MBB: Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Gray Fox]

The folks at Caltech prefer the one-word spelling.

After "The Big One" they will have to use the separation.

[Gregory Sager]

The folks at Caltech prefer the one-word spelling.

After "The Big One" they will be have to use the separation.

Yep. They'll then be known as Calt Ech.

And Alfred E. Neuman will be the new mascot.

[diehardfan]

Being completely random, I was just looking at the SCIAC all time Men's Basketball records... which have still not been updated to include this season ).

http://www.thesciac.org/sports/mbkb/history/sciac_mens_bball_stats.pdf?dec=

Amir Mazarei is listed 12 times, and Sam Betty is listed 5 times. Can you imagine what it's going to be like once this season is included? 

This league sure lost two of it's most dominant scorers ever this past season! I'm looking forward to seeing who will fill the voids in the upcoming season.

[David Collinge]

I got an unexpected chance to talk up Caltech hoops yesterday at Yosemite.  I was wearing my "Quantum Hoops" t-shirt, and was stopped by an older couple with the comment "I didn't know they played basketball at Caltech."  By the time I let them go, they had promised to check out a game and to talk to some friend who evidently programs a film festival in Palm Springs about getting "Quantum Hoops" on the program.  Go Beavers! 

[bbald eagle]

From a profile of San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich in today's Washington Post:

"The people who have known Popovich the longest say he could have remained the coach at Division III Pomona-Pitzer in Southern California for his entire career and been as content as he is coaching the Spurs."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/09/AR2007060901433.html

[Browneagle64]

Wow, it looks like the Leopard Bball program is taking a huge step backwards this offseason. According to ULV'S websit and University of La Verne Director of Athletics Christopher Ragsdale, it has been announced that the resignation of men's basketball coach Gabe Duran, who leaves ULV after five seasons at the helm and 11 seasons affiliated with the Leopard men's basketball program will be effective June 30.

Ragsdale also announced that he will begin a national search for the position immediately.

"I appreciate the effort and energy Gabe put into the growth of our men's basketball program over the last four years," Ragsdale said. "He is an incredibly classy individual who represented the University of La Verne and our community with all that was right. We will look for someone to continue Gabe's passion and commitment."

Upon his graduation from La Verne in 1998, Duran served five seasons as head coach and four seasons as an assistant coach. After two seasons as an assistant in 1998-99 and 1999-00, he took on the role of interim head coach during the 2000-01 season before returning as an assistant in 2001-02 and 2002-03. He was named head basketball coach at the start of the 2003-04 campaign.

"Words cannot express how grateful I am for the opportunity to coach basketball here at my alma mater," Duran said. "With the renovation of the Sports Science & Athletics Pavilion nearing completion, the future of the men's basketball program and the athletic department as a whole is bright. ULV will forever hold a special place in my heart and I will always be a Leopard."

Duran arrived at La Verne as a transfer from Mendocino College in 1996 and was the starting point guard at ULV during his junior and senior seasons. He was named the University's Scafani Award winner as the school's top senior male athlete in 1998.

[(509)Rat]

Looks like Whitworth will be coming down to SoCal this year to play in the Lee Fulmer Classic at Redlands...will Oxy be in attendance, or do we just get to beat up on the bulldogs? 

[Fight ULV]

I hope the search for a basketball coach doesn't take as long as the football coach search.

[sixfour]

Wow, it looks like the Leopard Bball program is taking a huge step backwards this offseason. According to ULV'S websit and University of La Verne Director of Athletics Christopher Ragsdale, it has been announced that the resignation of men's basketball coach Gabe Duran, who leaves ULV after five seasons at the helm and 11 seasons affiliated with the Leopard men's basketball program will be effective June 30.
...

Upon his graduation from La Verne in 1998, Duran served five seasons as head coach and four seasons as an assistant coach. After two seasons as an assistant in 1998-99 and 1999-00, he took on the role of interim head coach during the 2000-01 season before returning as an assistant in 2001-02 and 2002-03. He was named head basketball coach at the start of the 2003-04 campaign.

If the Leopards are taking a step backwards then they're in trouble. In the past 4 seasons under Duran, the only SCIAC team with less wins than La Verne is Caltech.

OxyBob

What direction do you think they will go? or should go? I personally think they should make a move to get a young coach from a different area, maybe a metro area like Chicago or New York, and expand recruiting horizons, and have a fresh young mind at the helm.....cant get much worse than they have been doing, they havent been TERRIBLE but they havent had any realistic chances of contending either.

[sixfour]

quoted myself bc noone acknowledged me lol

[Pat Coleman]

Creamed?

[Pat Coleman]

Nah. A 10-point win in a System game is a buffer of about 60 seconds.

Creamed is what Cal Lu did to Redlands.

Unfortunately, since the SCIAC doesn't believe in posting play by play with their box scores. When you're posting 1990s-style box scores it's hard to learn anything.

