffering another loss to Riverside City.  Foothill looks like one of those teams that can beat anyone on any given night.

Monterey Peninsula (1-2)  CP NR
We should change their name from the 'Lobos' to the 'Nail-Biters'.  Their first three games of the season had an average margin of victory of 1.67 points.  They took out the SoCal #5 Ranked Riverside City by 1 point before losing to Lassen by 1 point, and then suffered a larger margin of only 3 points in the loss to San Jose City.   Devin Koeplin is out with an injury, so I feel this says enough to keep them in the Top 15, for now.




OUT OF TOP 15 from last week
DVC, went 0-2 at Las Positas
Yuba, went 0-2 at CCSF
Cosumnes River, went 0-2 at the SJCC tourney
Sierra, lost to Feather River at home starting off 1-1

Coach K's Northern California Pre Season Juco Rankings

Will start with the Top 2 on my list and add teams daily, so stay tuned as this is time consuming!

*Okay, the California Community College Men's Basketball season begins next week, so their is no longer any excuse for me to continue my blogging sabbatical.  (I never knew hosting a blog was so much work!)    Based on the information I have received or seen in the fall showcases, here is how I would place the Northern California Top 15.   The Fall Showcases were very exciting, but I can't wait to see these teams in regular season form!

Coach K's UNOFFICIAL Northern California Pre-Season Top 15 Rankings (with last years record)

1 - Santa Rosa (24-8)

photo courtesy of CCCAAsports.org

When you take home the State Championship I feel you always deserve to be the pre-season favorite.  Taking down Fresno, on the road, then Chaffey and San Bernardino on the way to the State Title was not a walk in the park and congratulations is still in order for a great 2013-14 season.
Now, onto 2014-15........
Always loaded with shooting and great team chemistry, Santa Rosa should be a team to worry about this season.  Incoming names to note: Markel Leonard, a speedy transfer from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and former Salesian standout, 6'5 skilled wing Siann Rojas from Concord, and 6'7 all-around player Jordan Hickman from St Pats St Vicks.  Returning speedy PG Davone Oliver (10 pts per game), 6'6 big man Corey Hammel (8 pts) and  redshirt Jajuan Hammond (10 pts as freshman) should be heavy contributors this season as well.  The loss to freshman All-State guard Matt Hayes, who took his talents to Loyola Marymount University, will undoubtedly hurt, especially early in the season.  But Santa Rosa has shown to take it's bumps early in the season well, after starting the season 3-6 last year before their run to the State Crown.   They will start their season again with a tough schedule by facing Southern California power, Mt. San Antonio, on Nov 7th in the CCSF tournament that features a heavily loaded bracket of 8 teams.
Santa Rosa 2014-15 Roster Can Be Found here
SRJC 14-15 Schedule found here


2 - Chabot  (25-8)

photo courtesy of David Soriano

Making the Final 4 after taking down the State's #1 team, CCSF, on the road is enough to keep Chabot a pre-season Top 2.  Against SBVC in the Final 4 game Chabot almost had the comeback of the year after cutting a 15 point deficit to only 3 with 1:02 to remain. But the Gladiators couldn't get any closer.
In what could a 'changing of the guard' in Northern California and the Coast-North Conference, Chabot has an impressive class of newcomers to compliment an experienced group of returners.  Last years team was heavy with ball-handlers and slashers, but this years team seems to be more balanced.  The loss to leading scorer Leo Smith (now at Merritt) would seem to hurt the Gladiators early, but after the fall showcase it seems they have reloaded, particularly with Angelina College transfer DeCarlos Frank and Rae Jackson Jr. from El Cerrito. Starting PG, Khalil James, is also back as floor general.  Manning the paint are the physical trio of 6'6 Chris Patterson, 6'8 Jadarius Davis and the returning 6'7 Adrian Crump.  6'7 newcomer Shanquel Watson also looks to mix things up along with transfer Kellen Sweetwyne.  6'2 Yasin Omar is a deep 3 pt threat who will spread the floor and neutralize zone defenses.  The high flying 6'5 Raymond Baldwin (11 pts & 8.5 rebs) returns along with Noel Briones that should add needed experience to another deep roster.
Chabot begins the season on November 13th as they host the Chabot Tip Off Tournament and face Siskiyous, in a rematch of last years 2nd round playoff game.
Chabot 2014-15 Roster Can Be Found here courtesy of Kevin McCarthy
Chabot 14-15 Schedule found here


