BJ Porter returns to Weber State with Antelope Valley
University of Antelope Valley assistant men's basketball coach BJ Porter returns to coach against Weber State University at the Dee Events Center in Ogden on November 19, 2015. Porter is a former Weber State basketball player and a former Layton Christian Academy player and girls basketball coach.
Antelope Valley assistant coach BJ Porter (right) talks with head coach Brad Rogers (left) during halftime against Weber State at the Dee Events Center in Ogden on November 19, 2015. Porter was a former Weber basketball player and coached girls basketball at the Layton Christian Academy.
Antelope Valley assistant coach BJ Porter returns to coach against Weber State at the Dee Events Center in Ogden on November 19, 2015. Porter was a former Weber basketball player and coached girls basketball at the Layton Christian Academy.
Antelope Valley assistant coach BJ Porter returns to coach against Weber State at the Dee Events Center in Ogden on November 19, 2015. Porter was a former Weber basketball player and coached girls basketball at the Layton Christian Academy.
OGDEN — The transition from 2-A girls basketball coach in northern Utah to assistant men’s basketball coach at a college in California is no small one, but BJ Porter is loving it.
“It’s scouting, the administrative stuff in the office, the hours – it’s a lot different, but it’s fun. It’s basketball,” said Porter, who played at Layton Christian Academy and was the girls basketball coach there last year before taking an assistant coaching position at the University of Antelope Valley.
Porter was back in Ogden Thursday as his Pioneers took on Weber State, where Porter played the 2010-11 season in between stints at the University of Portland and Azusa Pacific University near Los Angeles.
“It feels good. It’s a little bit weird right now, just because of being a player and now being a coach here,” Porter said.
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First year Antelope Valley coach Brad Rogers became aware of Porter through an assistant coach at Arizona Christian University, Brandon Dunson, who played with Porter at Azusa Pacific. Dunson gave Porter a positive recommendation, and knowing himself how hard it can be to break into the collegiate coaching ranks, Rogers decided to give Porter a shot.
So far, he likes what he’s seen.
“He’s been able to bring in a couple of high-level guys for us in our program,” Rogers said. “His playing experience and what he’s done and learned on the court, and now to bring that to our group and our guys – he just has a really high IQ, knows the game really well and is fit to be a coach.”
Weber State men’s basketball coach Randy Rahe admitted after the game, a 90-47 Weber State victory, that he didn’t even know Porter was on Antelope Valley’s staff but that he gave him a “big old hug” when he saw him.
“It was great to see BJ. He’s a wonderful, wonderful kid,” Rahe said. “I love him to death. It was great to see him get into coaching. I think that’s a great calling for him. I think he’s going to be wonderful at it. He’s got a great basketball mind, he’s passionate about it and he’s got a really, really good future.”
Contact Standard-Examiner sports reporter Ryan Comer at rcomer@standard.net. Follow him on Twitter at @RyanComerSe and on Facebook.
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