Cypress’ Gorrell Proves He’s No Novice

CYPRESS — As personal coaching records go, Tom Gorrell of Cypress has a long way to go to catch some Empire League veterans.

But it was Gorrell, whose Cypress basketball squad was 24-5, who earned honors as The Times Orange County boys’ coach of the year.

Gorrell, 28, took the Centurions farther than anyone expected, winning a second consecutive league title in what was figured to be a rebuilding season. Then he guided Cypress to the quarterfinals of the Southern Section Division II-AA playoffs, losing a heart-breaker to Palm Springs, 30-28.

When the Centurions could run, they did, and they usually won. When they were forced into a slow pace, they responded, and they usually won.

“This team was so flexible,” Gorrell said. “There were some unique things about them. We weren’t holding the ball, but certainly in some games you had to be patient. I’d like us to score in the 70s and play a fast pace, but when a team holds the ball or spreads the court on you, we needed to be flexible, and this team was.”

Gorrell’s record of 67-38 (.644) ranks third among his peers in winning percentage, but he is tied for last in coaching experience. The other five coaches have a combined 83 years of experience. Gorrell just finished his fourth.

His league counterparts include Katella’s Tom Danley, who is 554-223 overall. There’s also John Mayberry of Kennedy, who recently retired after 30 years. His record is 304-166. Greg Coombs is 81-48 in six years at Century.

“I’ve got a lot to learn,” Gorrell said. “I agree that we have some of the best coaches around in this league, and I learn every day I go to practice. I try to work really hard, as hard as I can, to compensate for my lack of experience.”

Gorrell is like a sponge, absorbing everything around him, associates say. He is a tireless worker and a student of the game. He has traveled as far away as Tennessee to attend coaches’ clinics.

Before being hired at Cypress, Gorrell was a walk-on assistant at Tustin, where he did just about everything from sweeping the gym floor to locking up after everyone else had gone home.

“He has really matured and grown into one of the better coaches around,” said his boss at Tustin, Tom McCluskey, who now coaches at Golden West College. “He loves the game and spends a lot of time and effort on it. He’s a very solid, fundamentally sound coach. Any young man who gets an opportunity to play for him will benefit from it.”

One player who has benefited this season is Chad Boberg, the Empire League’s player of the year and a Times all-county first-team selection. Boberg was the county’s third-leading scorer, averaging 22.5 points.

“He cares about his players, not just in how they play, but in how they will do in the future,” Boberg said. “He wants you to be successful both on and off the court.”

McCluskey calls Gorrell “a real role model for his kids” who never stops learning.

Boberg agreed.

“He never really yells at you,” Boberg said. “He gets his point across to you in positive ways and that is real encouraging.”