3 - Fresno City (30-3)


FCC is no stranger to the top of the list.  The Rams always seem to overachieve based on what you see 'on paper'.  Unfortunately for the opposition, the Rams look really good on paper this year!
Back from last years Final 8 team are key returners 6'0 Dejon Budreaux (9 pts, 85% FT) & 6'3 Jermaine O'Neil (7.5 pts).  6'9 returning post Kyle Ingram (4pts, 58% FG) is expected to be a big contributor this season for Ed Madec's squad. The incoming prospects look impressive with Merced Player of the Year 6'8 Josh Sykes from Golden Valley, 6'6 Liam O'Reilly from Sacred Heart Cathedral, and high flying 6'4 BJ Shelton from Bakersfield.   With the remaining core looking solid and the Madec system in place, this year's Ram squad is looking to be very competitive.  Look for a great opening weekend in San Francisco as Fresno faces Yuba to begin the season on November 7th at 4pm in the first round of CCSF Tip Off tournament.
Fresno City 2014-15 Men's Basketball roster can be found here
FCC 14-15 Schedule found here


4 - San Jose City (19-10)

Last year was up and down for the Jags, who would rack up big wins, and then follow them up with losses to inferior opponents.  Lost in the first round of the NorCal playoffs to Butte after breezing through the Coast-South Conference as Co-Champs.
Percy Carr is said to have a great group this season, and could have an argument to be ranked even higher based on what I am hearing.  They are deep, athletic and will pester the opposition for 40 minutes defensively.
Key returnees from last year are: 6'7 Maurice Joiner (9.5 pts & 7 rebs), 6'4 Stevinair Young (7 pts), 6'5 Ty Oaks, 6'4 shooter extraordinaire Josue Salaam, Uzo Nwadugbo and the speedy TJ Viney.  The 6'4 skilled Chris Sterling has transferred in from Fresno City.  Sterling averaged 24 pts and 15 rebs at Delano High, so he seems to be a great fit with the Jags.  Also new to the roster are 6' Devonne Nolan and 6'2 Junior Anderson, both from Connecticut.  Freshmen 6'6 Lucious Brown and 6'9 Akil Douglas will cement the interior for the Jags in what should be another run for the Coast-South crown.
SJCC starts off the season by putting themselves up against Cosumnes River in the SJCC Tip Off Tourney on Nov 6th at 6pm.
San Jose City 2014-15 Men's Basketball roster can be found here
SJCC 2014-15 Schedule found here


5 - Lassen  (19-14)

With a 2nd place finish in the Golden Valley Conference last season, the Cougars and Coach Devin Aye have come back with a vengeance in 2014-15.   The Cougars have a mix of height, athleticism, shooting and ball-handling which will make them tough to match-up with.
Back from the Conference Championship team from 12-13 are 6'1 Sammy Allen (12 pts) & 6'6 Leroy Anderson (9 pts).   Key returners from the 13-14 campaign are leading scorer Marvin White (14 pts), 6'8 shot-blocking phenom Juandrico Walker (8.5 pts, 8 rebs & 3.3 blks), and 6'7 T.J. McCauley.  With this group of returners it almost seems unnecessary to reload with such talents as 6'2 Murshid Randle of Central HS in Fresno, 6'1 Eric Duncan of Weston Ranch and the shooting of 6'1 Diondrey Holt.   Cementing a big front line are 6'6 George Jackson and 6'8 Wilson Markus of Brazil.   The Cougars bring a great combination of experienced contributors and incoming talent.  The most important recruit for Coach Aye though, seems to be an Assistant Coach in Will Freedman.  No longer will Coach Aye's name be alone at the bottom of the roster.
The Cougars begin their season in a home opener against Simpson JV on November 2nd.  Then they are off to the San Jose City Tip-Off Tournament on November 6th against Merced College at 2pm.
Lassen College 2014-15 Men's Basketball Roster found here
Lassen 14-15 schedule found here


6 - City College of San Francisco (29-2)

