Braswell Sends Message at Northridge

The absence of three key players when Cal State Northridge begins basketball practice today speaks volumes for Coach Bobby Braswell’s style.

Rather than allow excuses or leeway when team rules are broken, he acts swiftly.

Starting point guard Trenton Cross and forward Jeffrey Parris are suspended for the first week of practice and for at least one exhibition game in November. Forward Mike O’Quinn is suspended indefinitely.

The transgressions might have been relatively minor, but the consequences of stepping over the line are clear.

“These guys will understand that our team rules are taken seriously,” Braswell said. “They have responsibilities to the university and to the basketball team that must be adhered to. I’m sending a message.”

Such is the price of elevating a program to a new level.

Northridge will dress for practice in a new locker room paid for by donations from two NBA players who played under Braswell when he was an assistant at Long Beach State. He begins his second season at Northridge.

The freshly painted walls, the new wooden lockers, new carpet and spacious meeting area all set a forward-looking tone to the start of a promising season.

But first Braswell will make the team take a short look back.

Before practice, the Matadors will watch a video of the final minutes of their last game, an 82-79 loss to Montana in the Big Sky Conference tournament final.

Northridge led until the final 43 seconds.

A victory would have put the Matadors (14-15) in the NCAA tournament for the first time and given them a winning record.

“We had the game and it slipped away from us,” Braswell said. “I told the players at the end of the game, through the tears and everything, to remember that feeling and let it be a focal point for next season.”

That season has arrived and Northridge returns four key players and has several promising recruits. Fans can get their first glimpse of the team during a short intrasquad scrimmage Monday at 10 p.m. in the Matador Gym.

The scrimmage will culminate homecoming activities that will include a “Matador Madness” bonfire and football pep rally near North Campus Stadium at 8 p.m. and a short scrimmage by the women’s basketball team at 9:45 p.m.

The men’s team will emerge from a locker room paid for in large part by $15,000 donations from Lucious Harris of the New Jersey Nets and Bryon Russell of the Utah Jazz, who both played at Long Beach State.

Four players return, including three guards.

Shooting guard Derrick Higgins led Northridge with a scoring average of 11.6 points and led the Big Sky with 2.6 steals a game last season. Cross averaged 10.9 points and was most valuable player of the conference tournament. Point guard Lucky Grundy led the team in assists with a 3.4 average. All are seniors.

Senior center-forward Kevin Taylor was the Matadors’ leading rebounder with a 6.1 average and he also averaged 9.6 points.

They are joined by nine newcomers, including two Division I transfers: O’Quinn (Loyola Marymount), who sat out last season after transferring, and forward Brian Hagens (New Orleans).

Braswell has good news for Parris, a redshirt sophomore, junior college transfers Greg Minor (South Plains, Texas) and Jabari Simmons (Compton), and freshmen Carl Holmes, Carloes Harper, Jermar Welch and Brian Heinle: They can win starting jobs.

“Every position is open and the returning guys will be legitimately pushed,” Braswell said. “I feel we have an outstanding recruiting class. There are no starters right now. Nobody should take anything for granted.”

One advantage the experienced players will have is knowing Braswell’s system from the first day of practice.

“Last year I had to explain every minor detail, from hustling from one drill to the next, to memorizing our thought for the day,” Braswell said. “I expect the returners to enlighten the new guys.”