May 8, 2008
CCSF’s fourth wheel signs to WAC
When a new coach takes over a downtrodden team and program, he or she looks for in-your-face scoring, rebounding and passing talent when hitting the recruiting trail, so as to begin the hoped for turnaround. After all, there’s a obvious correlation with Vince Lombardi and his winning all those National Football League titles and John Wooden’s amazing run at UCLA -- both had tremendous players loaded with blatant skills and ability. Not to take anything away from either icon but it is typically the coach who corrals the most talent wins. Or as Damon Runyon put it so well: "The race is not always to the swift nor the battle to the strong -- but that’s the way to bet."
Wiley’s contribution was visible across the stat sheet
So new Idaho Coach Don Verlin, faced with the daunting task of resurrecting the Western Athletic Conference perennial celler dweller Vandal men’s basketball program, has been out on the road sizing up junior college and high school players. Among his group of signees is City College of San Francisco’s Brandon Wiley, originally out of Pinole Valley High.
Now some may be saying who?
After all, Justin Brownlee, Roburt Sallie and Robert Owens were the basketball version of the Three Amigos the past couple of seasons on Phelan Avenue. The 29-4 Rams under Coach Justin Labagh were led by Brownlee’s 17.4 points per game average, followed by Owens’ 16.7 and Sallie at 15.7.
But there was actually a quartet of top performers in this recently concluded season for CCSF as Wiley’s contributions were visible across the stat sheet. He compiled a 12.9 points per game scoring average, grabbed 8.3 rebounds a contest, passed for 2.3 assists each time out and also blocked shots at a state-leading 2.3 a game. The latter is most notable because it was achieved at the intermediate height of 6-6!
Call Wiley the glue who pitched in wherever he was most needed during a game for his team. He may not have stood out but he stood up. Wiley played the role of the Rams so-called big man defensively, protecting the paint against the opponents’ bigs. Wiley also shot 60 per cent from the floor overall and 44 per cent on his three-point attempts.
When asked about his college choice, Wiley said, "The [Idaho] staff was friendly, the players met had a good team chemistry and the coach seemed to want to get things turned around as soon as possible."
What also was a factor for Wiley was that "Idaho is close [geographically] but not too close." He plans to head to Moscow sometime this summer and get settled.
As for the position he will play, Wiley offered, "I’ll probably be rotating between the three [the wing] and the four [power forward."
What is most unusual in Wiley’s case is he first began having Divison I aspirations during his freshman season at CCSF. Whereas most youngsters catch college basketball fever by early high school at the latest whether or not the ambition is realistic, Wiley’s getting contacted by 4-year college coaches as a college frosh began raising the possibility of his continuing to play basketball, completing his education and getting scholarshipped to do so. His signing with Idaho proved that his effort to continually improve his skills set and his unselfishness on the court wasn’t in vain.
The attraction of Verlin to Wiley? "Brandon is a very versatile player who has the ability to play multiple positions. He is a winner and has proven that by doing whatever it takes to win over the last two seasons in one of the best junior college basketball programs in California."