The Rams have a combined record of 60-3 over the past two seasons as they dominated the state as the top team, only to fall short of their championship expectations in the playoffs.   In recent years past the CCSF roster would be filled with big names and big-time athletes ready to abuse opponents in transition and on the glass.  Although the 2014-15 roster isn't riddled with big names, they are still a very talented team that shouldn't be taken lightly.   In place of the traditional group of elite athletes this years group looks like they may prosper at a slower pace, where they can utilize their skills and high basketball IQs.
Back from last years squad are 6'6 Utah signee Gabe Bealer (13 pts & 6 rebs) and PG Vincent Golson.   Redshirts 6'7 LaDonovan Wilder of Castlemont in Oakland and 6'6 Jonathan Bennett of Half Moon Bay are back as well.  Loyola Marymount transfer Blair Mendy out of Bellarmine Prep should make a big impact as well as 6'6 wing Mitchell Rubio from Goodrich.  The 6'8 Josh Kahlon from Brookside Christian in Stockton will help secure the post position while the 6'5 Jerrod Nodar of St Mary's will pose problems with his versatility.  Don't be surprised if this years team beats the expectations this time around!
CCSF opens up the season by hosting their Tip Off tourney that is stacked with several of the state's top teams.   They open the season against Marin on November 7th at 6pm.
CCSF 2014-15 Men's Basketball schedule found here
CCSF 14-15 roster found here

7 - Yuba (21-6)

Falling in their first playoff game last year at home to Cabrillo in OT was not part of the plans for the 49ers, who ran through the Bay Valley Conference for an 8th consecutive title.  With a very impressive recruiting class the 49ers look to be apart of the mix all season long.
Transferring from CRC is 6'6 Miguel French (5 pts).  Incoming freshmen in the backcourt include highly touted 6'2 Jo Jo Zamora out of Newark Memorial and 5'7 PG Jalen Coates from Burbank.  The interior looks loaded for Yuba this year as they bring in newcomers 6'8 Kirk Gunderson from Winward Prep, 6'10 Sukham Suman from Canada, 6'6 Vasilije Saraba from Del Campo HS, 6'9 Brady Anderson of Jesuit and the biggest name of them all, 6'8 Manny Malou of Australia.   Malou was out with an injury in the fall showcase, but is said to be ready for the season.   If he is healthy and as good as advertised, he will be a lot to handle for the opposition.
The key name from last years squad has to be 6'6 wing Barry Ogalue (13 pts) who will bring needed experience to a very young roster.
With a long and historically light conference schedule Coach Cornelius typically loads up his early schedule with as many competitive games and tournaments as possible.  Wasting no time they open the season against Fresno City in the CCSF Tip Off Tournament on Nov 7th at 4pm.
Yuba College 2014-15 Men's Basketball roster found here
Yuba 14-15 Schedule found here

8 - Cosumnes River (23-9)

The Hawks looked as if they were going to take the Big 8 Conference title last season, before SRJC got on a roll.  Finishing 2nd was enough to give them a home game in the State Playoffs.  Losing a close one to Fresno in the Sweet 16 gives the Hawks sophomores experience and determination to make another deep run this year.
Returning are key players 6'2 Mitchell Love (6 pts) and 6'5 David Straughter (4 pts & 4 rebs).  Phil Randles has transferred in from Fresno Pacific adding some needed experience to the roster.   Manning the middle is shot-blocking extraordinaire 6'11 Donald Mims who redshirted last year, 6'8 Bolaji Famuyiwa from England, and 6'6 Ty'Quan Neal of Edison High.  Newcomers in the backcourt are Demoriaye Hart-Spikes from Fairfield High, Joshua Johnson of Cosumenes Oaks, Will White from Roseville, Kenneth Daye of West High, 6'5 Daylon Potts of Edison, and Elijah Calloway of Valley High in Sacramento.   Overall, this years CRC squad looks deeper and with the shot blocking of Mims should be a solid defensive squad as well.  Coach Giacomazzi's team will definitely be in the mix all year in conference and state.
The Hawks open up the season at the San Jose City Tip-Off tournament and face host team SJCC on November 6th at 6pm.  Winning this game will definitely make a statement for either team.
Cosumnes River 2014-15 Men's Basketball roster found here
CRC 14-15 Schedule found here

9 - Ohlone (23-7)

