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RUSTY BLAIR- MEN’S BASKETBALL - rblair@cuesta.edu
    In his tenure as head coach Rusty has turned Cuesta College into a force in the state.  He was named to lead the men's basketball program June, 1992.  In 1997, he led Cuesta College to its finest season ever, a 33-5 record and it’s only State Finals appearance.  He has led Cuesta to eight 20-win seasons, six Western State Conference titles and eleven playoff berths in his seventeen seasons as head coach.  He was the WSC Coach of the Year in 1997, 1998, and 2009. Rusty has placed 82 of his student/athletes with scholarships at four-year colleges and universities, including 27 at the NCAA D-1 level.  Rusty came to Cuesta and took over the reins of the basketball program following an extensive playing and coaching career. A 1968 graduate of San Luis Obispo High School, where he was California State High School basketball player of the year/ 1st team All American and a three-year starter at the University of Oregon. He played professionally for 12 seasons in Europe beginning in 1972 and returned briefly to the United States to serve as an assistant coach at Cal Poly SLO and later at Cuesta.    He went back to Europe to play full-time in Belgium and Holland from 1977 until 1985. He averaged 27.2 points and 10.4 rebounds as a professional and in 1984-85 hit a Dutch record 95% of his free throwsDuring the 1978-79 season, Rusty led Europe in scoring with 38.5 points per game.  Rusty coached several teams in Europe and while coaching in Holland's top professional league in 1989 led his team to within one game of the final eight of the European Championships on his way to runner-up Coach of the Year honors.    Rusty earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Oregon and his Master's and teaching credential from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.    He and his wife, Kaatje, have two children, Casey and Kelly.  live in San Luis Obispo.  His daughter Kelly and his son Casey were both all-conference basketball players at Cuesta..

Schedule

2009-10 Men's Basketball Schedule

Roster

Game Notes

Coming Soon....

2009-10 Season Preview

Peter J. Schuler For Immediate Release
SID-Women’s Water Polo Office (805) 546-3211
pschuler@cuesta.edu FAX (805) 546-3299

