Leo Ricketts Taking His Talents to The East Coast

With three years captaining the De La Salle High (Concord) hoops squad under his belt and coming out of a controlled as well as very successful system of play, Leo Ricketts initially landed 70 miles away at Sacramento State. He played as a freshman for interim Coach Michael Czepil, averaging 4.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 15.3 minutes an outing, appearing in 16 games with four starts in the 2024-25 season. After a 7-25 record, Czepil wasn't retained and Ricketts then decided to move to a program where he would likely be playing major minutes as a sophomore, with exposure being a critical element, so that he could earn the opportunity of returning to the D1 level.

Ricketts headed south to Citrus College in located Glendora (Los Angeles County), a location that "initially was third on my list" he recalled. City College San Francisco and West Valley College were his other options. One of the reasons he selected Citrus is that Head Coach Brett Lauer is a native of Clayton in Contra Costa County. Another being that Lauer's Citrus teams usually average close to 100 points per game as well as defend with a full court press and Ricketts had yet to experience performing in a high-octane offensive system or a 94-foot defensive style.

The Owls finished the 2025-26 season with a 30-2 record, averaging 102.5 points a game. Citrus topped West Valley 84-54 in the state quarterfinals this year before falling to CCSF 73-71 in the semis. Ricketts earned State Co-Player of the Year honors from the California Community Colleges Men's Basketball Coaches Association after averaging 19.7 points, 3.9 assists and 3.0 rebounds while shooting remarkably well at 49% overall, 48% from three-point range and 83% at the foul line. Add in a 3.93 grade point average and to employ a non-hoops phrase, Ricketts had all the bases covered.

Time For Another Decision

Ricketts' production earned the 6-footer offers from St. Mary's, South Carolina Upstate, California Baptist (headed by Rick Croy, a former Citrus College head basketball coach before he moved over to Arizona State as an associate head coach), Ball State and Loyola University Maryland, located in Baltimore.

After visiting Loyola Maryland, he decided it was time for him to head east. His reasons were multiple. "I wanted to explore beyond California (as his previous experiences covered the upper and lower portions of California). I really liked the coaching staff (head by Josh Loeffler) and the returning players were great. It was easy to visualize myself there." Not mentioned but worth noting is that Iggy the Greyhound, known for his agility, speed, loyalty and intelligence, is the Loyola team mascot and those traits also aptly describe Ricketts.

Ricketts also explained that "Loyola is a Jesuit school where God is a pillar, a common value, and this will provide me the opportunity to grow my faith with Jesus." He also enjoyed this spiritual aspect when he was attending De La Salle High.

He believes going the JC route was beneficial in his case because "I got older, better and more mature." His mantra of advice is twofold: "go where you can play" and "never think of yourself as the victim."

So what does he do best on the court? "I'm a very good shooter, I can pass, I'm a winner and a good leader, having respect for my teammates. My approach is one of day-to-day, getting small wins every day. I like to push the pace but not play out of control. For me, it's the common goal being greater than individual statistics." In describing his leadership style, Ricketts said "there's no such thing as a quiet leader. " He added, "but if you aren't doing what you are saying to teammates, you'll fail." While at Citrus College, "I led with my voice" but now at Loyola Maryland, "I'll pick and choose my vocal moments while earning respect in the first few weeks. Then, I’ll step into a greater vocal leader role.”

Asked where he believes he'll be positioned this coming season, he explained "as a guard and this is the intriguing part -- I'll be playing on and off the ball." That flexibility was another attraction for signing with Loyola Maryland.

Regarding goals for this season, Ricketts quickly said, "the biggest for sure is something I've dreamed about since I was a little boy and that's making it into March Madness. Then, go and win one (game)."

As for a major at Loyola Maryland, Ricketts will be earning his degree in Communications. "But I'm not sure yet what I'll do with it," he added.

Moving from early on to the present stop of his hoops journey, Ricketts offered one of the most gracious and genuine compliments ever spoken about any coach. Besides what they imparted as basketball mentors, he lauded Brock Winter of the North Bay Basketball Academy, De La Salle Head Coach Marcus Schroeder, Citrus College Head Coach Brett Lauer and Loyola Maryland Head Coach Josh Loeffler as "great human beings."

Ricketts is too modest to currently place himself into such a category, but it's coming.

Leo Ricketts Stays Home

6-foot De La Salle point guard Leo Ricketts isn't going far for college. In fact, he could actually commute if need be (it's just an hour and a half one way) because Ricketts has selected Sacramento State for his higher education and the continuation of his basketball career.

Now Sacramento State has experienced a shakeup of sorts recently with Head Coach David Patrick departing for an associate head coach role at Louisiana State University. Hornet Associate Head Coach Michael Czepil then became the interim head coach for the coming season.

But one element remained consistent as Czepil was Ricketts' primary recruiter and made sure he stayed in touch during the transition.