[Sabretooth Tiger]

LaVerne has hired its new hoops coach.

From the SCIAC website at:  http://www.thesciac.org/sports/mbkb/2006-07/news/ulv_newcoach


LEOPARD ALUM RICHARD REED HIRED AS MEN'S BASKETBALL COACH

After an extensive nationwide search, University of La Verne director of athletics Chris Ragsdale has named ULV alumnus Richard Reed as head men's basketball coach.

A 1999 graduate of the University of La Verne, Reed has a total of eight years of coaching experience which includes the Division I, II and III levels. He most recently completed a stint at Cal State Sacramento as an assistant during the 2006-07 campaign. At Sacramento State, Reed worked with the team's post players while assisting with academics, recruiting, on-floor coaching and scouting. He was also be in charge of fund raising and team camps.

"We are thrilled to welcome back Richard as part of our campus community," Ragsdale said. "We are extremely pleased to be able to get a quality person and coach to lead our men's basketball program. Richard has had tremendous success as an assistant coach and we look for him to continue that success here at La Verne."

Reed also served as an assistant coach at Northern Colorado for one season (2005-06), three years at Loyola Marymount (2002-05), two seasons at Cal Poly Pomona (2000-02) and one year at La Verne (1999-00).

"It's definitely exciting to have the opportunity to coach at my alma mater," said Reed, who succeeds Gabe Duran at the helm of the Leopard basketball program. "It's also exciting to witness the facility renovation of the Sports Science & Athletics Pavilion. I look forward to challenge of moving this program forward and making serious strides within the SCIAC."

At Northern Colorado, Reed was responsible for all recruiting in California and Texas, and signed top recruit Darren Moore from Chino Hills, Calif. Moore was named the "Steal of the Southland" by both Channel 4 news and the Los Angeles Times. Reed also assisted with game preparation, practice planning, the development of perimeter players, as well as community outreach and program promotion. A proven teacher of the game, Reed mentored student-athlete Sean Taibi, who broke the school single season three-point shooting record and garnered first-team all-Independent honors.

At Loyola Marymount, Reed spent three years as an assistant on Steve Aggress' staff, where he helped coach the program to its first winning record since the 1997-98 season. With the Lions, Reed was in charge of recruiting California junior college players, development of wing players, strength and conditioning, community service, team travel, equipment, facilities and summer camps.

During Reed's time at Cal Poly Pomona, the team posted a two-year record of 35-19. As an assistant coach, Reed designed and implemented a total strength and conditioning program, monitored the academic progress of the student-athletes and worked closely with the community to develop positive relations through summer camps and community service programs.

Reed began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach for the Leopard women's basketball program during the 1999-2000 season. Reed was a two-year letter winner at La Verne from 1997-99 and graduated in 1999 with a degree in history. Prior to attending La Verne, Reed received his Associate of Arts degree at East Los Angeles College and was a two-time letterwinner for the basketball squad.

A 1994 graduate of Bishop Amat High School, Reed earned all-league honors in basketball as a junior at Bishop Amat and led the team in assists and steals as a senior.

[Browneagle64]

FYI, i am glad to report that several of Oxy players have retured early from their summer vactions to start their own conditioning with their teammates and getting ready for another repeat at the SCIAC crown.  These guys should be ready to dominate the SCIAC once december comes by.

[DIIIghetto]

Browneagle, jumping the gun a little there.   With the football players in camp, it is almost time for us to get serious about the hardwood.   Most exciting thing about this year is we get the 3 team playoff!  About time.  Here are some preliminary questions I look forward to seeing answered this year.   

1.  We will find out how important winning is to Cal Lu when we see if they let those players return.  I'm all in favor of forgiveness and everyone can make a bonehead move, especially young folks.  But their best player, who was implicated in the entire ordeal, seemed to be like 25 years old to me so I have a harder time giving him a get out of jail free card by blaming it on his youth.
2.  Redlands new era: how will they play, is Ducey the guy to turn Redlands into a powerhouse and if so, how long will it take.  Personally, I think his best chances of accomplishing those things are next year and the following year.   I will wait to hear more but am inclined on his rep alone to think Redlands has a super chance at one of the 3 post-season conference slots.  (same goes for Reed at LV, but he got the job so late that if he was able to bring anyone in for this year I would be shocked)
3.  Did our teams and our conference for that matter, bring in some new horses this year to help us continue to elevate our play?   
4.  How will Oxy respond to the whipping it took in Mississippi during the tournament.  Granted, Oxy was screwed by the Committee and yes, losing Betty realistically meant that they had little chance of doing anything in that game... but it is one thing to lose and another to get spanked in a way that had us all running for cover.   We simply can't have our representative perform like that or we'll be the DIII ghetto here in the SCIAC forever. 
5.  Who will get under OB's skin first this year?  By the way, OB, your comeback about car alarms was an all-time classic.