Opinion: Fernandez needs to go

Going into the 2005-06 season, the future of the Evergreen Valley basketball program was looking bright with a number of potential Divison I collegiate recruits entering the program. However, these stars failed to see eye to eye with coach Dennis Fernandez and decided to take their talents to other schools. Four years later, the Cougar varsity boys basketball team is struggling through yet another inconsistent and frustrating season. The squad has shown a few flashes of potential, highlighted by a nail-biter 54-52 loss to league title contender Independence. With so much talent on their side, why aren't the Cougars succeeding? More often than not, the team has been held back by the inept leadership of head coach Dennis Fernandez.

Many team members have expressed irritation over Fernandez's offensive game plan, which often relies on the passing abilities of inexperienced guards instead of taking advantage of the play making skills of center Jordan Atkins and swingman Larry Melton. In instances when the things opened up, notably against Silver Creek on January 20, the offense thrived, scoring a season high 82 points. The Cougars have struggled against the half-court trap in game after game, a clear indication of poor preparation on Fernandez's part. The team has also lacked energy in the second half, very likely due to the lack of conditioning done in the preseason. In their first meeting against Independence on January 9, the Cougars were tied with the Sixers heading into the fourth quarter, when the opponents promptly went on a 14-0 run to seal the game.

This season was supposed to be the crowning year of Cougar basketball, when those shining class of 2009 stars were meant to excel in their senior campaign. Instead, the team is again failing to succeed. The players are talented, but they are not being led in the right direction by their coach. It's time to take a look at options for a new leader of the Cougar hoops dynasty.