On April 21, Justin Downer celebrated turning 31 with a family dinner at Puesto. Filet mignon tacos and a nice window seat made the evening special, but what really pushed the day over the top for Downer, was that afternoon\u2019s announcement that he would be succeeding outgoing head coach, Matt Logie, as the next Point Loma Nazarene men\u2019s basketball coach.<\/p>\n
\u201cI suppose the job was a nice present,\u201d Downer said.<\/p>\n
Logie departs PLNU after four seasons as the Sea Lions’ head man, putting together an impressive 82-23 record with two Pac West Tournament titles and four straight appearances in the NCAA West Regionals. He was named head coach at Division I Montana State University.<\/p>\n
Big shoes to fill for Downer, who spent the previous season as an assistant coach on Logie\u2019s staff.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I joined staff, we had conversations that at some point I would have the opportunity to interview for this job, but certainly [I didn\u2019t think] after only a year being here,\u201d Downer said. \u201cI don\u2019t ever expect a handout \u2013 that hasn\u2019t been my career or my life. I expect to earn everything that I get.\u201d<\/p>\n
Downer is young but hardly inexperienced. Prior to PLNU, he spent three seasons as an assistant at Division I, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Before that, he was on staff at NAIA Vanguard University, and worked as an associate head coach at Riverside Poly High School, coaching current San Diego State point guard Lamont Butler.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not old, but I would tell you my coaching career started much before that,\u201d Downer said. \u201cI was at a different place at 23 than maybe a guy who was trying to decide if he wanted to get into coaching.\u201d<\/p>\n
Downer, a native of North Bend, Wash., played at William Jessup University, as a three-point specialist.<\/p>\n
“I am thrilled for Justin to be the new leader of our men’s basketball program,” PLNU athletic director Ethan Hamilton said in a press release. “His passion, depth of character, and faith set him apart from several qualified candidates. I am confident he will build on the great foundation that’s been laid by so many before him.”<\/p>\n
\u201cHe leads with love and cares relentlessly about the well-being of student-athletes,\u201d added outgoing assistant coach Julius Smith, who is joining Logie at Montana State. \u201cCoupled with his competitive fire, his family-based mentality, and strong faith, make him more than ready to lead Point Loma.\u201d<\/p>\n
Downer\u2019s first two challenges at the helm are hiring a new staff \u2013 something he expects to happen imminently \u2013 and filling the hole that graduating senior, All-American Kaden Anderson, leaves behind.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe obvious answer is there is nobody we can recruit who will be Kaden Anderson next year; there is nobody on the roster who can be Kaden Anderson,\u201d Downer said. \u201cBut there is a roster of guys right now that are returning and I think a lot of people are going to be surprised at how good our role players are in a larger role. I am tremendously excited about our young talent.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last season, two of the teams\u2019 top three leading scorers \u2013 Luke Haupt and Brian Goracke \u2013 were sophomores.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are going to have to do it by committee, but I believe a group of two or three guys can replace Kaden\u2019s 23 points and 10 rebounds per game,\u201d Downer said.<\/p>\n
Downer\u2019s relationship with Logie goes back a decade. Philosophically, he said, there will be overlap and continuity, but that doesn\u2019t mean there won\u2019t be changes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve known Matt since I was 21,\u201d Downer said. \u201cWe have built this relationship for ten years, so I think our program-values align. But we have only ever coached together for one year. I think the similarities are the type of player and character and that team first ball. I\u2019ve coached nine other years at other places, so there will be some different offensive and defensive schemes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Downer is the 16th head coach in PLNU program history. The previous three coaches were all plucked away by Division I programs, following short tenures with the Sea Lions.<\/p>\n
\u201cSmall college coaches are outstanding coaches,\u201d former PLNU head coach and NBA player John Block said. \u201cTheir (PLNU) last several coaches have gone DI. That\u2019s kind of the way things are. A lot of coaches look at Point Loma and DII\u2019s as stepping stones to a DI job.\u201d<\/p>\n
The pursuit of a bigger opportunity, according to Downer, didn\u2019t factor into his pursuit of the PLNU job.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am very mission-based and purpose driven,\u201d Downer said. \u201cI align with Point Loma very closely. I\u2019ve never felt more comfortable around people and on a college campus than I am here. When I got done playing, I wanted to be a high school coach somewhere for 35 years. I feel like I found my calling here. I look forward to being at Point Loma for a long time.\u201d<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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