Mustang coach was banned from game against Palma
Gilroy – Gilroy High boys’ basketball coach Bud Ogden will not be on the sidelines for tonight’s crucial Tri-County Athletic League game at Palma. That’s not because of any Central Coast Section ruling.
The decision was announced by GHS administrators Mani Corzo, the Dean of Students who oversees athletics, and Greg Camacho-Light, an assistant principal.
“There are two things here,” Corzo said. “The CCS has rules. When a coach gets a second technical foul, he can’t coach for one game. The coach represents the team and the school. His behavior (after the second technical) was not considered appropriate.”
The game in question was Jan. 19 against Salinas at Bob Hagen Memorial Gym. Gilroy had squandered a large lead and Ogden admits he was “livid.” Part of his anger was directed at his team and the other at the officiating.
There was some thought that Ogden had taken the first technical to fire up his team. Ogden refused to take credit for that, even though the level of play by the Mustangs was clearly better after the technical and in the following game at Alisal with assistant coach Jeremy Dirks at the helm. Dirks will coach tonight’s game at Palma.
“I’m not that smart,” said Ogden when asked if he intentionally took the first technical to fire up the team.
“I went over the line,” Ogden admitted of the incident. “I’m sorry to the Gilroy public and to Gilroy High School.
“I’m looking forward to coaching the team next week. I am extremely proud of the kids, how they handled themselves and played perhaps their best game of the year against Alisal.”
Against Salinas, the Mustangs squandered a 15-point lead and allowed the Cowboys to go ahead. Ogden drew a technical foul and then a second that resulted in automatic ejection. Before he left the floor, Ogden had to be restrained and accompanied to the locker room.
“Bud Ogden is very passionate about the sport and his kids,” Camacho-Light said. “He will do what he feels is necessary to protect his kids. Once he was ejected, that’s when he should have left (the floor). It’s done and we move on.”
The Gilroy boys basketball team moved on after the ejection. The Mustangs turned things back in their favor and beat Salinas 65-57, and then went to Alisal and crushed the Trojans 74-46.
One GHS coach questioned whether Ogden should have been suspended for the Palma game, which is probably the Mustangs’ most important TCAL game of the season. Corzo and Camacho-Light addressed that by saying they wanted the situation resolved immediately rather than having it linger.
This was Ogden’s first technical of the season but not the first time that there have been issues involving him that caught the attention of the GHS administration.
Two seasons ago during a game, a player fouled out. Ogden reportedly walked to the end of his team’s bench. One of the referees came to the bench and said that the player had to be replaced. Ogden didn’t react immediately, so an assistant coach inserted a player. Ogden then berated the assistant for making the substitution. Corzo confirmed the incident.
Later that evening, Ogden went to the home of the assistant and apologized. The following season, Ogden’s locker room discussions with his team on game nights were monitored by Corzo.
There was no word on whether any further incidents involving Ogden would have other repercussions.
“That’s between the coach and the administration,” Camacho-Light said.
