Northridge’s Victory Is an Uplifting Experience

“Oh my!”

That’s the signature line of Dick Enberg, the 11-time Emmy Award-winning television broadcaster who saves his favorite expression for the most treasured of sports moments.

Asked if he would use it to describe the spellbinding scene of Cal State Northridge earning its first NCAA tournament berth Saturday night at the Matadome, Enberg said, “I would indeed.”

Enberg was in Louisville, Ky., this weekend working for CBS in preparation for the NCAA tournament, but he was following the Matadors like a rabid fan. He taught at what was called San Fernando Valley State College from 1961-65 and adopted the school as his alma mater.

“It was such a basic basketball program that literally if there were hundreds to see a game, that would have been something,” he said. “Pierce and Valley College were as big a rival as any of the four-year institutions. For them to come from that beginning in the ‘60s to beating UCLA this year at Pauley [Pavilion] and possibly be in the tournament is a remarkable advancement.”

What a sight it was watching dozens of delirious red-clad Northridge fans storm the court after the Matadors’ 73-58 victory over Eastern Washington in the Big Sky Conference tournament championship game. Then came the cutting down of the nets, hugs, tears, smiles and pure ecstasy.

“We wanted to build this program to this point and I can’t believe it’s happened in my last year,” said Brian Heinle, Northridge’s 6-foot-10 senior center and tournament most valuable player. “It’s so great. I really don’t know what to say.”

The emotions of this historic night caught up even the school’s new president, Jolene Koester, who was waving black and red balloons as if she were at a party. And what a party it was.

In the second half, when Eastern Washington was called for a shot-clock violation, noise from the standing-room only crowd of 1,783 was so loud that few could hear the buzzer sounding.

“I look around and I can’t believe I’m at Northridge,” assistant coach Michael Johnson said. “I feel I’m stepping on the floor at Maples Pavilion.”

If one more person complains about Northridge’s tiny Matadome, somebody slap them in the face.

You don’t build a championship basketball team based on how big an arena is. More important are the size of the players’ hearts and the competence and conviction of the coach.

Northridge (22-9) has broken through 11 years after playing its first NCAA Division I game because its 38-year-old coach, Bobby Braswell, had the vision and fortitude to make it happen.

He’s part preacher, part drill sergeant, part salesman, part counselor, part P.E. teacher, part social worker.

Anyone watching a Northridge practice would shake their head at the conflicting scenes. One moment Braswell is loudly lecturing a player for not following through on an assignment, then the next minute, he’s huddled with a group of players, arms locked around their shoulders, quietly comforting them like a father.

Braswell hasn’t changed much since he was 23 and the youngest high school coach in the City Section at Reseda’s Cleveland High. He demanded much from his players and punished those who didn’t perform by benching them, making them run line drills or giving them one of those intimidating Braswell stares.

He went off to Long Beach State and Oregon to serve as an assistant and earned the reputation as a good recruiter. Those geographic connections were critical when he took over at Northridge five years ago. Look where Heinle’s from--Oregon. Look where standout forward Jeff Parris is from--Long Beach.

“He promised me he’d look out for me and I trusted him,” Heinle said.

Heinle has developed into one of the best centers on the West Coast and makes Pacific 10 Conference recruiters look foolish every time he puts up double figures in scoring and rebounds (it has happened 18 times this season).

Braswell is the perfect fit for Northridge, but other schools are sure to think he’d be their ideal fit, too. Hopefully, he’ll realize that Northridge needs him more, for he has united and inspired an entire community.

But he better keep his clothes on.

Asked what he wanted to do at the end of Saturday’s game, Braswell said, “Part of me wanted to be classy and the other part of me wanted to rip my clothes off and run around.”

As Enberg would say, “Oh my!”

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Eric Sondheimer can be reached at (818) 772-3422 or his e-mail address: eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.