After a stellar basketball career at Righetti High School as a point guard, Guadalupe native Jesse Alvarez did what a lot of college freshman players do.

He waited for his chance.

At Concordia University-Portland, Alvarez backed up a good point guard for two years.

“Jesse played behind a young man from Verbum Dei (Los Angeles) named Michael Lay,” said Concordia coach Brad Barbarick in a phone interview last week.

“He (Lay) was All-Conference both years Jesse played behind him. He signed a professional contract with Geraldton, Australia, which is in the western part of the country.”

Brad is Righetti boys coach Kevin Barbarick's brother.

“Obviously, that's how we got Jesse - through Kevin,” Brad Barbarick said.

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As Alvarez's hoops career at Concordia progressed, “He really picked up a lot of things.”

Alvarez absorbed enough to be thriving as the Cavaliers' starting point guard this season as a junior.

The Cavaliers play in the NAIA Division II Cascade Conference. In that conference, “Jesse is first in steals and second in assists,” as of last Friday, said Barbarick.

“He's ranked nationally in three NAIA Division II categories - assists, steals and turnovers-assists ratio.”

Barbarick said Alvarez averages around two points a game but, “He's so good at distributing the ball and knowing who to get the ball to, and he's fantastic defensively.

“We're just so pleased with Jesse's leadership. He can control a game both offensively and defensively as well as any player I've coached in my 13 years here.”

Alvarez spoke Friday hours before Concordia, 4-5 in the Cascade Conference and 12-7 overall, was to play at Warner Pacific College of Portland, the fourth-ranked team nationally in NAIA Division II.

Concordia lost 110-80 at Warner-Pacific but rebounded to beat Cascade 90-68 at home Saturday.

“It was a nice opportunity,” Alvarez said of going to Concordia. “They were the only one who pursued me,” while he was in high school.

Alvarez landed in the Concordia University system which is “the largest private university system in the country,” said Barbarick. “There are 10 of them nationwide.

“We have a sister school, Concordia University-Irvine. We can't offer as many scholarships as, say, Westmont, an NAIA Division I school. That's the difference.”

Former St. Joseph standout Andrew Schmalbach plays for Westmont. He is a freshman there.

At Concordia-Portland, “You're in the Pacific Northwest, which is a little different than the sunny Central Coast,” said Alvarez. “That's one of the big adjustments to get used to.

“That and you're playing with grown men rather than high school guys right from the start.”

Alvarez has adjusted well enough to college life at Concordia to flourish on the court and in the classroom. “Jesse has a 3.77 GPA in business,” said Barbarick.

Alvarez is a junior academically. After he's done at Concordia, “I hope to go into Human Resource management for a business.”

Alvarez went up against Lay every practice, and he said that type of basketball school of hard knocks paid off for him.

“It was a great opportunity to learn from a guy who was All-Conference the two years I played behind him, an All-Conference defensive player.

“You learn to adjust to the pace of the game from someone who's been there awhile. When you play against someone in practice every day, you started to pick up their habits without realizing it.”

Alvarez said he communicates with his family - his father Eddie, his mother Suzette, and his brothers Manuel and Matthew - regularly.

“I call them after every game,” he said. “I talk to them a couple of times a week.” Manuel, 19, is a Hancock College student and a former Righetti wrestler. Matthew is an eighth grader at Lakeview Junior High School.

“It was a big step for him and his family for him to go to college,” Concordia's coach said of Jesse Alvarez. “He has really worked hard to be a successful athlete.”

“He wasn't getting the opportunities on the court, but he persevered and the rewards have come for him this season.”

When the Concordia coaches first saw Alvarez, “We were a little concerned about his foot speed,” said Barbarick. “Michael was one the fastest players in the conference, one of the fastest in the country at our level.

“He was on our track team, and he won the conference in the 100 and 200 meters.”

As for Alvarez on the basketball court, “I've had to adjust the three years I've been here,” he said.

“This year we're more of a run-and-gun team since we're not too big in the post. The last two years we were a little more methodical.”

“It's been a fun year so far...I can't wait to get another year of it before I pursue my career.”

January 17. 2007