Spu Coach Turns Misfits Into Winners

By his own admission, Scott Brownrigg's life was "a mess." His mother died of cancer. His father was fighting alcoholism. Once a major-college basketball prospect, the 6-foot-10 Brownrigg lost his zest for the game and he was losing his zest for life.

He was caught in a maze of drugs and alcohol. He quit going to classes at Bellevue Community College and lost a chance to transfer to Gonzaga. He moved to Orange County, Calif., and became the county's tallest drywaller.

"The alcohol and drugs kind of pulled me away from basketball," said Seattle Pacific's starting center after the Falcons' 98-74 win over Western Washington on Monday. "But my problems really started when I was a little kid. I could sit here all day and explain the background, but basically I came from a dysfunctional family.

"The good news is, my dad is back on his feet. He's helped me a lot since I've come back to Seattle."

Two years ago, Brownrigg returned to the Seattle area and began putting his life back together. He stopped his drinking and drug abuse and replaced those habits with a renewed hunger for hoops.

He went searching for a coach who would believe in him. He found SPU's Ken Bone. After sitting out last season, Brownrigg is averaging 6.7 points and 4.1 rebounds a game.

"I talked with the coaches in 1990, but they wanted to wait a year to prove myself before I played here," Brownrigg said. "Day by day, I started to straighten my life out. I don't know where I'd be without hoops right now."

Brownrigg, a 25-year-old junior who played at Mark Morris High in Kelso, is one of the many successful reclamation projects in Bone's vibrant, growing program on Nickerson Street.

In Bone's second season, the Falcons are 21-7 and percentage points ahead of Grand Canyon (Ariz.) for the lead in the NCAA Division II Great Northwest Conference.

"Scott's never questioned anything we've asked of him,' Bone said. "He goes to class every day. He understands this is a last chance for him. On the court, he has the talent, but I think he's a little bit insecure in his abilities. He lacks a positive self-image. We're trying to instill that in him."

In addition to Brownrigg, Bone has resurrected the careers of forward Troy Jammerman, 24, who was hounded by alcohol problems while playing at Skagit Valley College; sophomore center Carl Johnson, 25, who rediscovered basketball this year; and senior guard Anthony Williams, who was unhappy sitting on the Utah bench last year while the Utes went to the NCAA's Sweet 16.

These reclamation projects have helped reclaim SPU basketball.

"The most important thing is their attitude," Bone said. "The other kids have seen, for instance, where Brownrigg has been. Some of the difficulties he has gone through as a person. They see how he's handling those situations now.

"Troy had some off-the-court difficulties at Skagit. But he met a girl at Northwest College (in Kirkland), ended up coming here and he's really helped. Some of these guys have been down at a very young age. Now, they're at SPU. They're appreciated by the other kids on campus, by me and my assistants. Not just as athletes - because that's going to be gone in a couple of years - but as people. That's all they've needed."

Bone is a coach who cares about his players. His caring has translated into wins. SPU basketball is one of the best-kept sports secrets in Seattle.

"We don't write these kids off," Bone said. "We'll give them another opportunity. This is kind of a last chance for many of these kids. But I think coaches can get themselves in trouble if they're not selective in who they bring in. There are a lot of kids that are in other institutions that I don't want any part of, even though they were in the same boat some of our kids have been in.

"I feel I really did my homework when I talked to these kids. I know them, their parents, their whole situation. It's still a gamble, but it's a gamble worth taking. There's something about these kids. They have a little fight in them. They give the team a personality. These kids know what it's like to be down and they're fighting to stay on top.

"Still we have to monitor their personalities almost day-to-day. They may be 24 to 25 years old, but they're still searching to find out who they are, because of where they've been," he said.

SPU still is experiencing growing pains. Every time it has been on the verge of a national ranking, it has lost a close game at home. The Falcons beat Alaska-Anchorage, but lost to Seattle University. After three straight wins, they lost Saturday, in overtime to Chaminade.

"We want to be recognized as the best small-college basketball team in the Northwest, like Central Washington used to be," Bone said. "And then, from there, keep going, West Coast, then nationally. We have the potential to do it, but we need the support."

More seasons such as this. More successful reclamation projects such as Brownrigg, Jammerman, Johnson and Williams, and Seattle Pacific will be recognized, even in the swirl of Seattle sports.

Steve Kelley's column usually appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday in the Sports section of The Times.