Kellerman’s Brave world
The spotlight from the NCAA men’s basketball tournament has nothing on the bright lights from a high school state tournament.
“They’re different,” said Brian Kellerman, who has experienced both. “But every parent will tell you it’s more satisfying to see a smile on your kid’s face for what they accomplished than what you did.”
At the moment, Kellerman, a standout on Idaho’s 1982 NCAA Sweet 16 team, has plenty to smile about.
The La Conner Braves are in the State 2B girls basketball tournament in Spokane for just the third time, and the first time in 25 years. Kellerman’s daughter, Cora, who will play volleyball at Eastern Washington University, is a starter for the Braves, who play Shoreline Christian in a loser-out game at 12:30 p.m. today.
As a coach, Kellerman has plenty of surrogate kids – and even more than most since he and Scott Novak are co-coaches for the girls and boys team, which is also at state and plays a loser-out game against Darrington at 2:30 p.m. today.
“It sounds crazy, but it’s a nice balance,” Kellerman said. “Girls are definitely different than boys. They’re all ears. With boys sometimes you’re coaching with a bat.”
Kellerman is exaggerating, but if there is a “bat,” it’s Kellerman’s chops, earned from a five-year professional career after his time with the Vandals, highlighted by a junior season that saw them earn a Top 10 ranking, a high enough seed in the NCAA tournament to earn a first-round bye and a win to reach the Sweet 16.
“I think it does (help) a little, especially with the boys,” he said. “That stuff’s on YouTube. They’re aware. We have a pretty good trust factor and Scott’s been around 18 years.”
For those who saw those Vandals play, they might have thought they were seeing things with Jason Lindeman showing a smooth Kelleresque jumper for the Braves, lighting up Wellpinit for 37 points in an 81-68 win on Wednesday.
“(Kellerman) definitely doesn’t say anything (about his past),” Lindeman said. “He can tell you something about every situation. It almost goes over your head. He knows so much about basketball. If you listen to him, you can get so much better.”
Before Idaho, Kellerman won a state championship at Richland. Then he was part of Don Monson’s rebuilding program with the Vandals, which peaked with a 27-3 season and a win over Lute Olson’s Iowa team in the 1982 NCAA tournament.
“Brian Kellerman was the catalyst, he was the glue,” Monson said after visiting with his former star before Thursday’s 60-50 loss to Liberty Bell in the quarterfinals. “I followed Brian when he didn’t coach. He is a special person. What used to be a coach-player relationship became a friendship. I think of him as a special friend.”
When Kellerman finished playing with Athletes in Action, after stints in England and Turkey, Kellerman, a software salesman, settled in La Conner, his wife’s hometown.
“Once the kids started school, we kind of locked in,” he said.
Coaching youth basketball soon followed.
Kellerman was assisting Novak as his son Quentin, who graduated last year after a trip to state and is a student at Eastern Washington, went through school. The coaches were approached by the superintendent to take on double duty when the girls’ position opened unexpectedly.
“The intent was to do it for one year,” Kellerman said. “I think we’re in it for the long run. Our wives probably think different, but they’ve been very supportive.”