La Verne

Gary Hitchcock - SG

Team: La Verne Leopards [ID #709]

Location: La Verne, CA (West)

Conference: VI.1 [Division 3]

President: None

Rating: 70.90 - Overall Position: #487

Fan Mood: 67.13

Alumni Mood: 116.45

Prestige: 186

Team Notes:

• Aug 31 2045: Curtis Marini was hired as the new assistant coach.
• Aug 31 2045: Trey Coleman was hired as the new assistant coach.
• Aug 31 2045: Wayne Byers was hired as the new assistant coach.
• Aug 31 2045: Assistant coach Vic Carroll was let go.
• Aug 31 2045: Assistant coach Rex Ryan was let go.
• Aug 31 2045: Assistant coach Will Latimer was let go.
• Aug 31 2045: Rickie Yates was appointed as the new head coach.
• Aug 31 2045: Marques Wyatt was fired as head coach.
• Apr 03 2045: 2-star prospect K.J. Norton committed.
• Mar 23 2045: 2-star prospect Bobby Duncan committed.

Record:

Wins: 5 Losses: 6 Pct: .455 Conf Wins: 0 Conf Losses: 1 Conf Pct: .000 Conf Rank: 13 Last10: 5-5 Streak: L1

Pts Ave: 63.9 - 77.5 Pts Diff: -13.6 Team Power Index: 114.8

Press Releases:

Dec 26 2043: A new direction - by CandelabraHarris on March 5th, 2025

The college board has greenlit the acquisition of a new president/general manager of the basketball activities. The newly appointed prez had this to say:

"I am grateful for this opportunity in such an esteemed basketball program. I look at the roster and i see warriors. I look at the chart and i see immense depth. I look at th- What is it? What do you mean we didn't get the Rutgers position? What do you mean La Verne? A division three program!? CALIFORNIA!?"

Jan 10 2041: Le Verne dangerous start - by Stylon on September 22nd, 2024

La Verne has kicked off their season with an impressive performance, showcasing strong teamwork and skill on both ends of the court. Their early games highlight a dynamic offense and a resilient defense, making them a formidable opponent. Key players are stepping up, contributing crucial points and assists, while the coaching staff has instilled a winning mentality. With their hot start, La Verne is emerging as a team to watch this season. If they maintain this momentum, they could very well challenge for top honors and surprise many in the league. Keep an eye on them as the season unfolds!

Oct 12 2023: - by Baggins on January 18th, 2022

Oct 13 2022: The McCrary War Tour: 2023 Season Preview - by Baggins on November 23rd, 2021

The 2033 season will showcase the best that the Deft Leopards can offer for one glaring reason: Herschel McCrary is a senior. The near seven footer has been a star all three years he's been on campus, earning all-conference honors twice (should have been three ahem) as well as freshman of the year. Fans are dubbing this season the 'McCrary War Tour' because they feel he is a man possessed - by one goal: lead the Leopards to division 1 basketball for the first time in team history. If he can do that, McCrary will be a Leopard legend.

2022 Recap
The goals this year are to win the conference, promote, and make the national tournament. - from the Leopards 2022 season preview.

And they did it. The team won 37 games, three more than their second best outing, won the conference title, and advanced to the elite 8 in the LL6 national tournament. However they freaking lost in the first round of the conference tournament in embarrassing fashion; still no one can believe it.

SG Martin Livingston had an interesting season. He started out awfully, as if he'd discovered some new passion in the off-season and forgotten about basketball. But Coach Cline worked with him through it, and midway through conference play Livingston turned it up. He ended up averaging just over 15 points a game (Cline's goal for him) at 1.01ppp (up from .91 the season prior), and taking home all-conference honors.

Redshirt freshman Monte Breaux was also a standout, blossoming into the glue guy the coaching staff envisioned when he committed. However, glue guy is just the first step for our man Monte. No one trains harder than him, and while he doesn't say he's going to be a superstar, you can see it. His confidence in his game has grown. Many expect him to leapfrog McCrary as the best player on the team, perhaps early in the season.

