Trey Pugh's Summer With Team Rampage

Trey Pugh Working Out With Coach Bracy

After averaging 24 points a game and receiving MVP of the Solano County Athletic Conference as a Junior, Benicia High School guard Trey Pugh knew that he had to work even harder over the summer if he wanted to have an even better senior year. After trying out with a number of different AAU teams, Pugh decided to join Coach Brandon Bracy with Team Rampage (Vallejo, CA). The team would include other Solano County Conference members such as Gamon Howard, Malcolm Bracy, Dakarria Peterson, and more.

While going through the summer with Team Rampage, Trey was forced to focus more on becoming a play-maker, run point guard at times, and focus more on the defensive end. "Trey was already talented before coming to us, but it was the fact that he focused more on defense, and getting others involved that took his game to the next level", Coach Bracy said. "As much as he has improved, I still think there is a lot more room for his game to fully develop before he plays at the collegiate level, but his potential is very high" Coach Bracy added.

Trey Pugh has helped lead Benicia High School to a 5-0 start to the season, and is averaging 24 points a game. Benicia is looking to improve from their first round playoff exit against Inderkum (Sacramento, CA) last season.

Brandon Bracy: The Importance of Player Development

Fat Mark Photos

From youth basketball, to the pros, the development of players is what makes or breaks players. There are players who show flashes of their potential, but don't develop their talent as far as they could due to lack of player development. In contrast, there are players who get better every year because of how much they add to their game, such as Stephen Curry, Paul George, or even Khawi Leonard. As we analyze the importance of player development the question becomes, what is player development?

To some coaches and trainers, player development is simply putting athletes through skill development drills daily to improve on their weaknesses. To others player development can be more mental, as the player may have mental issues that prevents that player from reaching their full potential. As a trainer, a Varsity AAU coach for Team Rampage, and freshmen coach at Vallejo High School, there are definitely different ways to attack player development. As a trainer, player development should consist of more one on one time with that particular player, focusing on their weaknesses, as well as sharpening up their strengths. For example, NBA player development coaches spend countless hours working with players individually. This gives the players enough confidence to expand their moves in game situations. For coaches, player development changes as you focus more on the team concept. Coaches have to find the best way to develop each player to buy into the team way of doing things. For example, Cleveland Cavaliers Head Coach Tyronn Lue has been able to help Shooting Guard JR Smith, develop and mature as a player. The player development of JR Smith mentally, has enabled him to be a key factor on the Cavaliers championship run.

Player development can mean so many different things, but it is about the position that the coach and/or trainer is in. It is also about what situation the player lands in as well. Would Kobe Bryant be the same Kobe Bryant had he played his career in Charlotte? Would Khawi Leonard been able to expand his game the way he did, playing behind Paul George in Indiana? Player development has to be able to work from all angles, in order for the player to reach their full potential.

Big Expectations From Coach Bracy in 2017

 

"Team Rampage (Vallejo, Ca) finished two games short of the championship in the Varsity silver division at the Big Foot Las Vegas tournament this summer. The loss came at the hands of The Crew (Richmond, CA), who were able to advance to the championship. Despite the tough loss, it didn't stop Coach Bracy's group from getting recruited to play at high level division 2 schools, and mid-major division 1 schools. With the success of last summer's team, and five players moving on to play at the junior college level, many people around the area are wondering how will Coach Bracy bounce back next year.

"Duplicating the year we had this summer will be hard, but I have faith in our returnees, and some of the new talent we have coming in", Coach Bracy said. Since the AAU season ended, Coach Bracy has been making himself known for his training sessions, which have featured college, and pro level players. "Our returnees have been putting in a lot of work with pros, and division 1 players, getting ready for their high school seasons. AAU shouldn't be on their minds at this point of the year, but their development and growth for the high school season, will certainly prepare them for AAU", Bracy added.

Many different colleges have been in contact with Coach Bracy regarding his players, which will make Team Rampage an attractive place to play for the spring of 2017. They will also be wearing Nike apparel, and uniforms next AAU season, which will give them a new and exciting look. For more information contact Coach Bracy at (707) 816-1196 or contact Team Rampage at teamrampagebasketball@gmail.com"

Just Do It Rampage

The Team Rampage Basketball Club(Vallejo, CA) has officially teamed up with Nike, to help brand their program. This comes in their third year of existence, and after the Varsity Elite team finished up the AAU season with a 31-7 record. The Varsity Elite team has also drawn interest from NCAA and NAIA colleges, about their players. Team Rampage has teams from ages 8-17, and may be looking to add girls teams according to Team Rampage director Antonio Hodges.

Varsity Head Coach Brandon Bracy, thinks that the Nike brand will give the program more of an official look, and will bring excitement to the program. The club will look to showcase their new Nike look, before the start of 2017

Train with Coach Brandon Bracy

2016 has been a very successful year for Team Rampage Varsity Coach Brandon Bracy. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Communications from Cal State East Bay in June, led his Team Rampage Varsity team to a surprising 31-7 record, while finishing 5-1 at the Big Foot Hoops tournament in Las Vegas in July, and will start working on his Master's degree online at Concordia University this month. Despite the success Coach Bracy has had this year with his education and coaching, he is now making a name for himself as a trainer.

After the AAU season ended for his Team Rampage Varsity team, Coach Bracy began training several different athletes from different areas, and age groups. Within the last three weeks, Coach Bracy has trained good local high school players in the bay area such as Salesian's Jamario Bibb, Benicia's Trey Pugh and Lafayle Fuller, and also trained college players from the local area such as Clark Atlanta University's Tajai Johnson, San Jose State's Gary Williams, and incoming freshmen Nik Keydeniers and Malcolm Bracy. His great workouts has even caught the eye of professional players such as Ron Kinney who is trying out for the Santa Cruz Warriors this fall, and Liam McMorrow who just finished up the NBA Summer League with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Many of the players have given Coach Bracy lots of praise after going through the workouts, including Clark Atlanta's Tajai Johnson. "His workouts are intense, but realistic" Johnson said. "Many trainers can use a lot of equipment to make themselves look good, but the drills aren't game like..Coach Bracy's drills are game like, requires game speed, and will push you to your limit". Johnson wasn't the only one who gave Coach Bracy praise, as Benicia's Lafayle Fuller claimed Coach Bracy as the best Coach/Trainer in the bay area. "The drills are excellent, but it's the way he pushes you to go hard during the drills that makes him different than other trainers" Fuller said.

