Bobby Jackson found himself in a predicament Friday night, balancing his roles as father and uncle with his new job as a coach.

Jackson watched his nephew, Sherron Bradford, run the point for Granite Bay High School in a tournament game against Burbank. And his son, Kendrick Jackson, is a combo guard on Granite Bay's junior varsity.

Jackson, an assistant coach for the Kings, smiled, then shook his head when analyzing both. Jackson, as Kings fans recall, knew only only one way to compete as a player – frenetic at both ends of the floor – so imagine the scowl when Jackson talked about his nephew and son.

"They're good players, great students, but still learning the game, and I just really want them to be aggressive all the time," Jackson said. "You can't be passive in this game, or you'll get beat bad.

"It doesn't mean you have to shoot on offense, but you can still be aggressive without the ball."

Jackson said he had a lot of time to study his son and nephew during the NBA lockout.

"Now in the games, it is hard to watch," Jackson said. "I'm coaching in my head."

Bradford, a quick 6-foot junior, is more steady than star, and Jackson reminds him that role players can still influence games. Bradford wears jersey No. 24, Jackson's number with the Kings.

Kendrick Jackson, a 6-2 freshman, might soon dwarf his dad if he keeps growing. Kendrick's jersey number?

"Wears No. 21, and I don't understand that," Bobby Jackson said.

Cal bonanza?

Cal football hosted several local recruits Saturday, and landing them on national letter-of-intent day in February could help give the Bears a top-10 recruiting class.

Safety Shaq Thompson of Grant and linemen Steven Moore of Elk Grove and Arik Armstead of Pleasant Grove made the trek to Berkeley.

Thompson is in Washington, D.C., until today as part of a U.S. Army National Player of the Year tour (he is a finalist). Thompson visited children at the Boys & Girls Club, and he laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Et cetera

• Former Grant football stars Dezmon Epps and Darvin McCauley helped lead national No. 1 City College of San Francisco past Mount San Antonio College 55-45 in the California Community College State Championship on Saturday.

Epps, a wide receiver, caught a 40-yard touchdown pass, and McCauley, a cornerback, had an interception.

• Angus McClure, a former lineman and position coach for Sacramento State, was in the area last week for home recruiting visits as a UCLA assistant coach. With Jim Mora now the Bruins' head coach, it's uncertain which assistants will be retained next season.

Area prospects such as Moore, tight end Nate Iese of Sheldon and cornerback Marcus Rios of Cosumnes Oaks – and their fathers – have raved about McClure.

• Longtime football power Montana plays top-ranked Sam Houston State in a Football Championship Subdivision semifinal Friday. The Grizzlies' secondary includes former Sierra College teammates Houston Roots of Rio Linda and Kevin Frank Jr. of Elk Grove High.

In a light moment recently, Roots said the most interesting class he has taken at Montana is "Gender and Society" in the Women's and Gender Studies program.

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