Men's Basketball
Coaches
Head Coach Rusty Smith returns for his sixth season as Head Coach of the Men’s Basketball program after five successful seasons. Hired just days before the school year started in 2001, Rusty guided the team to an overall record of 24-11 finishing third in the rugged Central Valley Conference with a record of 10-4. Year two saw similar success as the team went 19-12 overall and 11-3 in conference, good enough for second behind eventual state runner-up, Fresno City. In the state playoffs that year, the Giants defeated Shasta College 84-64 at home before losing in the second round to Santa Rosa. During the 2003 season it all came together in what would be a record-breaking year in COS’ illustrious basketball history. The team finished with an overall record of 28-3, advancing to the state’s Final Four in San Diego where the team lost a heartbreaker to eventual state champion Compton College. After going 14-14 and 8-6 in conference in 2005, last year’s team finished with an overall record of 23-10, and a second place conference record of 12-2. The Giants fell in the state playoff round of 16. The 6’7” Smith is no stranger to big-time college athletics. As a collegiate at El Camino College, he was a two-time all-conference player averaging 24 points a game as a sophomore. From there, he accepted a scholarship to attend Montana State. After college, he embarked on a seven-year professional basketball career in West Germany-five years in Aschaffenburg and two more seasons in Hamburg. Upon his return to the states in 1983, Rusty began the first of seven years as an assistant at Northridge. It was there that he met and married his wife, Susan. He also finished his BA degree in Physical Education and earned his Master’s degree in Sports Psychology while at CSUN. In 1990, Smith moved on to Eastern Washington where he spent 5 seasons. In 1995, he moved on to the University of California, Riverside as the top assistant to long-time coach John Masi. In addition to his coaching duties, Smith is a full-time instructor in the Physical Education and Health division. Rusty and Susan live in Visalia and have four children, Jade, Perry, Allison and Kimberle Rose.
Assistant Coach- LeRohn J. Dodson
LeRohn Dodson returns for his second season at COS. He began his basketball playing career just down the highway at Tulare Western High School in 1988. As a four-year starter, he was a 3-time all-leaguer, was named all-state, and set over 8 school records. He ranks among California’s all-time career 3-point leaders. LeRohn moved on to Cal State Fullerton from 1991-1992 before returning home to play for John Boragno from 1992-1994. He captained the Giants in his second season while scoring in double digits per game. Eastern Washington University gave LeRohn the opportunity to play for then-assistant Rusty Smith. With his BA in Sociology, emphasizing Juvenile Delinquency, he moved to back to Tulare County to work in the probation office for four years. In 2003, he opened Holland’s Hope Group Home. LeRohn recently relocated back to the Valley after a near fatal accident in June which left him with a broken neck and back. Before the accident, he served as the Director of Basketball Operations for Tarkanian Basketball Academy. He still works with Adidas’ Grassroots Basketball and NBA Division as well as being a partner in Elite Pro Sports Marketing Group of Las Vegas and Boston. He coaches EBO/EA Sports AAU club basketball featuring 8 NBA players, 14 McDonald’s All-Americans, and over 100 Div. I players.