For more information on "Bracy's Skills Clinics", feel free to contact Coach Bracy at (707) 816-1196 or Brandondemetrusbracy@yahoo.com.

A Season To Remember

In 2015, Head Coach and Trainer Brandon Bracy, and Director Antonio Hodges, started a new AAU Basketball club out of Solano County called "Team Rampage". That first season would begin with one varsity team, which featured mostly players from Vallejo and Jesse Bethel High School. After an average season, Coach Bracy knew that he had to recruit better talent in order to compete in the bigger tournaments.

A year later, Coach Bracy was able to bring in players from Texas, Modesto, Benicia, Fairfield, and Antioch, to mesh with the talent he already had from Vallejo. The talent would mesh extremely well, as Team Rampage stormed off to a 22-5 record over a two month period.

Benicia's Trey Pugh and Kade Lockrem would provide scoring and outside shooting for the group. Pugh was able to become one of the top scorers on the team, while Lockrem who is only a sophomore, was able to provide scoring off the bench. Riverbank's Nik Keydeniers and American Canyon's Gamon Howard, were two of the starters for Coach Bracy's group, as they were a force on the defensive end. Thomas McDonald(Alhambra) and Jonathon Rice(St. Mary's of Berkeley) were also key new components during the 22-5 start, as they provided leadership, and were both excellent rebounders for the group. Rounding up the roster were the four returnees from Jesse Bethel High School, Malcolm Bracy, Zarrion Walton, Dakarria Peterson, and Deangelo Gomez. Bracy and Gomez were starters, Peterson was the 6th man on a extremely deep team, and Walton was an excellent defender and rebounder off the bench.

Despite the 22-5 start for the club, there were personnel problems to be addressed moving forward. Jonathon Rice decided to end his AAU run with Team Rampage, and focus on his role with Diablo Valley College, and Thomas McDonald was forced to return to Houston, Texas for the summer to visit his family. With two big losses for the club, Coach Bracy was able to bring in three key players to complete the season. Jacob Long from Deer Valley would be the first addition. Long played varsity as a sophomore at Deer Valley, and is well known for his ability shoot the ball from the outside. The second addition would be Elijah Johnson from Armijo High School, a very athletic guard, who jumps extremely well. The last addition would be Rajon Washington of Vallejo High School, who is a three sport athlete, and runs the floor and finishes at the rim well.

With the new additions, Coach Bracy and his team was ready to make a run in the Big Foot Hoops Tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 2015, Team Rampage finished 1-3 in the tournament, losing in the first round in the Bronze division. 2016 would be different, as Team Rampage went 3-0 in their pool, and won its first two games of bracket play, setting up a Bay Area matchup with The Crew in the Elite 8 round. After a long and hard fought game, The Crew was able to get the win 72-62, eliminating Team Rampage.

Despite the heart breaking loss, Team Rampage Varsity Elite was able to finish the year 31-7, and several players are receiving interests from division 2 schools such as Chico State, Sonoma State, Menlo College, California Maritime Academy, and more. Seniors Malcolm Bracy, Deangelo Gomez, Dakarria Peterson and Rajon Washington, will be playing Junior College ball this fall. Team Rampage Director Antonio Hodges said "Coach Brandon Bracy has really pushed these guys through his training, and hard nose coaching, to the point where our seniors are ready for college ball, and our incoming juniors and seniors, are ready to have a monster year at their high schools".

Coach Brandon Bracy plans to recruit more talented players into the program for the 2017 season, but he knows it will be difficult to duplicate what he did in 2016. Coach Bracy stated, "It will be hard to accomplish what this year's team has accomplished, but I am ready to work hard so that we have an even better year next year" Either way, Team Rampage has become an household name not just in Solano County, but now in all of California.

Youth Basketball Picking Up Bad Habits

In youth basketball today, there have been a lot of discussion about how kids are being taught. Adam Filippi who is a basketball trainer, believes that kids are dribbling too much, playing too many games, and not enough teaching. With so many youth basketball teams today, there are a huge number of kids that fall into these categories.

Most youth basketball teams that don't teach and play a lot of games, usually do it for the money. For example, they will charge each player $300 to play, while practicing only once a week. They play in a bunch of tournaments, but the kid isn't really learning. Lack of teaching kids the fundamentals has really hurt youth basketball, which is why Basketball Legends such as Kobe Bryant, and Charles Barkley have been verbal about their frustrations about youth basketball.

"I hate it because it doesn't teach our players how to play the right way, how to think the game, how to play in combinations of threes". These were the words of the 37 year old future hall of famer, Kobe Bryant. For Kobe Bryant, he gives credit to playing professionally overseas for teaching him the fundamentals of the game. Charles Barkley said that, "AAU is the worst thing to happen to college basketball ever. I hate AAU more than anything in the world. These kids aren't getting good coaching. They're playing too many games and not working on their game enough." Due to these legends being unsatisfied with youth basketball, it has forced some people to look at AAU in a negative way.

For the coaches who coach these programs, there isn't any qualifications of coaching experience in order to coach AAU. As long as the coach passes the background check, he or she can coach the program with no experience. Today in AAU, there are a lot of coaches with no experience, and are just coaching to collect money from the kids. There is no goal for some coaches in terms of what do they want to get out of coaching in AAU, besides money.

The only way the outlook on AAU changes, is if more coaches and programs focus on teaching the kids basketball fundamentals, as well as life lessons. Youth sports is meant to help kids stay out of trouble, build lifelong relationships, and to get better in the sport that they are participating in. Over the last few years according to some of basketball legends, youth sports in particular basketball, have lost sight of that. If more people that care about helping kids get involved, AAU basketball can change. As the head coach for Team Rampage, my goal is to make each and every kid get better. Even if the kids are paying to play, at least the kids are becoming better basketball players than they were before.

