Superman leads Coyotes to CCAA championship

Cal State San Bernardino junior center Brandon Brown is a lot like Shaq. OK so he isn't quite as big as Shaq and we're not talking about players at the same level. But he is a lot like the former Laker player in the personality department.

The Coyotes (20-9) had just polished off Monterey Bay 80-78 in the CCAA Tournament finale and the team photos had been taken with the championship banner. Brown then grabbed the banner, flung it around his shoulders like a cape and started racing around the Coussoulis Arena floor.

Definitely something Shaq would do.

Coach Jeff Oliver called his star player "a big kid" after the game.

Brown poured in 34 points from all points on the floor. Most of those points came in the paint but he hit a couple of fadeaway jumpers and had a couple shots from the baseline in the final minute that were huge.

Brown scored the first 12 points of the game for the Coyotes. Asked afterward if the Coyotes game plan was to go to him often early, he replied.

"Not not really, I was just feeling juicy."

Uh-huh, something Shaq would say.

Hard to believe he wasn't named MVP of the conference. All he did was lead the CCAA in scoring and blocks and place third in rebounding. And his team tied for the regular season title, making the eighth time the Coyotes have finished first in the last 10 years.

That honor went to Cal Poly Pomona's Larry Gordon who is rounding out a stellar career with the Broncos. But his numbers were down this year. It isn't a career award, it's a player of the year honor and no player did more for his team, especially down the stretch than Brown.

In a few hours the Coyotes and the Broncos will find out where they're headed for the West Region Tournament. It would be great if the Broncos got the nod. They were in position to do so until laying an egg against Monterey Bay Friday in the semifinal.