Potpourri, May 22

News Bits

"Folsom High product Wells growing into NBA prospect"

The Jaylen Wells story is a wonderful one and he isn't done writing it yet.

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Lo Leath: "I would like to thank Mark Orr & Coach David Patrick for the opportunity to come back and coach at my Alma mater @sacstatembb I will always be a Hornet for life! With that being said, I accepted a new position as an assistant coach at the University of Utah. I would like to thank AD Mark Harlan and Coach Craig Smith and the rest of the staff for the opportunity to be a part of of such a great Program & School I’m excited to join the Ute family!!"

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Soquel alum Sam Walters excited for new role as Cal Poly-SLO basketball assistant | Local Roundup, May 16, 2024—Jim Seimas,Santa Cruz Sentinel

Former Soquel High basketball player Sam Walters, 28, has been named an assistant for new head coach Mike DeGeorge at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo.

Walters will be joined on DeGeorge’s staff by former UC Santa Cruz men’s coach Ron DuBois, most recently a volunteer assistant for the Santa Cruz Warriors, Kyle Bossier, Jesse Pruitt, and BJ Andrews.

Walters, a two-time Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League MVP who played for NCAA Division I UC Santa Barbara out of high school, finished his collegiate career playing for DeGeorge at D-II Colorado Mesa.

“I’m very excited,” Walters said. “It was a cool opportunity to work with a group of people who have been mentors of mine.

“This can be something special. Every job has something to be proud of. I’m proud of how academic this place is and how successful its graduates are. In my opinion, it’s one of the best college towns on the West Coast.”

After his playing career ended, Walters was an assistant at D-III UCSC for two seasons under DuBois, and served as interim coach during the COVID-19 season after DuBois was released as coach.

Walters spent the past two seasons as an assistant under Danny Yoshikawa at West Valley College, which beat Sequoias for the 3C2A State Championship on March 17 to cap a 33-0 season.

“I played for or coached under six coaches in nine years,” said Walters, of his knowledge gained and route to the D-I level. “Nothing is a straight line. That’s a misconception in coaching.. No one has the same path.”

Walters is grateful for his time working with Yoshikawa, who he said treated the community college like a four-year program.

Walters said he learned some valuable skills with the Vikings, like the importance of getting players to work together while each was focused on showing well for himself to open the eyes of D-I coaches. He also stressed the importance of valuing players lower on the depth chart as much as he did the starters.

“If one thing is off, it doesn’t work,” Walters said.

The Mustangs went 4-28 under coach John Smith last season, 0-20 in the Big West Conference. The school announced it was parting ways with Smith with three games left in the season. Smith finished out the season.

Walters comes from a coaching family as his father Stu is a Santa Cruz County coaching legend.

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DuBois turned around the long dormant UC Santa Cruz men's program and has NBA coaching and scouting experience. His hire will prove especially helpful both during games and with recruiting.

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AMHS Men's Basketball: "Congratulations to Nate Noronha who is the cifccs Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the WCALSports. Great honor for an incredible basketball player and student. Excited to watch him continue to compete on the court and in the classroom at Harvey Mudd next year."

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Monty Bowser: "Monty Bowser, 6’6 Wing, Graduate transfer w/ two years of eligibility left,  Recruitment still 100% open"

He's a UC Berkeley grad and, prior to that, Bishop O'Dowd. Bowser played just 112 minutes this past season.

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The Big Sky Conference has announced its 2023-24 Winter All-Academic Teams for men's basketball and 6-foot-7 Idaho freshman Takai Hardy earned a spot. He's out of Vanden High.

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6-foot-5 guard/wing Jeremy Pierro of Clovis East High has committed to Coach Mike Marcial and College of San Mateo.

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The Cal Bears have a spiffed up basketball court—do notice it has ACC at the top of each foul line. That will take some getting use to.

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Tony Marcopulos is back prowling the coaching box. The Cabrillo College women's team will quickly become successful.

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Jake Lieberman: "2025 6’6 PG Hunter Carter tells me that he’s hearing from San Diego, Ole Miss, Georgia, Santa Clara, among others. Carter plays for Washington Supreme."

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Verbal Commits: "Colorado State, Creighton, Oklahoma, Oregon and Virginia Tech offered 2025 Prolific Prep (CA) F Winters Grady."

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Dinos Trigonis: "2024 Pangos Terrific 24 Notes: a PF with 1 of highest ceilings here was San Leandro/CA native 6-9 2025 Kenyon (San Leandro High) DeMuynck (Link Prep/MO). Long & athletic has range that extends to 3 pt arc & is a terrific shotblocker - averaged 4.4 bpg with highs of 6 vs AOT 17/GA & Livon EYBL 16/LA."

He has to be related to Jordan DeMuynck of Castro Valley High, Chabot College and Prairie View A&M, plus Europe as a pro.

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Verbal Commits: "2026 Prolific Prep (CA) G Tyran Stokes has received an offer from Michigan.

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Chico State Men's Basketball: "Introducing Cortevious “Red” Taylor to the WildcatFamily! Cortevious is coming off an impressive senior campaign at Granada High School where he averaged 17 PPG & 9 RPG. He was named First-Team All-EBAL, which is one of the best high school leagues in the state of California."

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"Warriors' Podziemski earns 2023-24 NBA All-Rookie First Team honors"

He transfers from a big time program (Illinois), plays one season at Santa Clara and becomes a first round draft pick, selected 19th. Hollywood should make a movie. Can Ryan Gosling dribble?

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