Since the criticism of some of the basketball legends, more NBA players are getting involved with AAU. NBA Superstars such as Damien Lillard, Brandon Roy, Chris Paul, and Lebron James, all have their own AAU team named after themselves. Each of these superstar player's AAU teams are all among the top programs in the nation, and each player makes guest appearances at games, practices and camps. With more NBA players getting involved with AAU, more kids will get the proper learning that they need to advance to the next level.

Why Play AAU?

There are many reasons why young athletes may decide to play basketball for a travel team. Many athletes play because they are able to play in areas that they have never been to before, they get a chance to play with a different set of teammates than they do at their high school, they could also want the free gear that they may get if they are sponsored, or they could simply just want to improve their skills. For travel ball among high school players, their season starts around late March, and ends in August.

Players and Parents should want to get the most they can out of playing travel ball, especially with how high some of the registration fees can be to play. Kevin McCarthy explains how if a team doesn't practice or offer skills training, one should take a long look at the program before putting money into it. A lot of money is put into programs that are not giving out the most for their kids.

A good Travel ball program should be able to provide great teaching of fundamental skill work, competitive games, practice time, uniforms, and a great overall experience. Whether teams decide to play their games locally, or travel out of the area, a good program should always make sure that each kid and parent, are getting the most out of what they are paying for. Along with researching the program, getting good coaching is also very important in making a decision to play travel ball.

5 time NBA champion Power Forward Robert Horry, spoke at a Thuzio function in which he stated that he hates AAU Basketball because of the lack of teaching. Getting good coaching is key to playing travel ball because it allows the kids to learn how to play the game the right way. It is no different than a student going to a school that doesn't have good teaching. Every young athlete along with their parent or guardian, wants to improve their skills. Having a program that has a coach or coaches, that will emphasize improving the players more than winning games, is an ideal situation for any athlete and their parents.

Playing travel ball can be a great experience for young athletes, as they get a chance to make lifelong relationships with teammates, coaches and parents. At the end of the day, it is all for the kids and programs should make sure that these kids are getting a good experience from playing AAU basketball. AAU has good reasons on why you should play, as well as bad reasons but the key is making sure you get the most out of what you are paying for. Good coaching, fundamental skill work, practice time, competitive games, and building a network of people through basketball, are all reasons why a young athlete should play travel ball. It has become the prerequisite for basketball here in the United States, and it is only growing bigger.

In Northern California, there are a lot of good programs who have coaches that also train kids individually. Programs such as the Oakland Soldiers, Splash City, Team Lillard, Team Rampage and more, all use the efforts of their coaching, and willingness to emphasize fundamental training, as a way to recruit more players into their program. In the Bay Area, the top high school players play for the organizations that will provide fundamental skills training, to make them better for the next school year. This shows that teaching the game the right way, along with developing players, will always attract talent. 

Public Schools Vs. Private Schools

In Northern California, there are a lot of schools who have maintained success over the years in basketball. High Schools like De La Salle, Salesian, Sheldon, Sacramento High School, and more, are among the top teams in Northern California, and there have even been years where they were one of the top teams in the state. Despite their similarities in being winning programs, there are major differences and rules that apply between some of these top schools.

Perhaps the biggest difference in some of the schools that are ranked in the top 10 in Northern California, is the fact that some schools are private schools, and others are public. This becomes a big difference not only because one school is public and the other isn't, but because as a private school, coaches are allowed to recruit players to their school, while public schools cannot. Public schools have to get whatever student-athlete that lives near the school. These rules makes it easier for private schools to maintain success, by a way of replenishing their talent due to recruiting.

Public school coaches and parents have complained about the freedom private schools have, and feel that it is an unfair advantage. However, despite the advantage the private schools have with recruiting, for schools like Sacramento High School, or McClymonds High School who are both public schools, have been able to maintain success as well. These two schools have implemented a culture that the young athletes buy into, which has allowed the programs to continue to get talent.

School size and location, also plays a huge role in maintaining success for public schools. For example, Sacramento and McClymonds which is in Oakland, are two big cities which means that there are a lot of athletes around their school zone to choose from. For schools like Richmond High School, or Vallejo High School, maintaining success can be very difficult because of how small those cities are compared to Oakland or Sacramento. Although they may get talent, most gifted athletes from those areas, end up going to private schools.

Orlando Magic power forward Aaron Gordon, and Portland Trailblazers point guard Damian Lillard, both come from the Bay Area, but took different routes to get there. Aaron Gordon who comes from San Jose, California, went to Archbishop High School which is a private school. Gordon played four years of varsity, and helped Mitty win two state championships, before attending the University of Arizona for a year.

Damien Lillard went a different route by going to Oakland High School, which is a public school, for his final two years of high school. Prior to attending Oakland High School, Lillard attended St. Joseph, but transferred due to lack of playing time. After high school, he would earn a scholarship to Weber State, where he would play all four years in college, before getting drafted in the top 10 by the Portland Trailblazers.

Public School or Private School, there isn't a wrong answer in terms of which option will give the athlete the best chance to be successful. In Northern California, private schools get a lot of heat from public school coaches and parents because of the recruiting. However, the private schools are doing exactly what the rules allow them to do. Public schools must focus on building a culture that kids in the area, want to be a part of. The public schools that have the most success are the ones that have a sense of tradition, and the community behind them that understands that tradition.

5 Team Rampage Players Moving On To College

For the Team Rampage varsity basketball club, the spring and summer of 2016 has been a season to remember. They have won three tournaments, went 4-1 in two separate tournaments, and have surged to a 22-5 record. Juniors Trey Pugh and Gamon Howard, have been great during this run, but it's the seniors that have been able to provide leadership, and excellent play to lead to the team's success.

This year's group features five seniors that will be playing college basketball this fall. Jesse Bethel's Malcolm Bracy, and St. Mary's of Berkeley's Johnathon Rice, will be both be attending Diablo Valley College. Jesse Bethel's Dakarria Peterson will be attending Solano Community College, while another Jesse Bethel Alum Deangelo Gomez, will be attending Napa Valley College. Rounding up the Team Rampage senior group is Riverbank's Nik Keydeniers, who will be playing point guard for Las Positas College in Livermore.

