Prep boys’ basketball: Behind a familiar new head coach, Del Oro deals Placer first loss
Mark Lee and Geoff Broyles have been at this for years now.
The head basketball coaches of two longtime Placer County rivals, Lee of Placer and Broyles of Del Oro, understand the grind. They both have had the double duties of drawing up plays on the sidelines and juggling all the rigorous responsibilities on their athletic directors’ desks. They’ve built a rivalry based on mutual respect.
“Geoff and I go way back,” Lee said of his former Sierra Foothill League mate. “He’s a very good man and a very good coach.”
Lee began coaching in the Sacramento region in the early 1980s with Rio Americano and won a Sac-Joaquin Section championship with San Juan in the 1993–94 season. But he’s called Placer home for the past 27 seasons. It’s where he coached his sons, Austin and Jackson, an accolade unlike any championship banner hanging inside Earl Crabbe Gymnasium.
“Mark does a really good job with his kids,” Broyles said. “They always play incredibly hard. They’re super fundamental. They knock shots down. They play the full 32 minutes. They never beat themselves.”
Broyles, who also coached his sons, Nick, Taylor and Jordan, took a break from the hardwood after 16 years as Del Oro’s head coach, a majority of those years spent simultaneously as the Golden Eagles’ AD. Broyles handed the reins to one of his former players, 2006 Del Oro alum Luke Vaughn, before the 2018–19 season.
“It was tough sledding being an AD and being the head varsity coach,” Broyles said. “It was draining.”
After three seasons coaching his alma mater, Vaughn stepped away to start a business venture before this season. Broyles stepped in once again to rekindle that competitive fire. This time, he leaves the Del Oro AD post to former longtime Golden Eagles tennis coach – and Placer High School Athletic Hall-of-Famer – Jill Butler.
“I’m as competitive as ever,” said Broyles, who’s No. 16 Golden Eagles won their fourth straight and handed No. 18 Placer its first loss of the season Tuesday night in Earl Crabbe Gym, 74-57.
Junior Brandon Hill led all scorers with 18 points on 7-of-7 shooting while grabbing eight rebounds. Jaylen Hawkins had 12 points and five steals, Collin Fenner added 12 points and Austin Swedensky 10 for the Golden Eagles.
Del Oro (7-3) recently swept through the Mark Macres Tournament at Monterey Trail, defeating Nevada’s Damonte Ranch, the host Mustangs and Pleasant Grove in an overtime revenge game from earlier this season. Sophomore Caden Pinnick, who scored nine against Placer, was named the Macres Tourney MVP.
And we haven’t even mentioned the team’s leading scorer yet. Senior forward Jared Gode averages 13.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game. He had a career-best 30 points in a win over Oakmont on Dec. 2.
“We have a lot of kids who, night in and night out, contribute,” Broyles said. “There’s not a guy or two that we have to rely on. We have a number of kids who can all step up and make plays.”
Del Oro won two total SFL games during Broyles’ absence from the bench. The Golden Eagles look to restore the prominence that last saw them atop of the league perch in 2014.
“We’re going to shock some people,” Hawkins said. “Del Oro is here. That’s all I’ve got to say. Del Oro is here.”
Placer, meanwhile, started with eight straight wins. Lee can’t recall the last time one of his Hillmen teams began that hot. Placer won the Harlan Carter Tournament in Redding and the Ron Pritchard Tournament in Live Oak. Junior combo guard Garret Dutro (19.9 points per game) was the MVP of both. He had 15 for the Hillmen Tuesday against Del Oro.
The Hillmen are defensive-minded and disciplined under Lee. Brothers Anthony (senior forward) and Ben Manley (sophomore point guard) and guards Leo Garcia and Cowen Meyer also figure into the Placer rotation. Before Tuesday’s loss, Placer was outscoring its opponents by nearly 30 points and dishing out 23 assists per game.
“They’re just overachievers,” Lee said of his team. “They work hard and play well together as a team. There’s great chemistry and excellent leadership amongst them.”
The Hillmen face another big test this weekend at the Don Nelson Classic in Dublin before preparing for its annually treasured host tournament. The Kendall Arnett Tournament is said to be the longest-standing prep tourney west of the Mississippi. The “Kendall” was unable to be played last season for the first time in 50 years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year’s field (the 79th in its long history) includes Placer, Del Oro, Bear River, Colfax, Del Campo, Nevada Union, Rio Americano and Foothill of Palo Cedro and runs from Dec. 28–30.
Del Oro heads to Davis High School this weekend for the Les Curry Invitational.
This story was originally published December 15, 2021 at 7:45 AM.