DEL basketball coaches’ history should lead to fun, fierce match-ups in future

The Desert Empire League basketball season, which doesn't start for nine months, is going to feature a lot of coaches who grew up and played in the valley.

Rancho Mirage head coach Rob Hanmer, the winningest coach in valley history coached two of them - La Quinta new head coach Caleb Gervin and Shadow Hills head coach Ryan Towner.

Gervin is widely considered the best basketball player to come out of the valley, while Towner just won a league and CIF championship in only his 2nd season at Shadow Hills.

As for Justin Sobczyk of Palm Desert, he's friends with Towner and played against Hanmer's coached Cathedral City teams. Later on, he became the head coach at Cathedral City for one season, before moving on to Xavier Prep for three seasons and is now back home with the Aztecs.

Chris Howard at Palm Springs doesn't have many local ties other than being with the Indians for seven years and winning multiple league titles, including recent back-to-back honors. Although this past season was shared with Shadow Hills, both teams finishing 9-1 and defeating each other on their respective home court.

Xavier Prep, you ask? The Saints are still searching for their head coach but am told they should have it finalized soon.

Either way, the DEL boys' basketball season, which doesn't start for some time, should be very competitive.

At the very least, it will be fun with a lot of history meeting the present.