Of the five seniors, Keydeniers and Rice will be the only two that will be active this fall for their teams, as Bracy, Peterson, and Gomez, will all be grey shirting and red shirting. Team Rampage Director Antonio Hodges stated that, "These young men have worked hard all spring and summer, Coach Brandon Bracy has pushed these guys to become better student athletes as they prepare for college". Hodges also gives Coach Bracy credit for the way he pushes his team in practice, which helps them get ready for college.

With Keydeniers and Rice looking to start for their programs, Coach Bracy could be losing these two players. However, for a program in only its second year in existence, he is proud to see his players moving on to the next level.

Former NBA Player Attends Team Rampage's Practice

Former NBA player Charles Boozer, and brother of former NBA all-star Carlos Boozer, attended Team Rampage's practice at Vallejo High School. Boozer who is now a trainer, talked to the Team Rampage varsity players about his journey of becoming a professional basketball player, despite not having any Division 1 scholarship offers his senior year. Boozer explained, "I had to go the prep school route fresh out of high school, and the coaches didn't care that I was the brother of a NBA all-star, I had to work my butt off".

Team Rampage Head Coach and Trainer Brandon Bracy, was able to get Charles Boozer to come to Vallejo to talk to his kids, after meeting him at Diablo Valley College's open gym back in April. "I knew it would be great for our kids as well as our program, if we could get him to share his journey with us" Bracy said. "Kids in the Vallejo area, need to know how difficult it is to make it in this sport, while also knowing that through handwork anything is possible".

For Charles Boozer there is still hopes of him making an NBA roster next season, as he looks to compete in the NBA D-League. Boozer has a close relationship with NBA Superstar Kyrie Irving, and has also trained with former NBA coach John Lucas. Whatever happens for Boozer, the Team Rampage basketball club will be supporting him and all his efforts.

Team Rampage Head Coach and Trainer Graduates from CSU East Bay

Team Rampage head coach and trainer Brandon Bracy, graduated from Cal State East Bay Saturday morning, earning his Bachelor's degree in Communications. Coach Bracy started school at Cal State East Bay in the fall of 2014, after attending Solano Community College, New Mexico State, and earning a partial scholarship to Pacifica College. Bracy's basketball career at Pacifica College would be cut short due to financial reasons, which enabled him to apply for Cal State East Bay and focus on coaching.

While attending Cal State East Bay, coach Bracy helped build the Team Rampage AAU basketball program, by coaching boys varsity, and 8th grade. He would also become the Assistant Coach for boys varsity, at American Canyon High School. In the spring of 2016 he would lead the Team Rampage varsity team to a 22-5 record, including winning three tournaments, and going 4-1 in the Compton Magic Adidas Qualifier.

While working hard to build up the Team Rampage program through coaching and training, Coach Bracy was able to keep his focus on the books and graduate with a 3.2 GPA. "It was definitely a challenge" coach Bracy said, "I would drive from Vallejo to Hayward four times a week for school, and travel to tournaments on weekends. My varsity team also practiced twice a week, and I hosted private skills training clinics, once a week." As challenging as coach Bracy described the tasks, he still managed to perform at a high level in the classroom, and as a coach.

With Coach Bracy now having a Bachelor's Degree, he now plans to enter Graduate School to earn his Master's degree, as he has high hopes of one day coaching at the collegiate level. Team Rampage Director Antonio Hodges, has been mentoring Coach Bracy on making good decisions, and making the necessary moves to become a college coach.  Coach Bracy explains that, "I feel that I am ready to coach at the college level, but I also understand that I must continue to get better, and continue to work hard".

Team Rampage Continues Its Win Streak

 

The Team Rampage Varsity team, continues its win streak after defeating the Reno Ballers 49-46. This was the second time in the past month these two teams faced each other, the first time was in the championship game in the Capital City Classic in Sacramento, CA. In that game, Team Rampage jumped out to an early 8-0 lead, before the Ballers made a 12-0 run to take the lead. A lot of lead changes took place in their first matchup, but Team Rampage was able to win the game 60-56. In their second meeting, it was the Ballers who jumped out to an early lead, as they started off the game with a 20-5 lead. However, Rampage would play remarkable defense to close the first half by  holding the Ballers to a seven minute scoring drought, and closing the gap to 22-15. Their great defense would continue, as they would eventually take a 45-44 lead late in the game.

Team Rampage would go on to defeat the Reno Ballers a second time, to win the first annual, "Team Rampage Surging Stars" Tournament. This tournament victory would be Team Rampage's 8th win in a row, and second tournament victory in a row. The win is also their 10th win in their last 11 games, their only lost coming to "Red and Black" by 2 points. Coach Bracy and his group will have next weekend off, as they will now prepare for the Compton Magic Adidas Memorial Day tournament in Southern California, on May 28th.

AAU Stepping Over High Schools

AAU Photo

AAU has been criticized for playing too many games, not teaching the fundamentals, and taking away the importance of high school basketball. Today, many people believe that the only way young athletes can get a scholarship, is by having success in AAU. With these beliefs that some people have, this devalues the importance of high school basketball. As a former high school and AAU basketball player, I knew that AAU was very important with trying to earn looks for scholarships. However, I loved playing for my high school and representing the school I attended. This was back in 2009, when AAU wasn't as strong as it is now in 2016.

Today, shoe companies such as Under Armour, Nike, and Adidas, run and sponsor AAU teams. They give certain AAU teams free shoes and gear, which attracts athletes to their program. Athletes get excited for AAU season during their high school season, because they know that their AAU team will travel, get free gear from shoe companies, and play in front of the scouts. With this in mind for young athletes, AAU has devalued high school basketball. High School basketball has become more of a pride thing, versus something that kids get exciting about playing. AAU has the power over these young athletes, and it makes you think how much more power can AAU gain over the next few years.


-Brandon Bracy

Team Rampage Varsity Goes 5-0 to Win Captial Classic

The Team Rampage Varsity team, went 5-0 this weekend in the Capital Classic Tournament in Sacramento, defeating the Reno Ballers 60-56, in the championship. American Canyon Junior Gamon Howard, won MVP of the tournament, as he led the team in scoring and steals. Team Rampage is now 7-1 in 8 games, and is currently on a 6 game winning streak. Coach Bracy was very happy with the way his team played, as they played unselfish and everybody contributed to the tournament victory.

