SoCalHoops Coaching News

HS & JUCO Coaches Coming &
Goings, Changes--(Mar. 31, 2001)

Claremont Changes: According to published reports in the LA Times and the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Mike Bateman has stepped down as Claremont High School boys' basketball coach.   Despite a team which will return All-Inland Valley forward Shaddean Aaron, Bateman has decided to focus on the vice principal-deal of students job at Claremont.   Bateman, 30, told the LA Times that he will not be able to perform both jobs, so he's decided to forego coaching.  "Taking the [vice principal] position is good for my family," Bateman told the Times. "My wife is going to be the new activities director at Chino Hills High when it opens and we're looking to start a family. My hours as an administrator are actually less than they were as basketball coach. But will I still find time to shove my head in the gym and see what's happening? Of course."   Bateman coached for five seasons, and has an 88-48 record, along with three playoff appearances and one league title in 1999-2000. Last year's Wolfpack team finished 22-5, while this season Claremont finished 23-8 and advanced to the CIF Southern Section Division 1-A semifinals before losing to Division I CIF State champion Mater Dei. No successor has yet been picked, but the Times speculated that there are several top candidates including Ontario Coach Jerry DeFabiis, who was an assistant with Bateman at Claremont.  Other candidates are said to include Fontana Coach John McNally (who was rumored to also be looking at the Mt. Sac JC coaching job), and Joe Tremblay, currently Bateman's top assistant who also happens to be a teacher at Claremont. According to the LA Times, the position will be posted for applications today through April 6, with interviews, following spring break, on April 16 which will be conducted by Bateman, Claremont Athletic Director Rick Dutton, Principal Carrie Allen and a panel of students.

San Gorgonio HS Changes: Boys' basketball coach Francisco Pepin has quit at San Bernardino San Gorgonio to take a job in Northern California at Capuchino High School. He's planning to stay for more than a cup of coffee.

Bell Gardens HS Changes: Head Coach Charlie LaCommare has retired as basketball coach after 25 as head coach, and over 30 years of coaching at BG. He will remain at the school as the Athletic Director which takes most of his time. His long time assistant Fidel Elizarrez will take over as head coach begining the 2001-02 season. Coach Elizarrez has also hired Al Cuevas as his lead assistant coach. Coach Cuevas was the lead assistant in the strong BG girls basketball program.

JUCO--Citrus College Coaching Changes:   Citrus College has hired a new men's basketball coach according to Owls Athletic Director Skip Claprood, who announced that former UC Riverside assistant Jim Hyneman will take over the job, replacing Eric Anderson, head coach for the past two seasons.   Anderson will remain with the program as an assistant.  Citrus went 12-40 under Anderson, 3-9 in the Western State Conference's South division this past season.   Hyneman served as a head coach during the 1980-81 season at Montana State-Billings following the death of Dick Edwards, and remained there for one year.  He joined John Masi's staff at UC Riverside, where he served as an assistant coach until last year (the 1999-2000 season), resigning for personal reasons.  The Owls have six to eight sophomores returning from this season's team. Citrus also recently replaced its women's basketball coach, Corrine DeJong, with Dr. Ken Guttman, a psychology professor on campus who was a varsity assistant at Charter Oak High this past season.

©Copyright SoCalHoops 1997-2001
Questions? Comments? Need Information?
Contact: jegesq@SoCalHoops.com