long518.htm

SoCalHoops Recruiting News Report

Long Beach State Names Clyde Vaughn
As Associate Head Coach--(May 18, 1998)

Cal State Long Beach head coach Wayne Morgan and AD Bill Shumard announced late last week that assistant coach Clyde Vaughan will be promoted to "Associate Head Coach" for the 49ers this coming season. Vaughan, who was named Director of Recruiting last year, will be entering his seventh year in association with the 49er men’s basketball program as an assistant coach. Many view this as the next step for Vaughn to take over for Morgan, although if Vaughn's recruiting prowess this last fall and spring are any sign of things to come, Long Beach may be in trouble, since the 49'ers only managed to sign three players in the fall, Ugonna Onyekwe (6'-8" Fr. PF) from Nigeria and Mercersburg Prep Academy in Pennsylvania, Charles O’Neal (6'-2 1/2" Jr. PG) from Florida CC, Ramel “Rock” Lloyd (6'-4" Jr. SG) from Syracuse, and one during the spring signing session, Alan Gomez (6'-2" Jr. SG) from East LA College. Meanwhile, freshmen players Marcus Gradney (Louisville, Kent.) and Derek Emery (Oceanside, Calif.) are transferring to junior colleges for the 1998-99 season, and Quincy Nuckles (6'-3" Sr. G), Clayton Flemister (6'-4" Sr. G) and Andrew Betts (7'-1" Sr. C) are all graduating, leaving Grant Stone (6'-8" Fr. F) as the only player taller than 6'-5".

Vaughan is not entirely without portfolio though: He came to Long Beach State in 1992 and worked under Seth Greenberg for four years, helping to lead the 49ers to two NCAA Tournament appearances in 1993 and 1995. He was influential in the development of future NBA players Bryon Russell of the Utah Jazz, Lucious Harris of the New Jersey Nets and last year’s 2nd-round pick of the Seattle Supersonics, James Cotton. As a player at the University of Pittsburgh, Vaughan twice led the Big East in scoring and was the conference MVP in 1983 and 1984. His 2,033 career points is second all-time at Pitt to Charles Smith, and his 920 career rebounds is fifth on the Panthers’ all-time list. He was drafted by the Indiana Pacers, but opted to play for the Sunderland (England) Saints. He led the European League in scoring four times, and his 28.0 career scoring average is fourth all-time in the league. Vaughan graduated from Pitt in 1984 with a degree in Communications.