Wonderful Wizard of Coz

Basketball team prepares for first season in 30 years without Coach Coz

Like father like son…

… and other son.

After winning his 11^th conference title and being named PCAC Coach of the Year, John Cosentino has handed over his basketball dynasty to his boys Anthony and Domenic. The Wizard of Coz leaves behind a legion of admirers. He is leaving the program in good hands with new head coach Anthony Cosentino.

A season will tip-off without John Cosentino at the helm for the first time since 1989.

Guard Marquavian Stephens, 2018 PCAC Player of the Year, and forward Nathaniel Pearson lamented the loss of Coz.

“We were super close, he was like a father figure for me,” Pearson said. “He taught us a lot on- and off-the-court about how to be a college athlete, as well as a man.”

Stephens echoed the sentiment.

“Coach Coz either says a lot or not much,” Stephens said. “You can really tell he is gone and we really miss him. He is a Hall of Fame coach, no doubt.”

Anthony and Domenic Cosentino cut their teeth as assistant coaches. Anthony Cosentino, played for his dad at SC before he joined the coaching staff in 2014.

“I have a lot of pride in this program,” he said. “I grew up in this program, so it is exciting to finally be the leader.”

Cosentino and his staff had to put together an almost entirely new roster as well as a new style of play.

“Although we did lose a lot of guys, we are good in a different way,” he said. “We are a lot bigger and are going to change our style a little. We want to dump inside and dominate the paint.”

Even with turnover, expectations have not changed. Pearson said anything short of a PCAC title is unacceptable.

“I think we are going to win conference for sure,” he said. “It is either state or nothing for me. That is how I am going out this year.”

Cosentino agreed.

“Last year we were able to catch people by surprise,” he said. “The year before we were a .500 team. (Opponents) did not think we were a strong group of guys. Now, I try to communicate to the guys every day that we are going to get everyone’s best effort. We made a lot of noise last year, so our game will be circled on a lot of calenders. We have to be at our best every day.”

Cosentino said he will rely on forwards Anthony Howell, Chaz Penro and guard Raphael Allen. Added to the mix are forwards DJ Jackson, Israel Seals and guard Zach Reiter, all of whom came off redshirt years.

Allen has made a huge impression on coaches and teammates, Cosentino said. Allen said he hopes that his versatility can be a weapon.

“In my position on the team I can help in a lot of different ways,” he said. “I can play the point and run the offense, I can shoot, I can be an extra ball handler, I can score and I can play defense. There are a lot of ways I can contribute, so it will be however coach needs me to do so.”

Allen, who attended Temecula Valley High School, was second-team All-Southwestern League a year ago. He was originally a commit to the University of Saint Katherine’s in San Marcos, but coaching changes made him open up his recruitment and said he knew he was in the right place at SC.

“Originally, I was committed to St.Katherine’s, but when the coach stepped down early in the summer and I did not know what to do,” Allen said. “Coach Domo (Domenic Cosentino) looked me up online and sent me a text. When I came down for my visit I knew right away I wanted to come to Southwestern.”

Seales, who played in 21 games in 2017 and averaged 5.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in only 6.8 minutes per game, figures to be a presence in the paint this season. He is back after dealing with a dislocated patella tendon in his first season. He said his redshirt year helped him get healthy.

“My goal has been to get healthy and play a whole season, and I think that redshirt season really gave me a chance to get ready,” he said.

The Jaguars will be on the prowl to defend their conference crown as well as avenge their three-point loss to state champion Fullerton College in the Southern-California playoffs. Stephens said after that tough loss, the team was at a crossroads.

“The first moments after the game was a little sad, but it was also like, what is next?” Stephens said. “It was me and a few other first-year guys, but it was a large group of sophomores. Then it was just seeing where we are going.”