Why Sacramento State?

"Sacramento State recruited me the longest," Ricketts explained, adding that "Coach Czepil was my main recruiting relationship."

Plus, in a you-couldn't-have-scripted-this turn, Ricketts will have a family member close by. "My 103-year-old great grandmother lives one block way from campus. She will be a great resource."

He added, "Sacramento State is close to home and my family can come to games." Ricketts also attended various Hornet summer camps which provided him great familiarity with the program and personnel.

What Will He Bring?

Asked what fans will be seeing from him, Ricketts said, "for sure, my work ethic plus my dedication and discipline. I'll be leading with my actions since I'll be a newcomer. The most important actions in winning are a good attitude and overall positivity."

He is still unsure what his major will be—"I'm still exploring," Ricketts explained. "I'm interested interested in psychology and also graphics, animation and filmmaking, something to do with movies." In yet another life quirk, his father appeared as an actor extra in "Jurassic Park 2."

As a extra (can we call it a signing bonus?), Ricketts will accompany his new coaching staff and teammates on a tour of Australia from June 6-16. The trip will offer cultural and educational components as well as four games versus pro and semi-pro basketball teams. As Ricketts said, "I just got my passport."

Besides the Aussie term "barbie" which most Americans know now as barbeque, he'll likely return stateside with vocabulary additions such as "ankle biter" for a child, "buggered" for exhausted and "crikey" as an expression of surprise. More importantly, he'll have the opportunity to gain familiarity with his coaches and teammates on and off the court as well as the Hornet offensive and defensive schemes.

Here's our earlier feature on Ricketts.

Leo Ricketts Offers Wise Words

Ricketts setting up to bury a free throw

Leo Ricketts, a 6-foot senior at De La Salle (DLS), has worked to hone his point guard package of skills, understands but better yet lives the critical components involved in the art of leadership, is both intellectually and emotionally intelligent and can shoot and pass with the best. He is what any coach desires in meshing with teammates via smarts and humility.

Genetically, Ricketts should be found living life on a soccer pitch. Both his parents excelled at the sport and his mother even received an offer to turn professional. Besides basketball, as well as track (the jumping events), baseball and football, he played the sport, but veered away from it when he entered high school because it lost his attention. Soccer's loss became basketball's gain because the latter "is action-packed."

Asked to detail what he does best in the hoops realm, Ricketts offered "my shooting ability off the dribble and the catch. I'm more athletic than advertised so I'm a very good penetrator, good at making reads and at the rim. Opponents respect me as a scorer but I take care of the ball and I'm an underrated passer. I have a 2.5/1 assist-to-turnover ratio." He wasn't sure if the following qualified as a skill (it does). "I play hard and compete hard."

Ricketts looking over to the DLS bench

Equally as important, he fully gets 'it' in leading a team. "Leaders have to be vocal—you can't be quiet." But he also used a phrase—“silent power”—as a critical ingredient in leading by example. "When you're working hard and playing hard, it trickles down to those surrounding you." A De La Salle captain, Ricketts also went in a third direction surrounding the subject. "It's hard to say leader. I don't want to appear selfish or make it seem like I'm above any of my teammates. We're peers. I have to make sure I have a great relationship with them so that they will understand I'm not talking down to them. It's not criticism but all about doing what will help us succeed as a team."

Ricketts cited two situations as his best basketball moments. "The first game this season when we beat Centennial (a power program in southern California) 62-51." He scored 21 points and earned Player of the Game honors. His second choice being "our last home game this season against Branson. They're a great team and all personal goals were out of the way. We were competing with guys you love to win with as a team." 25-6 De La Salle grabbed a 62-54 victory against a program that finished 23-8.

Ricketts honored as Player of the Game

As for important hoops influences, Ricketts appeared profoundly impacted with the effect of his initial selection. "For sure, the DLS (basketball) alumni who come back each summer to work camps and help out current players and kids. They had a dramatic impact on me as mentors when I was growing up."

So much so that in answering where he sees himself 15-20 years from now, he said, "I don't know what career I'll be in but I want to be serving other people like I've been served. I want it to be bigger than myself, whether it's basketball related or not."

Ricketts also lauded his parents as influential due to being "very good mentors. They were hands off in letting us (he and his brothers including one is is now polevaulting for Cornell) choose our sports but really helped with the mental aspects like self talk and how to carry yourself."

Ricketts after another successful run versus top competition

A four time annual scholar athlete award winner at De La Salle, Ricketts isn't sure what he will major in at the next level. "I'm interested in psychology and special effects and animation in movies.

Regarding recruiting, Ricketts is wide open geographically. "I don't care where I end up. We have a lot of family in Oregon and I like the rain. My brother is in college in New York."

Any college coach will be getting the package of Ricketts the player and person. Good player and good person.