Former Mission High basketball star Donald Robinson has finally been cleared to coach the El Camino High boys basketball team, he said. Robinson will make his debut as coach at 5:30 p.m. today at Terra Nova in a PAL-North game. TN is 6-6, 0-1.
“I’m excited, but a little apprehensive,” Robinson said. “The players have been through a lot of changes and it’s not good for them. But I was selected as the head coach and so it is what it is.”
Robinson indicated some sort of hang-up in his processing to become coach held up the official hiring for about three months. Prep2Prep reported in October that Robinson was the pick to be the new coach.
Rhod Banda was set to be the junior varsity coach this season, but was elevated to varsity when Robinson wasn’t cleared in time for the season. Amid the confusion, El Camino has struggled to an 0-10 overall record, 0-1 in league.
It sounds worse than it is, though. Among El Camino’s losses are five close ones – San Mateo (69-67), Balboa (76-71 in overtime), Lowell (61-59), Capuchino (54-51) and Westmoor (61-59). Westmoor was the Colts’ PAL-North opener.
The Colts also have a 2-0 forfeit to Santa Clara listed on their maxpreps.com compilation of results.
“Hopefully we can play hard and finish off some close games,” said the 6-foot-9 Robinson, 57, a San Francisco native. “If we take care of the ball, rebound and play defense, we should have a chance (in the remaining games).”
Robinson was the Academic Athletic Association player of the year in 1977 when the Bears won the league title. They lost to St. Joseph’s (now known as St. Joseph’s Notre Dame) in the Tournament of Champions in Oakland. The TOC was a forerunner to the state basketball tourney.
He then played at the University of Nevada and for 15 years in Europe.
With Robinson finally in place as the varsity coach, Banda has returned to coaching JVs, Robinson said.
El Camino athletic director Jeff Cosico was not immediately available for comment.