Trey Pugh, Malcolm Bracy, Kade Lockrem, and Thomas McDonald, all provided scoring from the perimeter. They were able to knock down outside perimeter shots, as well as control the tempo of the offense. Forwards Deangelo Gomez, Joee Gantan, and Jonathon Rice, controlled the paint for Rampage, as they rebounded the ball well and also scored inside. Nik Keydeniers ran point guard, and was the assist leader for the team. Keydeniers also hit three 3point shots in the last 6 minutes of the championship game, to seal off the victory. Zarrion Walton, Carl Barnes, and Tayvon Jones played hard defense in key minutes for Rampage, and brought a lot of energy and scrappiness to the group.

Team Rampage will look to continue their success throughout the summer!

-Brandon Bracy

Team Rampage Varsity Preview

Due to the growth of the Team Rampage program, many new faces from different cities, will shape up this year's 17 and under team. With Jesse Bethel Seniors Malcolm Bracy and DeAngelo Gomez being the only two returners, the 2016 Rampage team will be different than last year's team. This year's roster will feature, four seniors, four sophomores and, five juniors. Team Rampage Head Coach and Trainer Brandon Bracy, decided to step outside of Vallejo to recruit players, and make up his team this spring and summer.

Junior Trey Pugh and, Sophomore Kade Lockrem, both come from Benicia High School. Trey is a good scorer who can shoot the ball from the outside really well, while Kade provides solid point guard skills, and can also shoot the three. Coming from across the Martinez bridge, comes a 6'2 Junior shooting guard named Thomas McDonald. McDonald, who moved to California last fall from Texas to stay with his family, provides additional shooting and scoring from the perimeter for Team Rampage.

From American Canyon High School, comes Junior Forward Gamon Howard, and sophomores Joee Gantan and, Malik Ghiden. Howard will bring a lot of athleticism from the wing, and will also be a great defender. Ghiden will also be a great athlete for rampage, as he will also play some Shooting Guard for the team. Gantan will help on the boards, and will also score from the low block. Junior Forward Will Klotz, comes from College Park High School in Concord. Standing at 6'5, Klotz's height and long frame, will definitely help Team Rampage this spring and summer.

Coach Bracy would also pick up  Seniors Nik Keydeniers, from Riverbank High School in Modesto, CA, and would also pick up Jonathon Rice from St. Mary's High School in Berkeley. These two pickups would give Team Rampage's 17 and under an edge due to the strength that these two players have.

Jesse Bethel's Malcolm Bracy, DeAngelo Gomez, and Nigel Robinson, all will be playing Team Rampage. With Bracy and Gomez being seniors and, the only returnees, Coach Bracy will look for them to provide leadership for the team. Junior Wing Nigel Robinson, is very athletic and plays good defense, but is battling a hip injury that could keep him out for 2-3 more weeks. Lastly comes Vallejo High Sophomore Forward Carl Barnes, who will be looking to gain a lot of experience playing up with the 17 and under team. These players round up the 2016 Team Rampage roster.


-Brandon Bracy

Play Hard Play Smart Kicks Off AAU Season

The Play Hard Play Smart 17 and under team, kicked off their AAU Season by winning their "Tournament Tune-Up" tournament at Natomas High School(Sacramento, CA). They would win the championship against Under Armour's newest addition to their circuit, Splash City. Play Hard Play Smart, would win this game by 2 in Overtime.


-Brandon Bracy

Team Rampage's Varsity Team Prepared to Play Sunday

A year ago, there was a new AAU Basketball Club out of Vallejo, CA called Team Rampage. Its first team ever would be a 17 and under team, which would feature local players from the Vallejo area. A year later, Team Rampage has produced three teams ranked in the top ten in the bay area, the 14 and under, 11 and under, and the 8 and under teams. With the success of the younger teams, Team Rampage has become a well known organization in Northern California. This leads to everybody wondering, what will this year's varsity team look like?

After holding tryouts last Saturday, it is safe to say that the word has gotten out about this program. Coach Bracy has recruited players from American Canyon, Modesto, Berkeley, Benicia, Martinez, and Concord, to shape up this year's roster. There are only two returnees on this year's 17 and under roster, the rest are all new faces. Coach Bracy is very excited about this year's group, and hopes that his team can make some noise this spring and summer. However, his road will not be easy as the varsity team, has a tough schedule that includes, the Oakland Rebels Golden State Showdown, Gerry Frietas's Nor-Cal Showcase, the Sacramento Yellow Jackets Capital City Classic, Las Vegas Big Foot Hoops, and Play Hard Play Smart's tournament taking place this Sunday. Bracy believes his roster can handle the heat of the schedule, but only time will tell.



-Brandon Bracy
Head Coach/Trainer of Team Rampage

Fagan Takes Charge For Rampage

Team Rampage point guard Daniel Fagan, has turned himself into a solid player for Coach Bracy's group, as he continues to improve his skills. Fagan shot the ball well in the "March For Babies", tournament in Southern California this past weekend, including a 32 point performance against the Corona Gunners. For Fagan, his development hasn't come easy. His lack of strength, and growing pains in his knees, made it tough for him to compete against the more athletic guards early on. His biggest test would come back in November, as Team Rampage took on the Oakland Soldiers. Fagan struggled, but Head Coach Brandon Bracy knew that Fagan's struggles, was all a part of his development.
Since the game against the Oakland Soldiers, Fagan has showed maturity in his play, and has become a leader for the Team Rampage 14 and under group. Fagan has also made three game winners for Team Rampage, including a 4 point play against Nor-Cal Xpress. Coach Bracy hopes that his play will not only continue through AAU, but continue into his freshmen season for high school next fall.


-Brandon Bracy

Team Rampage Wins Tournament in LA

The Team Rampage 14 and under basketball team, won the 4th Annual, "March For Babies" tournament, going 3-0. Team Rampage is currently ranked as the number 8 team in Northern California, for the 14 and under age group. The players that participated was Daniel Fagan, Deontae Jenkins, Jhaylon Martinez, Rajon Martinez, Jerick Garcia, Osiah Harris, Imani Lopez, and Matthew Clinton. The Team was Coached by Head Coach and Trainer, Brandon Bracy, and Assistant Coach Santana Esver.


