Briefs: VU men’s basketball adds trio

Vanguard University men’s basketball has added three recruits recently, including former senior guard Jaamon Echols, whose collegiate stops include NCAA Division I Texas A&M Corpus Christi.

Echols, averaged 16.9 points and 3.7 rebounds in 15 games last season at Western Washington University, an NCAA Division II school, before leaving the program in early February due to personal reasons.

The 6-foot Echols averaged 3.1 points in 21 games as a freshman at Texas A&M Corpus Christi in 2010-11.

He played the 2011-12 season at Odessa Junior College in Texas, where he averaged 11.3 points per game and shot 45.7% from three-point range (48 for 105).

He did not play for two seasons, before landing at Western Washington last season. Echols has one season of eligibility remaining.

Echols was a four-year varsity starter at Rainer Beach High in Washington, where the all-state performer helped the team win a state championship in 2008.

“Jaamon is a high-level impact guard for us who knows what it takes to compete and win at a high level,” Vanguard Coach Rhett Soliday said. “He has played in outstanding programs everywhere he’s been and that will only add to his ability to take his experiences and translate them into leadership on the court with the rest of our team. Jaamon is a fiery competitor who works hard on his game. He will no doubt have a tremendous impact on our program in a short amount of time.”

Additional recruits include Brandon Brothers out of Glendora High, and Aubrey Myers, a transfer from Los Angeles Harbor Community College.

Brothers, a 6-4 guard, averaged 20 points and six rebounds en route to first-team All-CIF Southern Section recognition last season.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled to add Brandon to our basketball family,” Soliday said. “He represents all that we desire to have in our program in terms of character, toughness, and a real passion for the game. God has blessed Brandon with amazing gifts and we are thankful he will put these on display for Vanguard University over the next four years.”

Myers, a 6-4 guard who is originally from Alaska, averaged 6.4 points and 3.9 rebounds last season at L.A. Harbor, for which he played 27 games and made five starts. He is known for his defense, Soliday said.

— From staff reports

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OCC schedule stacked

The Orange Coast College football schedule for 2015 includes seven teams ranked in the top 12 of the Southern California Football Assn. National Division’s final regular-season poll last year.

Second-year coach Kevin Emerson is hoping to improve upon a 3-7 campaign in 2014, which included a 42-41 season-ending win over Grossmont.

The Pirates open on Sept. 5 at Chaffey, which was 6-5 last season, tied for No. 9 in the National Division and lost to Bakersfield in the Western State Bowl.

Cerritos, which defeated Santa Barbara in the Golden State Bowl to finish 8-3, was ranked No. 6 in the division last season. The Falcons will play OCC in its home opener, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m.

Moorpark (2-8 last season), plays at OCC on Sept. 19, before the Pirates open Southern Conference play on Sept. 26 against host Fullerton, which finished 8-3 after losing in the SoCal Bowl to Mt. San Antonio. The Hornets were ranked No. 4 in the National Division at regular-season’s end in 2014.

Los Angeles Pierce, which OCC defeated, 49-10, last year, will play host to OCC on Oct. 10 in a nonconference game, followed by an Oct. 17 home date against conference foe Palomar.

Palomar was 7-4 last season and finished with a Patriotic Bowl win over Glendale after tying for the No. 9 spot in the National Division poll.

Saddleback (5-5 and ranked No. 11 in the National Division) plays at OCC on Oct. 24 at 1 p.m.

Santa Ana, which OCC topped, 36-30, last season, plays host to the Pirates on Oct. 31 at 1 p.m.

Arch-rival Golden West is the home team at LeBard Stadium in the annual West-Coast Showdown, Nov. 7 at 6 p.m. The Rustlers were 7-4 last season, including a Beach Bowl setback against Long Beach. Golden West, which drugged OCC last season, 55-7, was ranked No. 5 in the National Division.

OCC’s regular-season finale is at home against Grossmont on Nov. 14. The Griffins were 4-6 last season, but finished No. 12 in the National Division poll.

— From staff reports

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OCC trio moves on

Former Orange Coast College standouts Danielle Boyette, Sierra Brown and Kasse-Ann Diriu-Dela Cruz have found homes in four-year college programs, Pirates Coach Chuck Cutenese announced recently.

Boyette, a first-team All-Orange Empire conference setter as a sophomore in 2014, will compete at Dickinson State University in North Dakota.

Brown, a Newport Harbor High graduate and a 5-foot-8 sophomore outside hitter for the Pirates in 2014, will play at the University of Redlands.

Diriu-Dela Cruz will play at Chaminade University in Hawaii.

Boyette, who transferred to OCC from Irvine Valley, had 665 assists and 161 digs for the Pirates. She added 30 kills and 22 aces.

Brown earned second-team all-conference recognition in 2013, had a team-best 196 kills in 2014, to go along with 161 digs and 22 aces. With 470 career kills, she ranks No. 10 in program annals.

Diriu-Dela Cruz had 149 digs, 16 assists and 15 aces as a part-time starter in 2014.

OCC has sent 22 players to four-year schools since 2009.

— From staff reports