Chevalier, 24, Returns to Cleveland as Its Coach

RESEDA — Former Cleveland High and Cal State Northridge guard Andre Chevalier will return to his alma mater to coach the Cavalier basketball team.

Chevalier, 24, was hired Tuesday to replace Kevin Crider, who resigned last month after six seasons.

Cleveland Athletic Director Everett Macy was impressed with Chevalier’s enthusiasm, even though his coaching experience is limited to camps. He favorably compared Chevalier to Bobby Braswell, who was 23 when he became the Cavaliers’ coach in 1985.

Braswell stayed at Cleveland through the 1989 season before leaving to become an assistant at Cal State Long Beach. Braswell is currently the top assistant at Oregon and is a leading candidate for the Northridge head coaching vacancy.

“He is dynamic,” Braswell said of Chevalier. “He’s got the greatest personality and charisma. He’s one of the hardest-working young men I’ve ever coached and they will respect him, as well as look to him as somebody they can trust.”

Said Macy: “We wanted to give a young Cleveland alum a chance. He may not have coached much but his experience at point guard is like being a coach on the floor.”

Chevalier was an All-City guard at Cleveland in 1990 and was a four-year starter at Northridge, leaving as the Matadors’ all-time leading scorer with 1,311 points.

“I’m not sure what kind of style we’ll play,” Chevalier said. “It depends on the players. But it will be my own style.

“About the only thing I’ll guarantee now is, we will play defense.”

Cleveland won the West Valley League title last season but was handily defeated by Carson in the first round of the City Section 4-A Division playoffs.

The Cavaliers should be among the top teams in the Northwest Valley Conference next season. Three starters return, including forward Donald Holt, who averaged 14.3 points, and point guard Jerome Grant, who averaged 4.5 assists.