-Brandon Bracy

Showdown Between Sheldon and Moreau Catholic Set For Friday

The Sheldon Huskies (22-5) will travel to the bay area to take on Moreau Catholic (25-4) in the first round of the State Playoffs. These two teams are both averaging over 70 points a game, and both teams are loaded with talent. Perhaps the most interesting matchup will come at the point guard position. For Moreau Catholic, Damari Milstead is coming off a dominant 35 point performance, and is averaging 19 points per game. For Sheldon, Isaiah Brooks is averaging 14 points per game, and controls Sheldon's offense.

Sheldon's leading scorer is 6 foot 6 senior, Matthew Manning who Is averaging 19 points per game. It will be intriguing to see if Moreau Catholic's senior, Oscar Frayer, will match up and guard Manning. There are other key players for both teams who could jump out and have great games like, Terrell Brown for Moreau, or Devin Greene for Sheldon. This game will take place this Friday at 7PM.

-Brandon Bracy

Indihoops Releases its 8th Grade Bay Area Rankings

 

 

Indivisible Hoops released its 8th grade San Francisco Bay Area rankings, after hosting a series of tournaments along the West Coast. Indi Hoops releases its rankings every 2 to 3 months, after analyzing different teams through tournament play. Here are the rankings,

1. Oakland Soldiers
2. MVP Flight
3. Splash City
4. Bay Area Mambas
5. Oakland Rebels
6. East Bay Celtics
7. Team Legit
8. Team Select
9. Team Rampage
10. SF Rebels

For more rankings in other areas, go to www.indihoops.com

-Brandon Bracy

Sacramento Yellow Jackets Hosting 4th Annual Capital Classic

The Sacramento Yellow Jackets are back to host their 4th annual, "Capital Classic", on April 9th and 10th. The games will be played in the Sacramento/Elk Grove area, with the age groups being 2nd grade-High School Seniors. The tournament will feature certified high school officials, and awards will be given to 1st and 2nd place teams. Registration fee is $325, with the entry deadline being on March, 26th. To register for the tournament, sign up at www.yellowjacketsbasketball.com

-Brandon Bracy

Play Hard Play Smart Hosting Spring Tune Up

The Play Hard Play Smart Basketball Club(Sacramento, CA) are hosting the "Spring Tune Up" tournament on April 2nd, and 3rd, that will take place at Natomas High School. Scouting services will cover the tournament, and will also be sponsored by Adidas. The age groups will be 9U-Varsity, with the tournament costing $250. Register online at www.playhardplaysmart.com


-Brandon Bracy

Bay Area Sports Releases Early JV Rankings

BayAreaSports.Org released its early Junior Varsity rankings Monday, after hosting their tournament at Jesse Bethel. Rankings are updated every two weeks at most. Here is their rankings for the elite division.

1. Cali Starz
2. Team Rampage
3. Mountain House Wolverines
4. Oakland Rebels Black
5. SF Rebels
6. FTS
7. Thunder Prime
8. Peak Basketball Purple
9. Cool Kids
10. TSU Supreme
11. Hoyas Blue
12. Roadrunners
13. Alameda Vipers
14. Team Steady
15. Golden City SF Black
16. Berkeley Bears
17. Team Select Carper
18. Anutha Level
19. South Bay Spin
20. Calstars

-Brandon Bracy

Cal Basketball Grabs the Number 3 Seed In Pac-12 Tourney

The California Bears(22-9) grabbed the 3rd seed yesterday, in the Pac-12 tournament. The Bears will take on the winner of Oregon State and Arizona State, in the quarterfinals. Cal has never won a Pac-12 tournament, and will look to change that this weekend.

Cal will play their first game on Thursday night at 8:45 PM.

-Brandon Bracy

Kennedy Uplifting the City of Richmond

For the Kennedy High School(Richmond, CA) boys basketball team, the 2015-2016 season has been special. Their record of 19-13 might seem like an average record to most, but it's what they have done  over the past week that has made this season special. Last Saturday, they knocked off St. Mary's of Berkeley behind Alfonso Murrie's game winner, and a week later they find themselves, heading into the State playoffs for division 4, for the first time in school history.

The eagles will travel all the way to Modesto, CA on Wednesday, to take on Central Catholic(25-5). For Kennedy, they are playing for something that is much bigger than basketball, as they will have the whole city of Richmond behind them. This team has brought positivity to the city of Richmond, and will try to keep this historic season alive by pulling off another upset.

-Brandon Bracy

The Struggles of Becoming an Elite AAU Program

With so many different AAU organizations across the US, there are a handful of organizations that stick out. AAU teams such as the Oakland Soldiers, Compton Magic, and New York Gauchos, are just examples of major AAU basketball clubs, that have been able to produce NBA talent, while also getting sponsored by major shoe companies. Nike, Adidas, and lately, under armour, are sponsoring the top teams in the country. One question the average person may ask is, how do you get sponsored by these shoe companies? That answer may vary, but winning big tournaments, while having big name "ranked" players on your team, will certainly give you an upper leg over other AAU basketball clubs.

As a coach and head trainer of my organization, Team Rampage, I would love to one day be on the same level as the Oakland Soldiers or Compton Magic. With my organization being new, and without the financial support, the struggle with trying to achieve this goal is very difficult. For example, if I have or develop a top elite player, and a top team like the Soldiers like the player I have, they have the power to lure that player over to their team, and have him play for the Soldiers, leaving my team behind. I can cry and scream, "Where is the Loyalty" all I want, but the reality is that, a team like the Soldiers with all of the sponsorships, and history they have, it's hard for a middle or high school kid to turn that down. 

Situations like this, happen every year all across the US in AAU Basketball. AAU can be a doggy dog world, with the powerhouses always on the search for talent. For my organization, I plan on changing the landscape of AAU, by teaching the fundamentals of the game. I may not be able to convince kids to play for me due to my lack of sponsors, but I can convince kids through hardwork, that playing for my organization will make you a better player, and prepare you for the next level. Us AAU coaches and organizations that have to compete with powerhouses in the area, must stick to the art of teaching "Real Basketball". The Shoes, the jerseys, the bags, will all eventually wear out, but what we teach these kids about the game will last with them forever. With so many different AAU organizations across the US, only a handful stick out, but to me, the handful of clubs that need to stick out, are the ones that teach the game and fundamentals to the kids!

