Braswell Bringing a Bit of Oregon to Northridge

Bobby Braswell seems to have nice pipeline of basketball players running from Eugene, Ore., to Northridge.

Two players from Eugene, where Braswell spent the last four seasons as an assistant at Oregon, have committed to Cal State Northridge in Braswell’s first full recruiting season as coach at his alma mater.

Brian Heinle, a 6-foot-9 forward from Sheldon High, and Carl Holmes, a 6-1 guard from North Eugene High, both said they will follow Braswell to Northridge.

They are the second and third players to commit to Northridge--in addition to Jermar Welch, a 6-6 forward from Canyon Springs High. All are expected to sign letters of intent once the NCAA’s weeklong fall signing period begins Nov. 13.

NCAA rules prohibit coaches from discussing athletes with the media until they have signed, even if they happen to be relatives.

Braswell is Holmes’ uncle and legal guardian. Holmes lived with the Braswells the past four years in Eugene, and is staying with friends in Oregon to finish his senior year.

Last season at North Eugene, Holmes led the team with 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists per game, earning all-conference honors.

Heinle is not a typical 6-9 banger. He’s a slender 205 pounds, and likes to shoot three-pointers.

“He can shoot from the perimeter, plus he’s can go inside,” said Chuck Johns, Heinle’s coach at Sheldon. “He’s a little more versatile than some players his size.”

Heinle averaged 19 points and about seven rebounds last season at Sheldon, while shooting about 40% from three-point range, Johns said.

Johns said Heinle could become more of an inside player as he fills out, naturally and with the help of weight training.

Heinle chose Northridge over Loyola Marymount, Boise State, Gonzaga, Portland and St. Mary’s. He said one of the reasons he picked the Matadors was because he knows Braswell.

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Two standout sprinters have committed to the Northridge women’s basketball team.

LaShonda Fowler, a 5-8 wing player from Foster High in Tukwila, Wash., said she will sign with Northridge.

Fowler averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds last season, but is more accomplished in track. She has bests of 11.90 seconds in the 100 meters, 24.45 in the 200 and 55.24 in the 400 and won state Division A titles in each event as a junior. She won state titles in the 100 and 200 as a freshman and sophomore.

Fowler had other scholarship offers for track, but Northridge was the only school to offer her a basketball scholarship.

Edniesha Curry, a 5-3 point guard from Palmdale High, also said she will sign with Northridge.

Curry averaged 11.5 points for the Falcons as a junior.

She has a best of 57.8 in the 400 and ran on a Palmdale team that was fifth in the 1,600-meter relay at the 1995 State championships.

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Dani Morris, an outfielder at Burroughs High, has committed to play softball at Northridge, said her coach, Ken Bailey. Morris hit .278 last season.