eric brown hired at USC

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SoCalHoops Coaching News

CSUN's Eric Brown Hired As
Men's Assistant At USC--(Aug. 27, 2001)

Remember back on Saturday June 23, 2001 when USC held their coaching clinic, and one of the schedule speakers was Eric Brown, who at the time was a three-year CSUN assistant coach and recruiting coordinator? Well, whether you remember it or not, apparently Eric said all the right things and impressed all the right people (the "right people" in this case being USC Trojan head coach Henry Bibby), because last week the Trojans hired him as the No. 3 Men's Assistant. Thus, in the Trojan hierarchy of things, Kurtis Townsend from Michigan (whose hiring was announced prior to the July open period) becomes the No. 1 assistant, Damon Archibald, who was the No. 3 assistant last year, moves up to take the No. 2 spot vacated by the departures of both Dave Miller, and Silvey Dominguez (who left for UTEP in May), and Eric slides in to the No. 3 spot at USC.

Eric has taken what can only be described as a quick rise among the coaching ranks. A 1998 graduate of CSUN, he returned to his alma mater to coach under Bobby Braswell for three years as an assistant. Prior to CSUN, Eric coached as an assistant at LA Valley College for a year, and prior to LAVC Eric served as an assistant boys' basketball coach under head coach Howie Levine at Grant HS. In fact, Eric was an assistant the year Gilbert Arenas showed up as a completely unknown sophomore transfer from Birmingham HS in Van Nuys--the same Gilbert Arenas who led the City Section in scoring for two seasons at Grant, who went on to play in the NCAA finals for Arizona, and the same Gilbert Arenas who just signed a $1.3 million contract with the Golden State Warriors.....talking about a quick rise).

Eric is a tenacious recruiter, and a very knowledgeable coach, and his hard work has helped CSUN achieve at least some of the success the Matadors had the past few season, and he was partly responsible for some of CSUN's recent signings of guys like Chris Davis, Armand Thomas, Joe Frazier, and others who are going to have a few good years there.

We had a chance to speak with with Eric this afternoon about the new job, and he told us he's enjoying it so far. "It's a great opportunity and this is a great place to work," Brown told us. "I'm really impressed with the program, the players and how Coach Bibby plans to accomplish our goals for the season," Brown said. "This is a tremendous opportunity, and I know I'll enjoy being here."