Prep basketball: Why Saint Mary’s College’s top assistant left for De La Salle

CONCORD — Marcus Schroeder always thought it was possible that his basketball journey could lead him back to his high school alma mater, to the De La Salle program where he celebrated a state championship as a senior in 2006 and left with 83 victories in 93 career games.

This week, the circle became complete.

After a decade as an assistant coach under Randy Bennett at Saint Mary’s College, most recently as the lead assistant, Schroeder was named the head coach at De La Salle.

He replaces Justin Argenal, himself a De La Salle graduate who stepped down this summer to become the head coach at Dominican University, a Division II program in San Rafael.

Schroeder brings impressive credentials to his new job. As a college point guard, he was a four-year letter winner at Princeton, leading the NCAA in minutes as a freshman and finishing his career as one of the program’s all-time leaders in steals and assists.

At Saint Mary’s, he was named one of the nation’s top 50 mid-major assistants in 2020 by the media company Silver Waves Media.

“Ultimately what we were able to find is a person who is a man of faith, who is in love with the De La Salle community and has been connected through the years in different capacities,” De La Salle athletic director Leo Lopoz said. “His drive and passion for the sport of basketball, his experience, we couldn’t ask for a better fit for our program, where we’re at today and where we want to go tomorrow.”

PREP FOOTBALL PREVIEW COVERAGE

• De La Salle: Five things we learned at first practice
• Preseason all-BANG: Offensive line
• Preseason all-BANG: Defensive line
• Preseason all-BANG: Receivers/tight ends
• Preseason all-BANG: Linebackers 
• Diablo Athletic League: Top players, predicted order of finish
• Tri-County Athletic League: Top players, predicted order of finish
• Peninsula Athletic League: Top players, predicted order of finish
• Oakland Athletic League: Top players, predicted order of finish
• Blossom Valley Athletic League: Top players, predicted order of finish

Schroeder said he left Saint Mary’s to provide a better rhythm for his young family — which includes a two-year-old daughter and a son who was born Sunday — and to become a head coach.

After the announcement, he spent a few minutes on the phone with the Bay Area News Group. Here is what he said (edited for clarity and brevity):

Darren Sabedra: There have been college coaches recently who have left to take over high school programs. What was behind your decision?

Marcus Schroeder: Where my family’s at in our journey — we just had a second child — the timing was right for me and my family. It was going to be a good chance to create a little better rhythm with now two kids. And then the chance to be a head coach. People are probably looking at it that this guy was the lead assistant at Saint Mary’s and had a chance to maybe become a Division I head coach. But the chance to come back and be the head coach of my alma mater is going to be a great challenge. I don’t care what level you’re at, being a head coach is not easy — whether it’s third-grade basketball, whether it’s high school, whether it’s college, whether it’s the pros. It’ll be a really good challenge and I’ll develop a lot and grow as a leader and a coach, getting to lead a really good high school basketball program. High school is obviously a lot different than college and in some ways more things going on. We have two freshmen teams, a JV. There’s a lot going on. It will be a learning curve for me, but I know the program has been in great hands.

DS: When you heard that Justin was leaving, did you immediately think that was a job you would seek?

MS: It was something that I wanted to at least look into. Leo and I have a good relationship. We talk a fair amount just in general. We talked when Justin announced he was leaving and then as we went through the process, it became more and more exciting for me and my family. Obviously, you’ve got to get the job, too. He had some other great candidates, I’m sure, that he was talking to. (But) it was something that I’ve always thought about. Ever since I went to De La Salle, it was something that I always thought could happen and this was just the right timing. I live seven minutes from campus and it was the right timing for me and my family. As we went through the process, it just got more clear that ‘hey, this is the right decision for us.’ (Schroeder also will be an assistant athletic director at DLS).

DS: The bar at De La Salle basketball is set high, as you know from your experience.

MS: My sophomore year, I was with Justin. He was a senior. We won the NorCal championship and lost in the state championship to Fairfax. In my senior year, we won the state championship. We beat Clovis West. A lot of great memories. As you said, De La Salle basketball is an extremely high bar, and I hope to raise that bar.

DS: You have a lot of great high school teams in the area, from Campolindo to Bishop O’Dowd to Dublin to all the teams in the East Bay Athletic League. Your impression of the competition?

MS: There’s a lot of kids that are growing up wanting to play hoops and people are investing time and resources into their kids being good at all sports. But I think basketball, probably since I’ve grown up, it’s become more and more popular. Obviously, there have been some really good teams throughout the years in the East Bay, but right now I think there’s a lot of quality teams. You mentioned Campolindo. They’ve had an incredible run and they have some really good players and coach (Steven) Dyer has done a heck of a job there. Obviously, O’Dowd’s always good. Salesian’s always good.  You mentioned Clayton Valley. There’s a lot of depth. Dublin’s got one of the better players in the area (Courtney Anderson Jr.) and people probably sleep on Granada a little bit. I’ve seen them. They have a couple of really good players. They’re getting better and better. It won’t be easy. I know that. Whatever level you’re at, it’s hard. Hard to win games. But the depth in this area is maybe better than ever. It’ll be fun. And there are some great coaches — Monte Vista and Nick Jones, Mike Hansen at Dougherty Valley. There are some really good coaches who have been doing it for a long time and have had a ton of success.

DS: What kind of style of play are you bringing to De La Salle?

MS: I’ve always been under the motto of play really good halfcourt, man-to-man defense. Ultimately, if you’re pretty good on defense, you’re going to give yourself a chance to win a lot of games. Offensively, it’ll be some of what Justin and those guys have already implemented. But there will be some new stuff. We’ll play four out, we’ll dribble penetrate, we’ll make plays off the bounce. We’ll run. We’ll definitely run. If you ever watch Saint Mary’s, it could look a little like that. Hopefully, it does because Saint Mary’s has won a lot of games.

DS: What did coach Bennett tell you?

MS: Coach Bennett, he’s been awesome through the process, really supportive and just excited for me to be a head coach. That’s what we always talk about. Ultimately, the development you get as a head coach — whether it’s high school, college, pro — it doesn’t matter. You’ve got to make every decision, you’ve got to call the plays, you’re the guy talking in every huddle, in every timeout, in every locker room session, at practice. There’s a lot of growth there. He’s fired up for me to have that growth. I’ve been an assistant for a long time and I have learned so much from coach Bennett. I consider him one of my greatest mentors and am so appreciative of everything he has done for me. Obviously congratulated me and excited for me to have an opportunity to become a head coach at a place that I really love. I love De La Salle.