Coach John Peterson is gone to Loyola Marymount, but new Coach Scott Fisher looks to pick up where the Renegades left off, as one of Northern California's top teams.   Expect the Ohlone roster to still be stocked with European talent, as Fisher has ties from his coaching years in Australia.   This years team has three new freshman from 'Down Under'.   From the fall showcase, it looks like Ohlone will be more offense-oriented compared to the defensive genius Ohlone has been known for during the Peterson era.  Coach Fisher knows what it takes to win, taking 4 NBL teams to the Australian finals in his 4 years as a head coach.   Team chemistry and shooting seem to be strengths this year from my observation in the fall.   Keep an eye out for 6'6 Mike Bethea, who only averaged 2 pts as a freshman but looked like one of the top players in the fall showcase. (Figured he may not have mastered the defensive mechanics of Coach Peterson or he just shot 5000 shots per day in the summer!)   Either way, he will have a breakout year this year.  Another recognizable name is Kamar Reese out of Dougherty Valley of San Ramon.  6'7 Javier De La Blanca (6 pts) is back from last years team to help man the middle with newcomer 6'8 Dani Busto of Spain.   It looks like a mostly new roster for the Renegades as several of the key players from last years team did not return for their sophomore season (common with coaching changes).   Look for the Coast-North Conference to be a battle this year.
Ohlone tips off the season by hosting the John Wallace Memorial Tournament November 6-8.  They open up against Shasta at 7pm.
Ohlone 2014-15 Men's Basketball roster found here
Ohlone 14-15 Schedule found here

10 - Sierra  (11-17)

Nothing will motivate a program more than underachieving.  Coach Fusano's program is typically a competitive one, and finishing 7th in the Big 8 with no postseason is not within his comfort zone.  The Wolverines have looked good in both the summer and fall showcases and should be back to old form this season.
Sierra returns 6'3 Jaquan Dupree (7 pts) along with floor generals 6'2 Cole Preston and Devin Campbell.  6'6 athletic Glenn Lemmon and 6'9 Isiah Quintero of Antelope will secure the frontcourt.   Much is expected from greyshirt freshman 6'6 Isaiah Piniero of Placer.  He is touted to be a versatile and physical player with a high motor that should help greatly in Sierra's quest to regain a spot in the top of the Big 8.
Opening the season Sierra hosts the Sierra College Classic in a 4 team tournament on November 8th & 9th.  They tip off against Reedley at 5pm on the 8th.
Sierra College 2014-15 Men's Basketball roster found here
Sierra 14-15 schedule found here

11- DVC  (20-9)

One of the teams that will shine as the season moves along, so not fair to totally make judgement from fall showcase.  They have some very nice additions to their roster, including FCC transfer and 3 pt shooting specialist 6'3 Olajuwon Gardner, 6'7 Rico Nuno of Half Moon Bay, 6'7 Jaques Carraway of McClymonds, 6'7 Damion Badford of Newark Memorial and CSU Monterey transfer Jalen Headspeth.With a solid group of size, basketball savvy and 3 point threats, once they learn Coach Steve Coccimiglio's playbook, watch out, as they will likely compete with any team in the state.

DVC 2014-15 Men's Basketball roster found here
DVC 14-15 schedule found here

12 - Butte (21-8)

I am sure I'm not giving enough respect to the 10-0 Golden Valley Conference Champs from 14-15, but their record was 11-8 outside of GVC play, so I guess I'm a bit concerned how they will perform against the rest of the state.  They have almost all their key players back, so they should give Lassen and the rest of the GVC a serious run this year for those wanting to take the GVC crown.
Returning are: Arthur Caldwell (20 pts & 7 rebs), Jud Salisbery (11pts & 4 assts), 6'4 Nikolas Petruk (10pts & 4 rebs), 6'4 Dominic Paris and 6'8 Connor Morningstar.   New additions to this years team are 6'7 Michael Shoemaker of Corning, Josh Martin from Chico and 6'7 Cameron Moore of Vacaville.
Butte 2014-15 Men's Basketball roster found here
Butte 14-15 schedule found here

13 - Merritt (17-11)

I know Merritt looked great in the showcases.  My only concern is that the summer showcase roster was drastically different from the fall showcase.  Key names from the summer roster are missing once school started, so it makes me wonder if the same will be true once the regular season starts.  Chabot transfer Leo Smith and Denzell Bellott (11 pts & 4 rebs) will lead the way on the offensive end, while SFCC transfer 6'6 Travon King will hold down the paint with his physical play and athleticism.   Rodney Pope of Freedom High brings solid play at the PG position and Jamelle Corbino is back from a NJCAA program to join the Thunderbirds.   Depth seems to be an issue, and the showcases were mostly running clock or shortened games.  If Leo Smith & Denzell Bellott can carry the load offensively this group could work it's way up the rankings and contend for the BVC title.
Merritt 2014-15 Men's Basketball roster found here
Merritt 14-15 schedule found here

