What can Brown do for CSUB?

By Jaclyn Loveless

It's sort of like a new era for the CSUB men's basketball team. Keith Brown has taken the reins as the interim head basketball coach, but he's been around for some time now.

Brown has served as CSUB's lead assistant and recruiting coordinator since June 1997. He replaced head coach Henry Clark, whom he still talks to often, in late September after Clark took a position as the vice president of basketball operations for the Harlem Globetrotters. After eight successful years, Clark amassed a record of 163-61 (.728), No. 8 in the nation and No. 1 in the West Region (minimum five years).

Brown had been around for all that and even sat in the head-coach's seat at times. He has served as head coach three times at CSUB since 2003 when Clark had been forced to miss games for personal reasons. In 2004, he led the Roadrunners to a pair of road victories, defeating University of California, San Diego 86-61 and Grand Canyon University 85-68 when Clark could not travel due to illness. Last season he guided the Roadrunners to an 80-58 win over CSU Monterey Bay.

So when the position opened up, CSUB officials didn't have to look too far. "Coach Brown has been active in the recruiting of every player in our program," said CSUB Athletic Director Rudy Carvajal. "It's important that we have continuity in our program."

That type of consistency is important. Especially when the clock is winding down. "The biggest transition has been the timing of things and the preparation," Brown said. The new leader had only a couple weeks to prepare for the team's first official practice in mid-October. "There wasn't a lot of time to even hire my replacement." Brown said Brian Dignan, who has been with the team for five years, was promoted to assistant coach.

Later, former player Tyrone Davis was also hired as an assistant coach. Longtime Roadrunner fans will remember Davis as Bakersfield's first two-time basketball All-American who led the 'Runners to consecutive NCAA titles in 1993-94. He was Elite 8 MVP, CCAA Basketball Player of the year and CCAA Male Athlete of the Year in 1993 when he led Bakersfield to the (then) best record in NCAA history in the 33-0 title run.

He is currently completing requirements for his bachelor's in physical education at CSUB.

Brown came to the Roadrunners after serving as the head men's basketball and baseball coach at NCAA Division II member Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado. He led the basketball team to a pair of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Final Four appearances as head coach from 1992 through 1996.

In addition to his duties at CSUB and CSM, Brown has served as an assistant coach at several NCAA schools, including Pac-10 member University of Washington and former CSUB rival UC Davis.

He holds a master's degree in education from Chapman University and a bachelor's in physical education from University of the Pacific.

Brown has spent a lot of time making sure his team is ready for this season. He has spent hours dealing with just the day to day operations: setting up travel plans, scheduling the games and conditioning the players. "All exciting things," he added.

He's also been formulating new concepts for his team. Brown said he is working on the team's defensive perspective and emphasizing the importance of defense and rebounding. "I'm trying to implement a multiple defense system that is pressure oriented," he explained. "I expect our team to be disciplined and I define that as doing what you are supposed to be doing when you are supposed to be doing it, the best you can all the time."

He wants to be sure his players take full advantage of their practices. "I want them to be intense in practice but want them to play loose. That will carry them through competitive situations."

Brown believes the closeness between a coach and his players is a natural relationship, but on the court he's all business. "I think friendships occur after the expectations have been communicated and are constantly enforced," he said. "Most people function better with structure and understand the consequences.

He feels confident his first season will be successful. "This team has the abilities, the character, the commitment in the classroom and a genuine commitment for each other," Brown said. "There is a lot of versatility and the leadership roles have developed early on."

The players feel just as enthusiastic about their new coach. "I love it," said junior guard Dwuan Rice. "He's a more passionate guy and he's more of a people person." Rice said Brown isn't afraid to tell the team how he feels, and he in turn listens to them. "I feel like I can talk to him."

Teammate Randall Harding agreed. "He's an energetic coach and he coaches with a high intensity level."

Brown said the team will face some outstanding regional competition but is looking forward to leaving a lasting impression with rivals such as CSU San Bernardino and Cal Poly Pomona. "We have to establish ourselves with them early if we are to contend for the championship, which is what we intend to do."

Brown's interim status will remain for the season and a final decision will be made sometime in March.