Defending WSC Champs Host Rabobank Tourney To Open 2009-10

SAN LUIS OBISPO (November 3, 2009)— The Cuesta College Men’s Basketball team won the 2009 Western State Conference and advanced to the post-season for the 11th time under Coach Rusty Blair and the 17th time in the program’s 44 years. The 2010 edition of Cuesta Basketball is in good position to defend that title and return to the playoffs. The Cougars return one of the state’s most potent backcourts and attracted two more international players, by way of Green River College in Washington, to bolster a strong California-based recruiting class. The Cougars are very deep at guard, but depth in the frontcourt will be a concern for the Coach Blair, “Depth is a concern for us, it is tougher to simulate game intensity in practice.” Frontcourt depth and talent has been the key to Cougars’ recent success in the guard-oriented California Community College Athletic Association, but this year they will face their opponents eye-to-eye. The Cougars field only one player over 6-5, compared to four last season. Coach Blair says, “We have three keys to this season. 1. Rebounding: We are small and aggressive. We must block-out and get second shots and keep our opponents from getting offensive rebounds. 2. Effort plays: We must get all the loose balls and take the charge (on defense). 3. We must shoot the ball well.” The execution of these keys to success is expected from a team coached by Blair, but he also noted his team’s high basketball IQ and work ethic as team strengths, but crucially that the leadership of his six sophomores has his team better prepared for the season than he expected. Blair said, “We have installed my entire playbook already. We do not usually do that until at least a month into the season.” These Cougars will get their chance to show what they have learned this week and will look to move to the head of the class and another conference title in 2009-10.
The 2009-10 Cougars will get their first test this weekend when they host the 41st Rabobank Tournament. The Cougars open the event on Friday with Barstow at 7:30 PM. The games begin at 1:30 PM on Friday and the event will run until Sunday with the title game beginning at 4 PM on that day.
Below is a breakdown of the Cougars Roster.
Point Guard- Guard play will be crucial to the Cougars success this season. The starting point job will be in the capable and experienced hands of Swedish star Christian Koutras (Solnastad, Sweden: Igelstavileus Gymnasium). Koutras has been recognized, as the top floor leader in Scandinavia and is a great communicator and leader on the floor. His physical strength as well as his ball handling and passing allows him to run the offense and distribute the ball effectively to the Cougars’ offensive weapons. He was selected to the 2009 All Western State Conference Honorable Mention squad and is one of the premier point guards in the State. He set a Cuesta record with 5.3 assists per game as a freshman and also added a team-high 1.9 steals per game. Koutras, who averaged 5.1 points per game in 2009, is expected to score more this season. Coach Blair says, “He can be too unselfish. He needs to drive to finish more this season and score from the outside.” Three-time All Bay League selection Jonathan Henry (Torrance) will back-up Koutras. Blair says, “He is our most athletic guard, but is still learning to run the system.” Henry can also move to the off-guard spot if needed. Sophomore Alexander Engel (Los Osos: Morro Bay HS) and Dominican University transfer Joel Iventosch (Colfax HS) add versatility and depth to the guard position. Engel redshirted at CSU Monterey Bay before helping the Cougars to the post-season last year. He has been working hard on his outside shot during the off-season and could be the Cougars’ top threat beyond the arc. Iventosch was a two-time All Pioneer Valley League selection before redshirting in 2009. Both players can come off the bench for either guard spot.
Off Guard- 2009 All Western State Conference Honorable Mention choice Roger Guardia (Barcelona, Spain: IES Matadepera) is the Cougars top-returning scorer and is expected to lead the Cougars in scoring this year. Guardia is a polished player, who gives the Cougars an option at any position, but center. He averaged 7.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game in 2009. 2009 redshirt Ralphie Santos (Shafter HS) was injured just before the start of last season, but is healthy for the 2009-10 campaign. He has added some strength in the off-season and adds toughness to the Cougars’ line-up. He is a strong ball handler and has demonstrated the ability to score. Joel Iventosch (Colfax HS) is a smart, hard working player with a strong fundamental grasp of the game. He will be used at both guard positions and will set himself up for the outside jumper when Koutras penetrates the lane. The Cougars will also use Alexander Engel (Los Osos: Morro Bay HS) and Jonathan Henry (Torrance) at the off-guard position.
Small Forward- Green River College transfer Henok Yigzaw (Hallonbergen, Sweden: Solna Gymnasium)) will fill the spot vacated by 2009 All State selection Tom Schumacher (Luxembourg). Blair says, “He is our top shooter and silky smooth. He could emerge as our top scorer.” Yigzaw played in 20 games for Green River in Washington and averaged 10.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per contest. Sophomore Phillip Jimenez (Shafter HS) transferred to Cuesta after a season as a scholarship football player at Southern Utah. His toughness allows him to play either forward or off-guard, despite being only six-feet tall. Blair says, “He has a high basketball IQ and can shoot.” Freshman Carlo Galvez (Los Osos: Morro Bay HS) is an undersized post player, at 6-2, but is physically strong and does all the little things that do not show up in the scorebook. Coach Blair says, “He does the dirty work- blocks out, (gets) loose balls and takes a charge.” The Cougars can also use Roger Guardia (Barcelona, Spain: IES Matadepera) and Ralphie Santos (Shafter HS) at the small forward position.
Power Forward- The Cougars do not have a true center on their roster, so the play of their power forwards will determine much of their success. Sophomore Xavier Mylleville (Oostkamp, Belgium: SHIM) spent the 2009 season playing behind All State Forward Josimar Ayarza (Panama), however he has improved and developed from a role player off the bench into a vocal team leader. Mylleville averaged 2.4 points and 2.4 rebounds and played in every game last year, although he may have played more minutes if he did not average a foul every 6.7 minutes. The Cougars need him on the floor this year. He is their tallest player and can score from both inside and outside. Coach Blair says, “He must be a force! We need him to rebound and shoot from the outside. (We also) need less fouls.” Mylleville is a proven winner. He led his Belgian Club team to back-to-back Flanders Cups in 2005 and 2006 before helping the Cougars to a WSC title last season. The Cougars also return Seth Koenig (Templeton HS) from their 2006 squad. Koenig scored 5.1 points per game on a team loaded with scoring options and helped lead the Cougars to second place in the WSC as a freshman. He will play major minutes for the Cougars this year. Coach Blair noted, “He understands his role and is mature. He can also rebound and defend and is very crafty around the basket.” The Cougars will also use Tomas Jonas (Solnastad, Sweden: Solna Gymnasium) at power forward. Jonas transferred to Cuesta from Green River College, along with Yigzaw, but redshirted and sat out the 2009 season with injuries. He has also been battling pre-season injuries this season, but is on the mend. Blair says, “He is quick and strong and he must get healthy.”
Center- The center position will be taken over by either Xavier Mylleville (Oostkamp, Belgium: SHIM) or Seth Koenig (Templeton HS), however Mylleville is will jump center to start the game because of his height and leaping ability.

Stats

Coming Soon....

Quick Facts/Record

Head Coach: Rusty Blair
Assistant: Ron Barba (1st)
Record/Years: 313-245/ 18th
Office Phone: (805) 546-3100 ext.2703
2008-09 Record: 24-11
2009 WSC Rec/Fin: 9-3/ 1st 2009 Playoffs First Round
Sports Information Director: Pete Schuler (805) 546-3211
Athletic Trainer: ( 805) 546-3225
Athletic Director: Bob Mariucci (805) 546-3100 ext.2709

Archives

Archives

Career Records | Season Records | Log | All State

STATS: 91/92 | 92/93 | 93/94 | 94/95 | 95/96 | 96/97 | 97/98 | 98/99 | 99/00 | 00/01 | 01/02 | 02/03
03/04 | 04/05 | 05/06 | 06/07 | 07/08 | 08/09