-Brandon Bracy

CJ Anderson the Basketball Player?

As the Denver Broncos take on the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50, Vallejo, California native and Denver Broncos running back CJ Anderson, prepare to bring home a Super Bowl near his hometown. CJ has become a household name across the NFL because of his hardnose running style, and toughness. However, very few people across the nation know that CJ Anderson, was once an AAU Basketball player, during his youth years growing up in Vallejo.

CJ Anderson once played basketball for the Vallejo Baytrotters, along with former Dallas Mavericks, and Houston Rockets Center, Greg Smith, who is also from Vallejo, California. CJ was a very good athlete, who was also a good leader at the point guard position. CJ would even go on to play basketball for Jesse Bethel High School (Vallejo, CA), all four years of his high school career. For some people reading this, it may be hard trying to imagine CJ Anderson running point guard, rather than running through holes for touchdowns, but there are many NFL players, who have an AAU Basketball background.  

CJ is just one of many athletes in the NFL, who played AAU Basketball growing up. The hardest thing for young athletes to realize when they play multiple sports, is what sport they love to do, versus the sport they should do. For CJ, basketball was a sport that he can play at a high level, but football was a sport that he loved more, and also had a better chance playing professionally. Today, there are athletes that play AAU Basketball, that will make it in another sport. No matter what sport that may be, the athlete must be realistic when it comes to ability, size, and the amount of interest they are getting in each sport. 

St. Patrick-St. Vincent Boys Capture 5th Seed

The St. Patrick-St. Vincent High School(19-11) boys basketball team, grab the number 5 seed in the Northern California State Playoffs. They will play this Wednesday at home in Vallejo, against the number 12 seed, Burton(20-10) of San Francisco.

The Bruins are coming off a 64-53 lost in the North Coast Section Division 4 Championship, against Salesian(Richmond, CA). The Bruins didn't shoot the ball well against Salesian, as only three players scored over five points. Coach Walker hopes that his team will turn it around Wednesday, as they will have a fresh start and, hopes of making a state run.

-Brandon Bracy

Cali Starz Win Bay Area Sports Tournament

The Cali Starz Basketball Club(Fairfield, CA) Junior Varsity team, won the Bay Area Sports Tournament at Jesse Bethel High School(Vallejo, CA) today, going 2-0. They defeated the Mountain House Wolverines 51-45 to capture the crown, after beating Team Rampage(Vallejo, CA) 50-38. The Cali Starz were coached by Derrick Little, who is the former coach of Team Rampage's coach Brandon Bracy. Little coached the Vallejo Baytrotters back in 2002, where Brandon Bracy played shooting guard as a young fifth grader. Sunday these two would coach against each other, for the first time. The game was tight for the most part, but the Starz would make a game sealing 12-2 run, to defeat Team Rampage.

-Brandon Bracy

Team Rampage Playing In Vallejo Today

Team Rampage(Vallejo, CA) will be playing this sunday at Jesse Bethel. The 14 and under are playing at 11 and 1, and the battle of Vallejo between the 11 year olds will take place at 9am, with the Vallejo Future coached by AJ Slay, will play the Team Rampage 11 and under. The Team Rampage basketball club, started in 2015 with just one varsity team, coached by Vallejo High Alum Brandon Bracy. Today, Team Rampage has 6 different teams, with 3 of them being ranked in the top 10 in the Bay Area. The 8 and under age group, are currently ranked number one, on the entire west coast. The 11 and under are ranked number 9, while the 14 and under are ranked number 6, according to Bayareasports.org, and are ranked number 9 on indihoops.com. 

This comes within months of play. The 14 and under team are coaches by Brandon Bracy and assisted by another Vallejo High alum, Santana Esver. The 8 and under, and 11 and under are coached by Vallejo High alums as well, Alfonzo Hatten and Joseph Pastrana. The Team Rampage basketball club is directed by Antonio Hodges. Team Rampage is also looking for donations, to help cover uniforms, tournaments, equipment, and gym time. For more information on donations, contact the team director Antonio Hodges at (707) 655-2018.

Vallejo's Greg Smith Signs With Timberwolves

Former Fresno State forward Greg Smith, has signed a 10 day contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves this week. Greg who last played for the Dallas Mavericks, has played for a few NBA teams, with his most time coming with the Houston Rockets. Smith saw starters minutes under Kevin McHale, before Dwight Howard signed to the Rockets. After Howard's signing, Smith's minutes would diminish, which would lead to the Rockets releasing him.

Smith is looking to keep a roster spot for the rest of the year with the Timberwolves, with future hall of famer Kevin Garnett, out with injuries. Smith played at Fresno State with NBA Superstar Paul George before making his way to the NBA. He would play his sophomore to senior year of high school in Fresno, California. Before moving to Fresno his sophomore year of high school, Greg grew up in Vallejo, California, attending Jesse Bethel high school his freshmen year with Denver Broncos running back and super bowl champion, CJ Anderson. Anderson and Smith are the same age, and actually grew up in North Vallejo together, attending Solano Middle School, before Jesse Bethel.

-Brandon Bracy

Team Rampage Hosting Varsity Tryouts

The Team Rampage Basketball Club(Vallejo, CA) will be hosting tryouts for high school varsity players. Tryouts will be on March 26th, from 10am-12pm, at Vallejo High School. There will also be a $10 tryout fee for participants. Coach Brandon Bracy is very excited for this year's group, especially with all of the success of the younger teams. Players that make the team, will have access to good quality training, play in high level tournaments, and get exposure and scouted by colleges.

A year ago, Team Rampage's first team ever would be the varsity team. That team would feature players from local high schools in the northern Bay Area. Those players would go on to have a lot of success this year with their schools. Coach Bracy hopes that he can have the same impact with this year's 2016 summer team. For More Information, contact him at (707) 816-1196.

