Honkers hires Davis as new basketball coach

Brian Davis is a long way from home.

Luckily, for Yuba City High, home is a relative term.

For the past five years, Davis has nestled into the Yuba-Sutter area, and done so without missing a beat in his most passionate hobby — basketball.

Davis, of Lansing, Mich., took a position at Fremont-Rideout Health Group five years ago, but he also landed a coaching job with the Yuba City High freshman basketball team soon after.

Fast forward to Aug. 24 — the date he was approved to get the Yuba City High head coaching job.

But to Davis, it's hardly a job.

"It's just my passion," he said. "It's just for the love of the game."

Athletic Director John Ithurburn noticed that and was glad to offer him the position.

"He's easy to work with, he's organized and he's a good guy," Ithurburn said.

It's been four seasons of success climbing the ranks for Davis. He assisted and headed a frosh team that won league, a junior varsity team that lost just three games and spent last season assisting former coach Kurt Grahl to one of the Honkers' best seasons in history.

"Yeah, it's been successful," he laughed. "You got it."

But the wins don't come without a firm philosophy.

"No. 1 defense. Defense runs your offense," he said. "And No. 2, push it up the floor as fast as you can."

He'll have an easier time than most conveying that to the Honkers' varsity team this season — he's coached them for the past three years.

"I've got some really good kids," he went on to note a few players he's spent much of his time with, including junior Matt Hayes and seniors Justin Au and Kyle Filter.

"Kyle sees the floor better than anybody I know, and the guys love him for that, because he'll find them if they're open. Justin is just explosive going to the basket.

"And Matt has a great basketball IQ and passion — you can't teach that part."

Davis played in high school and planned on playing in college before suffering from a knee injury that essentially ended his playing career, but he said it was his passion and his father that led him into coaching.

"My father coached me when I played too, so that had a big impact in helping me along," he said.