A Beaming Braswell Believes Northridge Will Shine

Bobby Braswell returned to the San Fernando Valley on Tuesday to take over a basketball program that has averaged nearly 20 losses a season in its six years at Division I.

And he couldn’t be happier to do it.

“People are saying it can’t be done here, but I believe it can,” Braswell said as he was introduced as Cal State Northridge’s new basketball coach. “I believe in the institution, the community and the players in this room.”

Braswell, most recently an assistant at Oregon, beamed as he motioned to the Northridge basketball players who were among about 40 people--reporters, school officials, athletes, friends and relatives--to cram into a conference room for his introduction.

Sitting behind him was his wife, Penny, holding their three-month-old daughter, Kyndal, who, Braswell joked, was seeing sunshine for the first time in her brief life spent in the rainy Northwest.

He received a rousing ovation after Athletic Director Paul Bubb introduced him as the fourth men’s basketball coach in the school’s history, and second since the program was elevated to Division I in 1990.

Braswell, 33, graduated from Northridge in 1984 before spending four seasons as coach at Cleveland High, three more as an assistant at Long Beach State and the last four at Oregon.

“I left Cleveland High School as a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed young coach who had no idea what he was getting into,” Braswell said. “I can’t think of a better way to come back.”

Braswell was offered the job Monday morning; he accepted Monday afternoon. He was given a three-year contract.

“I don’t think there’s any wondering [about this decision],” Bubb said. “I felt very confident [about Braswell] from the first time I spoke with him in this process.”

Bubb said he was further encouraged by a phone call he received Tuesday morning, after news of Braswell’s hiring had gotten out.

“A woman said, ‘You don’t know me, but my son played at Cleveland High and grew so much under Bobby Braswell. You made the right choice,’ ” Bubb said.

But the celebration of Braswell’s hiring will be short-lived. He will begin Monday on the full-time job of building the Northridge basketball program, which has produced a 52-112 record in six Division I seasons.

Braswell’s first two jobs will be to hire a second full-time assistant and try to fill the remaining three scholarships.

Mike Johnson, an assistant the past four seasons at Northridge, will remain on staff for at least one season by prior contractual agreement with Bubb. Braswell said he hoped to have another coach hired within the next two weeks.

As for recruiting, Braswell said he has been in touch with some players in the past few days, but it will be a difficult task since most good players already have committed.

Braswell said the Matadors next season will play an up-tempo game, which no doubt encouraged many players to throw their support behind him.

“I told them that they better be in good shape,” Braswell said. “I believe these men want to play to that style of basketball. We are not going to just walk it up the floor and take 30 seconds off the shot clock. They are going to want to run the ball. And I also understand that we are in the entertainment business.”

Trenton Cross, Northridge’s point guard with two seasons of eligibility remaining, said he is optimistic.

“I’m excited for the change,” he said. “I don’t really know him personally, but I’ve talked to a lot of people I respect who know him, and they have nothing but good things to say.”

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Evaluating Braswell

“I’m sure he’ll do a great job. He has a good feel for the L.A. area and that’s imperative. . . . Obviously, having been at Oregon and Long Beach State there will be some adjustment in terms of the level of commitments he’s going to get.”

Seth Greenberg

Former Long Beach State Coach

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“Having coached against him for many years, I can tell you he’s a great coach. He’s very smart and relates well to players.”

Jim Woodard

Taft High athletic director and the school’s former basketball coach

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“Everything he does he does well, so I know he’ll do great. . . . He’s like a father figure to players. You can talk to him about everything, not just basketball.”

Andre Chevalier

Former Cal State Northridge player who played for Braswell at Cleveland High and is now coach of the Cavaliers