Brother, Let Me Be Me : Brock Jacobsen Steps It Up at Crescenta Valley in Effort to Distinguish Himself From Siblings

Brock Jacobsen plays guard for the Crescenta Valley High basketball team. He dribbles a lot, shoots even more, scores points by the dozens and holds court with a handful of reporters after every game.

Sounds familiar. But then he is, after all, a Jacobsen.

Only two years ago, such was the modus operandi of brother Adam Jacobsen, who excelled as a three-point specialist for Crescenta Valley and now is doing the same as a sophomore guard for University of the Pacific. In a year or two, Casey Jacobsen, the third of four Jacobsen brothers, might have his go at it all.

Sounds like fun too--except for Brock Jacobsen, who just wants to be Brock Jacobsen, not somebody’s older or younger brother.

Jacobsen, a 6-foot-5 senior guard who has signed to play at University of San Diego next season, has more than just modeled Adam. He is averaging 27.2 points a game to rank third among area players and has scored more than 30 points in 10 games, including totals of 43 and 41.

Jacobsen will lead the Falcons, 20-1 overall, 5-1 in league play and ranked No. 1 in The Times’ area poll, against Pasadena (17-5, 6-0) in a Pacific League game tonight at 7:30 at Crescenta Valley. Three weeks ago, Pasadena defeated Crescenta Valley, 76-74, after Jacobsen had the ball stripped with 36 seconds to play and Crescenta Valley trailing by four points.

No longer the shy sophomore who rode the bench behind his brother, Jacobsen unquestionably is the varsity leader. Last season, he averaged 24.1 points while leading the Falcons to the Southern Section Division I-AA final, even though he missed the first month of the season because of a broken wrist.

Widely considered more versatile than his brother, who once held the state career record for three-point baskets,

Jacobsen, 17, already has 1,183 points, surpassing Adam’s career point total at Crescenta Valley. True, Adam played only one season at Crescenta Valley after transferring from Glendora. But Brock, with 582 points, is within reach of Adam’s single-season total of 732 as a senior.

“When I was a sophomore I was really tired of being ‘Adam’s little brother,’ ” Jacobsen said, rolling his eyes. “Now, I finally have the chance to prove myself.”

So why is his every move still being measured against those made by Adam? Reporters ceaselessly draw comparisons, despite an obvious difference in styles. Jacobsen has even been mentioned in the same breath--not to mention newspaper columns--with 13-year-old Casey.

Remember, this is supposed to be Brock’s moment in the sun.

“It’s been hard,” Jacobsen said. “When you have a brother like (Adam), it’s always gonna be hard living up to expectations. But I’ll tell you what, it’s been the deciding factor in me stepping up and becoming a good player.”

No one ever said standing out in the Jacobsen family would be easy. At least, not while dribbling a basketball.

Von Jacobsen, who played at San Diego State from 1968-71, practically hitched a backboard and hoop to the crib of each of his four sons, who range in age from 20 to 7. Over the years, Adam, Brock, Casey and Derek benefited from intense tutelage from their father, who constructed a basketball court complete with a three-point line in the backyard of their home.

“My dad has me and Casey shoot baskets every night after dinner,” Brock said. “Sometimes, we’ll be hanging out, watching TV and he’ll say, ‘If you guys don’t have anything better to do, go out and shoot baskets.’ ”

Among the Jacobsen boys, progression to proficiency in all facets of the game seems to come as naturally as A-B-C-D--which happen to be the first letters in each of their names.

“They all have had the goal of going to college,” Von said. “And I’ve told them that basketball is a great way to get there.”

Both Adam and Brock signed letters of intent before their senior seasons. Brock was recruited by a handful of schools, including Pacific, before he opted for San Diego.

“We both play the same position and I didn’t want to fight for the same spot with my brother,” Jacobsen said. “I wanted to carve a niche for myself, and if I went to Pacific, I’d be in his shadow for two more years.”

Casey, who stands 6 feet and figures to become an impact player as a freshman at Crescenta Valley next season, already is rivaling Brock for the spotlight. In fact, Casey recently was touted in a local publication as an up-and-coming wonder. Crescenta Valley Coach John Goffredo admittedly is itching to coach him.

“It’s a nice run of Jacobsens,” Goffredo said with a laugh.

Ironically, Goffredo and other observers say, there is little to compare between Adam and Brock, as far as styles go.

Adam (6 feet 2), who finished his four-year varsity career with 387 three-point baskets, has superior shooting and ballhandling skills. His generalship during games made him “a coach on the floor,” Goffredo said.

Brock shoots from the outside and drives to the basket with equal frequency, and uses his height advantage against smaller players. “He finds a way to score,” Goffredo said.

But his style is subtler--to the point that some observers, Jacobsen says, have labeled him lackadaisical.

“Adam is scrappy, always hustling,” Jacobsen said. “He’s always working so hard. I’m not saying I don’t work hard. It’s just that I do things smoothly and get things done. People come up to me after the game and say, ‘How many points did you have, 25?’ I say 40 and they can’t believe it.”

Just another obstacle to overcome in gaining distinction.

“The toughest thing for Brock is that he’s always been ‘Adam’s brother’ and never Brock,” Von Jacobsen said. “It took for Adam to be out of the house and be gone for Brock to step up. When he was a sophomore, he played well behind Adam, but there was never enough room for him.”

Adam Jacobsen tried to persuade his brother to head north to Pacific after high school. But he wasn’t surprised by his brother’s decision to head south.

“I can’t say I blame him,” Adam said. “We’re good friends and I wanted him to come up here and live with me so we could play together.

“But I think he was kind of happy once I left. It’s kind of his time now to do his thing.”