Across Town, Tony Bland Is Adjusting to a Different World

Bland stated he accepted solely $2,100 from Dawkins, a good friend for a couple of decade who instructed him to get pleasure from an evening out in Las Vegas as a thanks for assembly with the monetary adviser. He stated, although, that he had little alternative however to simply accept the plea deal as a result of, if his case went to trial, it might be lumped in with these of 4 different defendants. “It was a enterprise determination,” stated Bland, who stated he was so traumatized by the arrest that he couldn’t sleep in a lodge room. “I needed to shield my household.”

Bland, 42, stated his spouse urged him to assume past basketball and reminded him that he had a lot to supply, however a couple of many years in the past, the sport is what carried him from South Los Angeles to Westchester Excessive, the powerhouse public faculty that’s simply across the bend from St. Bernard. A state championship helped earn him a scholarship to Syracuse and San Diego State.

Bland felt at residence in those self same Los Angeles gyms when he returned to recruit one of many nation’s most fertile expertise grounds, first as an assistant at San Diego State after which at U.S.C. He volunteered at St. Bernard, then took over as coach earlier than final season.

“We had a staff, however he’s constructing a program,” stated Jamie Mark, the athletic director, who had spent most of her profession working for a sports activities company. “And I believe Tony likes the concept of constructing one thing.”

The chance to educate has meant one thing for Bland, too. He has not given up hope of returning to the faculty sport and someday being a head coach. “The individuals in school basketball perceive my state of affairs,” he stated, later including that his former boss at U.S.C., Andy Enfield, stays certainly one of his greatest supporters. (Enfield is recruiting certainly one of Bland’s greatest gamers, Tyler Rolison, a junior guard.)

However he additionally is aware of there may be extra to the equation. A school coach goes to must promote his athletic director on hiring Bland, and the athletic director must clarify it to the college president. And so, with two extra years left on his show-cause penalty, Bland stated he knew higher than to look too far down the street — and even throughout city.

“This proper right here,” Bland stated Tuesday night time, sitting on the bleachers of an almost empty gymnasium, “has been serving to to rehabilitate my soul.”