All-League Spotlight: Capital Christian's Brian Simmons and Matt Donlan

Three years of practice has added up to a lot of running for Brian Simmons.

“He’s run about from Sacramento to Dallas for us,” said Phil Oates, head coach of the varsity boys basketball team.

Simmons, the team’s leading scorer and a senior at the school, was named most valuable player of this season’s “all-league” team in the Golden Empire League. He led the Cougars in scoring, averaging 17 points per game, according to MaxPreps.com.

His total points for the season–426–turned out to be the fifth-most in the school’s history. And the four players ahead of him all earned full rides to schools like the University of the Pacific and the University of Memphis, Oates said.

As for Simmons, Oates recalled a game at the practice gym Basketball Town when Simmons, a freshman at the time, caught his attention.

“He made–as a freshman–a move along the baseline that was just fantastic,” Oates said. “I remember thinking, ‘Yeah, this kid’s going to be pretty good.’ ”

Oates called Simmons a “great leader” and said one of his best traits has always been his strength.

Junior Matt Donlan also awarded all-league spot

Simmons wasn’t the only talented player on the Cougars’ roster this season, and junior Matt Donlan has also been recognized with a spot on the all-league team.

“Matt is just a terrific shooter, and when he’s feeling the rhythm of the game … he’s a big-time shooter,” Oates said. “That combined with Brian’s inside game–he gave us a great outside option.”

Donlan, a six-foot-five player with what Oates called “a huge armspan,” was second in scoring for Capital Christian, averaging 15.4 points per game, according to MaxPreps.com.

Oates said Donlan also averaged 40 percent from the three-point line and 80 percent in free throws, but he’ll be looking to him to develop more moves next season.

“We know he can shoot,” he said. “[I] think he needs to develop two or three other options off that shot.”

Oates also pointed out the high GPAs earned by the school’s basketball players.

“Sixty percent of our team made academic all-league,” he said. “Not only did they excel on the floor, but they [also] excelled in the classroom.”