Braswell Decides to Stay at Cleveland

Bob Braswell has withdrawn his candidacy for an assistant coaching job at Cal State Long Beach, deciding instead to remain as the Cleveland High basketball coach.

Braswell announced his decision at Thursday’s practice for the L. A. Games after a daylong meeting Wednesday with 49er Coach Joe Harrington. The Long Beach coach said that no job offer had been tendered but confirmed that Braswell was a top candidate for the position.

“I’m disappointed by his decision,” Harrington said. “He’s an excellent coach who has worked his way from the bottom up and gets better and better every year. He’s going to be in a college job sometime soon.”

Braswell withdrew his name despite the advantages of a Division I coaching position, saying that the satisfaction he derived from his job at Cleveland was too difficult to ignore.

“People outside may say this is a stupid move, missing out on a chance for more money at a Division I school,” he said. “But I have to do what makes me happy. I’m useful at Cleveland and I get a lot of satisfaction out of the impact I have on young people’s lives.”

The 26-year-old Cleveland graduate made his decision after a restless night Wednesday. He left Long Beach convinced that he would take the job if it was offered but changed his mind in the middle of the night.

“I woke up at 2 o’clock in a cold sweat,” he said. “I just didn’t think it was right. I was thinking about a couple of cards I got from students at graduation, telling me I was like a father to them. That’s what woke me up.”

Braswell impressed Harrington during the recruitment of Cleveland’s Michael Gray, who will play at Long Beach next season. Tyrone Mitchell, a 1985 Cleveland graduate, is also at Long Beach after having transferred from Arizona State.

Braswell’s players celebrated his decision at Thursday’s practice. Doubt about his status had flourished since Braswell’s name surfaced as a candidate last month. The Long Beach position became vacant when Dereck Whittenburg left to join the North Carolina State program as an assistant.

“We knew he might leave and we wanted him to do what was good for him,” senior guard Adonis Jordan said. “When he first told us at practice that he may have the job, the room got real quiet. But when he told us he turned it down, we jumped out of our seats.

“I know I can be a better player and person because he’s staying.”

Braswell has compiled a 56-14 record in three seasons with the Cavaliers and has the nucleus for a strong team next season. But the prospect of another winning season is only part of his reason for returning, he said.

Apparently, a conversation with Simi Valley Coach Dean Bradshaw at a summer league basketball game this week influenced his decision.

“He talked about the impact I have here and he asked me if I would have the same impact somewhere else. I really thought about that. The satisfaction is not just a winning program. I see my kids graduate and see the tears in their eyes and I know that I had an impact on their lives,” he said.

Despite his decision, Braswell still wants a college job.

“I don’t want to stay here as a high school coach 50 or 60 years,” he said. “If I’ve had enough with working with high school players and I want to work at higher level, I might change my mind next time.”

Harrington said he will be waiting for that day.

“There’s no question I’d be interested in him if we had another position in a few years,” he said. “But he may not be available. Somebody else will probably find out about him.”