Monarchs Nab Brown

by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports Richmond

Meadowbrook didn't look too far to find its next boys basketball coach.

Ksaan Brown is the man, an eight-year assistant under newly-retired coach John B. Gordon III.

Brown, 36 and a Hermitage High graduate, spent two years with Gordon at Armstrong and moved to Meadowbrook along with Gordon for the 2002-03 season.

He's helped Gordon develop Meadowbrook into an elite program since, waiting patiently behind Gordon and even turning down a head job before last season.

"I thought last year I might get an opportunity to get this same job," said Brown, but Meadowbrook let Gordon coach one more season though he was an administrator. "I actually turned down a job at Charles City [High School] because I thought I might have an opportunity to get this job here and fortunately I was able to get it."

The cupboard is not bear, though Paul Finn Jr. (headed to Coastal Georgia) and Quinton Doggett (Western Oklahoma State) are headed to junior colleges.

Sophomores Andrew Simmons and Harry West, and junior Malcolm Aiken should lead the backcourt.

Junior forwards Doug Brewer and Sterling Martin will also be back to help in the paint. Brown is hoping to lure football standout Morgan Moses to the hardwood to help last season's 15-8 squad.

"We're going to be an aggressive defensive team," Brown said. "We're going to look to run, a lot.

"The goal for the first year is hopefully to win the district. I realize to do that all roads go through Petersburg. Our goal here is to build a team and a program that can consistently compete with Petersburg, the front runner for the last two years."

OTHER VACANCIES

There are many other openings in boys basketball in the Central Region.

James River, Deep Run, Clover Hill, Varina, Monacan and L.C. Bird's spots are open.

Chuck Thomas, an assistant under the retired Chuck Tester, should be the guy to step in at Bird.