14 - Contra Costa (16-12)

The Comets have a solid looking incoming class this year that should put them in the hunt in the Bay Valley Conference.   Dawson Johnson (15 pts) has transferred from De Anza, Tajai Johnson has transferred from UC Riverside, and 6'4 Larry Wickett (10 pts & 5 rebs) is back after a season off.  These three should combine for a solid triple threat this year as all of them can score in a variety of ways.  Just from looking at the roster, rebounding may be a concern when they face bigger lineups.
Contra Costa 2014-15 Men's Basketball roster found here thanks to Kevin McCarthy
Contra Costa 14-15 schedule found here


15 - TIE
Monterey Peninsula  (12-15)

MPC should be in the hunt this year in the Coast-South Conference.  Returning are floor general Devin Koeplin (9 pts & 4 assts), 6'6 Will Burkett (5 pts) and 6'8 Mitch Wood.  6'6 Stephen Dorsey is back and should be one of the top players in the conference.  Also new to the roster this year are 6'6 Shane Suttles of Gilroy, Deondre Otis of Sacared Heart Cathedral, 6'8 Malik Washington from Bakersfield, 6'5 Ty Peacock from Oregon, and 6'3 Jaskam Bajwa of Fremont.  With leadership, size, athleticism and depth, this years team looks to fight for a playoff spot and Coast-South Conference title.
MPC 2014-15 Men's Basketball roster found here
MPC 14-15 schedule found here

De Anza  (13-13)

Returns a solid class from last years squad that crept up in the Coast-South Conference play.  Should be led by Nate Vieira (14 pts) this year.   Also returning are Kyle Conner (10.5 pts) and DJ Rodriguez (10 pts).  A nice looking recruiting class comes in with 6'9 Matt Thomas of Newark Memorial, Chris Turner from San Jose, and Cal Maritime transfer Jordan Belton.
The Coast-South Conference is more balanced this year, so it will be a fight for the top spots this time around.
De Anza 2014-15 Men's Basketball roster found here
De Anza 14-15 schedule found here


Honorable Mention:   Foothill College, Cabrillo College, Skyline College, College of the Sequoias, Modesto, Delta, West Hills-Coalinga, & Sacramento City

*My Pre Season rankings are completely unofficial and based on limited information accessed in person and/or via internet research and hearsay.  Hope you enjoyed the information!

Chabot College 1st Annual Fall Juco Showcase game schedule

The Chabot College 1st Annual Fall Juco Showcase is set for:
Friday, September 26th and Saturday, September 27th in Hayward, California at Chabot College.

All games will still be regulation time on regulation court, stopped clock with all free throws shot. Only change from regulation is a shortened half time and warm up period. We hope this will give all the coaches and scouts the best opportunity to evaluate the players talent in a game-like setting.

Teams participating: Chabot, Skyline, Diablo Valley, Cabrillo, Ohlone, Allan Hancock, Merritt and Lassen

GAME SCHEDULES:

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH GAME SCHEDULE

4:30pm
South Gym: Skyline vs. Diablo Valley
North Gym: Cabrillo vs. Ohlone

5:50pm
South Gym: Allan Hancock vs. Chabot

7:10pm
South Gym: Skyline vs. Cabrillo
North Gym: Ohlone vs. Merritt

8:30pm
South Gym: Chabot vs Merritt
North Gym: Lassen vs. Diablo Valley

9:50pm
South Gym: Lassen vs. Allan Hancock

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 27TH GAME SCHEDULE

10:20am
South Gym: Merritt vs. Lassen

11:40am
South Gym: Allan Hancock vs. Ohlone
North Gym: Merritt vs. Skyline

1pm
South Gym: Diablo Valley vs. Cabrillo
North Gym: Allan Hancock vs. Skyline

2:20pm
South Gym: Lassen vs. Ohlone
North Gym: Cabrillo vs. Chabot

3:40pm
South Gym: Diablo Valley vs. Chabot

*Coaches packets will be available for purchase at the door

Parking is $2 per day

Address: 25555 Hesperian Blvd, Hayward, CA 94545