-Brandon Bracy

Trammell Leads St. Ignatius to CCS Championship

Sophomore guard Darrion Trammell, led St. Ignatius with 18 points, and went 10 for 14 from the free-throw line. St. Ignatius(16-10) was also able to get help from Will Emery, Matt Redmond, and Brandon Beckman, who added 12 points each. Los Gatos found themselves down by double digits early, but made a run to cut the lead down to six.

After Los Gatos was able to make a run, St. Ignatius kept attacking the basket, and going to the free throw line. St. Ignatius went 25 for 31 from the free throw line, and was able to keep control and momentum of the game when Los Gatos made their run. With St. Ignatius beating Los Gatos 72-62, they will advance to play Leland(19-7) in the section final on Saturday.

-Brandon Bracy

The Roles Of Coaching

As a coach when you are trying to make your players better on and off the court, you become a mentor, father, brother, counselor, and more. Coaching at the younger levels such as elementary kids, coaches usually have a lot more parent support, which makes their job easier. However, once kids turn 13 or 14, the roles of a coach start to change, as the parent support becomes less as the kids get older. Once this happens a coach's job becomes tougher, due to the many different hats he or she has to put on.

Successful coaches take pride in wearing these different hats to help their players. Without digging in deep to help kids get more out of life and become successful, coaches fall behind and they don't get the trust out of the players they coach. Performing these tasks can be very difficult, due to the fact that coaches may have to put in overtime without pay, in order to go above and beyond for their players. Trying to make sure that the players are focused on basketball and not other distractions, while also performing their normal job as a basketball coach, can take a toll on anybody. However, all coaches must put in overtime in order to become a successful coach, and ultimately, run a successful program. The roles of a coach are the same for everybody, but what separates the good from the average, and the great from the good, is how well coaches perform these roles.

Brandon Bracy,
Team Rampage Head Coach and Trainer
American Canyon High School Varsity Boys Basketball Assistant Coach

Team Rampage Hosting Tryouts For Unsigned Seniors

The Team Rampage Basketball Club(Vallejo, CA), are hosting tryouts for unsigned seniors of Class of 2016. Tryouts will take place on March 7th, at 7:30PM at Vallejo Middle School. Team Rampage Head Coach and Trainer Brandon Bracy, is looking to help seniors get more exposure, by playing in NCAA Certified Tournaments, and also get film on players, to send out to colleges.

 Coach Bracy once went through the same situation, as a high school senior in 2009 at Vallejo High School, before eventually playing for Solano Community College(Suisun, CA) in 2010. After experiencing how tough making a college decision can be, coach Bracy is motivated to help young athletes prepare themselves for college. For those who are interested, contact Coach Bracy at (707) 816-1196 or Brandondemetrusbracy@yahoo.com.

Nor-Cal Future Basketball Camp Coming Soon

Class of Hoops presents, the Nor-Cal Future Basketball camp, that will take place on March 20th, from 9am-4pm at Contra Costa College. The camp will feature freshmen and sophomores, that will participate in skills clinics, followed by competitive games. The top scouting services from the area will be in attendance, as well as experienced coaches and trainers. For more information contact KP at (510) 394-7819 or Classofhoops@gmail.com

Contra Costa Prepares For Feather River

For the Contra Costa College Comets, the 2015-2016 has been a special one. They defeated Consumes River 86-77 to win their first home playoff game since 1990, after finishing the season 23-7. The Comets were led by Vallejo High graduate Larry Wickett's, 25 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists. Contra Costa Head Coach Miguel Johnson, hopes that this success will continue on Wednesday night, as the Comets will take a long road trip to Quincy, California. Game time between Contra Costa and Feather River will take place at 7PM.

-Brandon Bracy

Josh Jackson's Last Game In the Wine City

Josh Jackson's senior year at Prolific Prep is winding down day by day, as he played his last home game in Napa, California Saturday Night against Reno International Prep. Prolific Prep was able to walk away with a convincing win, 111-87, to close out their homestand for the 2015-2016 season. Jackson finished with 24 points but more importantly, he finished with giving the Napa community a great performance, and something to feel proud of.

The Northern Bay Area, really embraced the Nation's top recruit, and treated the Detroit, Michigan born player, as if he was from there. Josh will always be special not only as a player, but because of his impact he gave the new prep school. Jackson is still unsigned, and hopes to make a decision soon.

-Brandon Bracy

Alfonso Murrie Caps Off Upset For Kennedy

As Kennedy High School(Richmond, CA) trailed St. Mary's(Berkeley, CA) 58-56, Alfonso Murrie had one thing on his mind and that was score the basketball. However, he didn't realize how open he would be, to knock down the game winning three to seal off an upset. It was already surprising that Kennedy, had made what many people thought to be a run away game for St. Mary's, a nail bitter. With excellent play by Kyree Jackson and Alfonso Murrie down the stretch, Kennedy was able to keep the game within striking distance on the road.

During Kennedy's final possesion, Kyree threw a bounce pass in the corner to a wide open Murrie, who would knock down the open game winning three to make the score 59-58. Kennedy will have to celebrate quickly, as they have to prepare for what will be another tough road game on Wednesday in Vallejo, at St. Pats. After the way Kennedy played on the road on saturday, it will be hard to count them out in this game too.

- Brandon Bracy

3 Team Rampage Teams Gets Ranked In The Top 10

The Team Rampage basketball club, started in 2015 with just one varsity team, coached by Vallejo High Alum Brandon Bracy. Today, Team Rampage has 6 different teams, with 3 of them being ranked in the top 10 in the Bay Area. The 8 and under age group, are currently ranked number one, on the entire west coast. The 11 and under are ranked number 9, while the 14 and under are ranked number 6, according to Bayareasports.org, and are ranked number 9 on indihoops.com. This comes within months of play. The 14 and under team are coached by Brandon Bracy and assisted by another Vallejo High Alum, Santana Esver. The 8 and under, and 11 and under are coached by Vallejo High Alums as well, Alfonzo Hatten and Joseph Pastrana. The Team Rampage basketball club is directed by Antonio Hodges. If you are interested in private skills lessons, contact head coach and trainer for the organization, Brandon Bracy at (707) 816-1196.