'First Aid', Aiden McNulty, also played above expectations as a RS FR starting PG. He used his size to his advantage well, and proved to be a very good distributor. Most mornings he was in the gym training with Breaux, possibly because he knew that he'd be in LL5 this season, playing higher caliber talent.

Chet Low is the last of the fab five to get a mention here. He gained 10 needed pounds over the off season. He was good in 2022, but everybody wants more. He needs to be more aggressive, he needs to work harder. He has the potential to be a big impact player, the team just needs him to want it.

New Additions
Gregory Cooper has already been written about, you can read the separate PR for him on the team page. However the buzz on campus is that he's grown to a massive 6'11.5" inches, the same height as McCrary, and he gained 15 pounds as well. There is a belief he may even grow slightly more.

Calvin Parkinson is another big man who signed on the line. He also showed up to campus clocking in at 6'11", giving the Leopards an intimidating future front line. Parkinson has one elite skill: scoring the ball. He can score it at the level of Cooper himself, or maybe a guy like UMF's Rufus Steele. He has all the post moves in the world but can also stretch it out to 20 feet. He also shows promise as a post defender, and flashes some passing ability. He averaged nearly 15 and 10 as a senior at Johnson High School in Garden Grove, CA, earning 15 POTG awards.

Frank Stewart, SG, was the 10th ranked prospect in CA, and 137th overall. He comes in as the most polished recruit in the Baggins era. A sniper with range, Stewart pairs perfectly with his high scoring big men cohorts. They create a pick-your-poison scenario for opponents: let Cooper and Parkinson feast below, or pack the paint and let Stewart have a field day? As a HS senior, Stewart averaged 15.4ppg on nearly 50/43% shooting splits, winning POTG honors 11 times.

All three will be redshirting.

Season's Goals
While the Leopards on paper appear to be a middle of the pack team in V.7, hopes are still high for promotion. Lots of size, length, speed, and McCrary on this team. But there are challenges.

Backup big Ken Crook has graduated, and replacing him is the raw RS FR Floyd 'Neverland' Knowles. Knowles has incredible physical dimensions but he'll need to learn the game fast or else second units will take advantage of him.

Likewise, SF defensive stalwart K.J. Ramsey has graduated, along with SG Cedric McClean. These guys all played important roles last season and their absences will be felt.

The depth this year is all in RS FR guard Scott Rossi, SR wingman Doug Sommer, and Knowles. 8 man rotation all year. So guys are going to have to step up, there will have to be good injury luck, and maybe a few V.7 teams will have to falter for the Leopards to promote. But don't bet against the McCrary War Tour!

Dec 16 2021: Gregory Cooper Earns His Spots - by Baggins on October 16th, 2021

La Verne welcomes big man Gregory Cooper to the pride. It was a dogged pursuit for Cooper, who comes from Valdosta, Georgia. "It became an obsession," said Leopards head coach Devin Cline. "I started on him as a freshman but began truly stalking him his junior year. It weighed on the team's budget and, probably my players mind's, as I was constantly catching red-eyes to Georgia after our games."

Cline is generally regarded as one of the best recruiters in the game, but Cooper proved a challenge. "Well, being frank, he simply didn't seem interested in La Verne. And look, we get it. We play at the lowest levels of HW, and he's a big man that shows tremendous promise. He could have been a contributor to any team at any level."

Adding to the complication was that Cooper had academic troubles. "All those ticket prices and nights away from my wife to convince this kid to sign, and then he can't remember his ABC's. Trust me though, he's super smart on the court." Cooper, with the help of a tutor dubiously funded by Leopard alumni, managed to up his grades.

Cooper currently averages 16.5 points and 10.1 rebounds for Central Valdosta High School. He already shows big game as an inside scorer, and coaches are thrilled with his rebounding and defensive potential. But he is more than that. "It's rare you find a guy that size (possibly 7 feet tall when all is said and done) who can handle and pass like that. He can shoot. He puts on strength fast," said Cline.

Cooper is likely to take the mantle from Leopard sensation Herschel McCrary after a redshirt season, by which time McCrary will have graduated. Look for him to be a four year starter. Coach Cline hopes that Cooper will lead the Leopards to the highest levels of Hardwood Basketball.