Las Positas Basketball: We're Open!

Basketball is finally back in session at "The Nest."
The Las Positas men’s basketball team will return to its gym on Monday, March 8 for the first time in over a year, engaging in modified non-contact drills and workouts under a detailed composite of safety and hygienic protocols and testing.
LPC athletic director and men’s coach James Giacomazzi was jubilant when word came early Thursday that Las Positas could resume indoor sports activities. The college received the green light from the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District and Alameda County following revised reopening guidelines from the state.
The team has been doing what it can outdoors, following rules and restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Now players can be indoors, and there’s a tremendous sense of accomplishment and relief in switching from asphalt to hardwood floors.
“We are thrilled ... we had a little party here,” Giacomazzi said. “The staff is excited. For me as the athletic director I am happy for the greater good, for all our athletes.
“Everybody had a hand in this success; none happens without the support of the administration ... the chancellor and vice chancellor … everybody,” he added. “They were all so supportive and encouraging every step of the way.”
To be cleared to return indoors, Las Positas passed a comprehensive 10-step approval process. That involved trainers, the athletic director, dean, vice-president, president, vice chancellor, an outside industrial hygienist consulting service (FACS) and three doctors designated by Alameda County.
“This took months of work and months of approval,” Giacomazzi said.
Beyond practices, the plan is to have a couple of scrimmages in May, Giacomazzi said. With a lack of other basketball programs opting not to play games this school year, the scrimmage approach makes the most sense.
The long road back saw LPC being able to work out outdoors starting in August. They reached the third phase of a four-tiered workout program before things were shut down again in December. They attained phase 4 this past week, in which equipment can be shared when necessary.
There will be temperature testing, a rigorous sanitation process and a daily screening for players to get admitted to the gym, among other processes. Players are required to show their latest test results to trainers, sanitize their hands, and must wear face coverings unless they are a huge distance apart or in an activity of great physical exertion, Giacomazzi said.
There has been COVID-19 testing of 100 percent of LPC athletes every Monday and Thursday since January.
There’s plenty of sports action as spring is arriving. Giacomazzi said six of the nine sports at Las Positas have opted to compete. Women’s basketball and women’s volleyball are also opting out this time, he said, with both planning for a summer return.
Men’s and women’s soccer games are slated for the second week of March, with men’s water polo also going and then women’s water polo the following week. Swimming and diving are a go as well. The excitement is palpable.
“They know they are fortunate to be able to do this and appreciate the efforts of so many who made this happen,” Giacomazzi said.
New assistant coaches
As the Hawks return to their indoor home, two new assistant coaches can now be on the basketball court with the players for the first time.
Anthony Gonzalez and Everson Lacerda join Giacomazzi — head coach since 2015 — and fellow assistant Spencer Wood. They replace Jordan Whittenburg, who has moved to Idaho, and Hakeem Ward, now in North Carolina.
Gonzalez, who is the top assistant, grew up in Suisun City. He played basketball at Vacaville High and later in college at San Diego Christian, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Communication. His pursuits took him to England, where he earned a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Management at the University of Nottingham.
Before arriving at Las Positas, Gonzalez spent a year as the top assistant coach at Prolific Prep, the Napa-area elite basketball academy. There he worked with the likes of Jalen Green, the phenom who is expected to be among the very top picks in the 2021 NBA Draft.
“I’m really excited about being around Coach James,” Gonzalez said. “He has a great track record, and we met previously and spent time getting to know each other in the last couple years, and then everything just fell into place. Las Positas has huge community support. When you see the extent they go through especially to get sports back on campus, it is awesome.”
“Anthony is really good with the guys,” Giacomazzi said. “He really works hard. He’s all that was advertised and more.”
Gonzalez sees his mission with the players as this:
“They need someone to believe in them, to encourage them that they can do things on and off the court,” Gonzalez said. While encouragement is important, so is being realistic about putting in the work.
“They need to know it is not easy, and this is not for everyone. If you don’t enjoy this, don’t do this,” he said.
As a youth growing up in Brazil, Lacerda naturally gravitated to soccer. As he grew, eventually reaching 6-foot-11, he was steered toward volleyball. “But when I was trying to play it, I saw the basketball court and I said, ‘I think I like that game more.’”
He came to the U.S. hoping to play collegiately at Kansas, and started in the junior college ranks in that state. His journey took him to Stockton and the University of the Pacific, where he played on the team that won the Big West championship. From there he played at St. Thomas University in Miami on a team that won the Sun Conference championship, and went on to play professionally for seven years. Lacerda’s soccer knowledge is an applicable fit to basketball.
“I believe if you see the best players these days, their footwork is amazing, so we try to reinforce use of the correct footwork,” Lacerda said.
Both new assistants are elated to be able to work with their players in the gym.
“It is that piece that we are looking for, to be there in the gym, and that is very exciting,” Lacerda said. “They know that they do have to follow guidelines. It is a big move forward, but what is most important is safety.”
Gonzalez sees the excitement from players about going back to their natural habitat, instead of working outdoors, as well as they tried.
“It’s nice to be on the track, but they are not necessarily track and field athletes,” he said. “A few weeks back I made the comment that I’m looking forward to seeing the guys in their element. And now this is happening.”

Academic kudos
The Las Positas men’s basketball team landed six members on the Academic All-State team, the most recipients of any state community college for its sport. To land the honor by the California Community College Athletic Association, student-athletes need to have a GPA of 3.5 or higher and at least 24 units passed. Leading the way with 4.0 GPAs are redshirt freshman Lee Jones Jr. from Serra High in San Mateo and sophomore Drew Mork from Freedom High in Oakley. Considering the challenges of distance learning, this accomplishment is “awesome” a thrilled Giacomazzi remarked.
With LPC graduate Michael Hayes — now at Chico State — getting state co-player of the year honors for the last season, it makes seven men’s basketball players who earned all-state honors in some regard in the past year.
Across Las Positas’ nine sports and 130 student-athletes, it has been an exceptional time considering the challenges of classrooms being close and having to study online.
“It’s not just basketball; if you look at our grades across the board, as an athletic department we had a 3.31 GPA in the fall. I was shocked and so happy, because I know there are so many struggling students out there. I’m tickled pink.”

Story by Mike Wood

MS Media