Three basketball families with ties to the Santa Barbara area are among the Class of 2022 for the Santa Barbara Basketball Court of Champions on Saturday at the Goleta Boys & Girls Club.
The ninth annual Court of Champions will induct 16 men and women during a ceremony at 4 p.m. The event is open to the public, and there is no admission fee.
Ben Howland, who grew up Goleta and went on to coach four men’s college basketball teams into the NCAA Tournament, including three straight Final Four appearances at UCLA, will emcee the festivities. He will be assisted by Sal Rodriguez. The two were part of the inaugural induction class in 2014.
The families being recognized are brothers Jay and Joe Hillock, father and son Bernard and Jelani Hicks, and father and daughter George and Keani Albanez.
Jay Hillock, who retired after 16 seasons as a scout and director of player personnel with the Chicago Bulls, played for Maury Halleck at San Marcos. He started coaching as an assistant at SBCC and later served as an assistant and head coach at Gonzaga and at Loyola Marymount.
Joe Hillock played for Don Volpi at Dos Pueblos and Ed De Lacy at SBCC. He coached high school and college basketball in Utah and served as an assistant at Gonzaga and Loyola Marymount. In 2008, he joined Howland’s staff at UCLA as director of basketball operations.
Bernard Hicks coached basketball at the Goleta Boys & Girls Club and became athletic director at the Westside club. He and his son, Jelani, started the Dream Chasers, a program that develops girls basketball players.
Jelani Hicks was a standout player at Dos Pueblos who played collegiately at Bakersfield College and Missouri Valley College before turning to coaching. He coached at DP and San Marcos, and won three straight Channel League boys titles with the Royals.
George Albanez has developed outstanding girls basketball players with his 805 Academy, which he started in 1994.
Keani Albanez, the Santa Barbara-born daughter of George and Ronda Albanez, rose to stardom at Buena High and went on to play for four years at Gonzaga. More recently, she served as an assistant coach for the men’s basketball team at SBCC. She is now the head girls coach at Oaks Christian.
The other inductees are:
Sha’Rae Mitchell: The former UCSB basketball player turned to officiating and has called games in the NBA.
Santiago Aguirre: A standout at Santa Barbara High and Westmont, he played professionally with the Santa Barbara Breakers and with clubs in the Mexico pro league.
James Coronado: The Bishop Diego’s boys basketball coach, who guided the Cardinals to a CIF-SS championship last season, is also the founder of the Franklin School Eagles youth team.
Robert Thompson: The former director of the Santa Barbara Boys & Girls Club and athletic director at the Goleta Boys & Girls Club, was a member of the legendary 1970-71 Santa Barbara High basketball team with Jamal Wilkes and Don Ford.
David Jackson: He also was a member of the 1970-71 Santa Barbara basketball team and later the athletic director at the Santa Barbara Boys & Girls Club. He also established and coached the Santa Barbara Youth Basketball All-Star program.
Kim Kjar: The former athletic director at the Santa Barbara Boys & Girls Club and coach and director of the Santa Barbara Ballers club team. He also served as an assistant on 2016 Santa Barbara High boys CIF-SS championship team.
David Palmer: He played on the 1991 Santa Barbara High CIF-champion boys basketball team and the State Community College title team at Ventura College. After playing professionally in Mexico, he returned home and built the Vipers Basketball Club.
Larry Lesett: The San Marcos alum was the Royals’ boys basketball MVP in 1977. He got into coaching and held positions with Loyola Marymount, L.A. Pierce Community College and the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore. He also has coached professional teams in several countries.
Kent Wojciechoski: The 6-foot-11 retired Santa Barbara police officer started the Police Activities League and created teams for at-risk kids to play sports like football and basketball.
Matt Sanchez: The former Eastside gang member who turned his life around and guided at-risk youths away from gang life will be honored posthumously.