Vallejo, California has had a long list of college basketball players at all levels over the years. From Brandon Armstrong, to Damany Hendrix, to Tajai Johnson and many more, Vallejo had a tradition of producing college basketball players out of the three public schools. In 2011 Hogan High School was closed down and turned into a middle school, which left Vallejo High School and Jesse Bethel High School as the only two public high schools in Vallejo. The next year, Vallejo High School Alum Tajai Johnson would sign a scholarship to UC Riverside (2012) who is also the last player between Vallejo and Bethel High School to sign straight to a Division 1 school for basketball out of high school. 

The lack of quality middle school and elementary basketball programs, the high coaching turnover rate, and the lack of dedicated coaches at the youth level, hindered a lot of athletes in the Vallejo area. Since 2016, only four players completed a full season of college basketball. Former Team Rampage players Malcolm Bracy, Deangelo Gomez, Rajon Washington, and Jabari Harris, all played a full season of college basketball. Bracy and Gomez were Bethel graduates in 2016, while Washington and Harris graduated from Vallejo High School. Harris would play one year at Chabot College, while Washington played two years at Solano College. Gomez and Bracy would end up playing at Napa Valley College. Besides these four players who all graduated in 2016,  only one player from Bethel and Vallejo in the past five years were able to complete a college basketball season. “I am proud of our former players for going through the tough grind of becoming a college basketball player, and also completing a season” Team Rampage Director Antonio Hodges better known as "Coach Tone" said. “However, knowing that these players were the only ones that completed a college basketball season out of the two public schools since 2016, despite the talent that is in the city is very alarming to me” Hodges added. 

Many kids have dreams of one day playing college basketball, but they also don’t understand the requirements that it takes to get there academically, and even athletically.  The long grind of weights, film room, conditioning and practicing, while also performing well in the classroom, has forced some of Vallejo’s best athletes to retire from basketball at a early age because the load became too much for what they could handle. “I think a lot of people get caught up into the wins/losses at the high school and AAU level, and forget that this is all about overall development” Team Rampage Head Coach Brandon Bracy said. “Our whole purpose as high school coaches and AAU coaches should be to prepare our players for the next level, on and off the court” Bracy added. There is certainly disappointment in regards to the lack of players that are going on to play college basketball, but it also feels good to know that those that buy into the Rampage program and it’s values, go on to play college basketball. Many players that are born and raised in Vallejo, CA end up going to different high schools outside of Vallejo for a number of reasons. From academics, to environment, and even better basketball programs. The perception of basketball in Vallejo is hurting due to the fact that the more talented players that are leaving the city to go to other high schools, feel that they have a better opportunity to play against better competition, which leads to more exposure from college coaches. 

St. Pats which is the only private high school in Vallejo, has had success over the past 10 years. Coach Derek Walker has won a state championship in 2017, and has produced several college basketball players from his program. “I can remember being a senior in high school at Vallejo playing against Coach Walker’s group” Bracy said. “It was his first year coaching and his team was young, but I knew that Coach Walker was building a solid program” Bracy added. That St. Pats team featured former San Francisco State player and current overseas professional Robbie Herndon. Herndon would be one of many players from St. Pats to go on and play college basketball. “When I look at the success St. Pats has had on the court as a program and with producing college players, it lets me know that the talent is definitely in Vallejo still” Bracy stated. “There is talent even at Vallejo High School and Bethel, but the motivation, the resources, and the love for the game, has been missing from most of the talented players that have come through there” Bracy added. 

Team Rampage started in 2015 with hopes of changing that culture in the city of Vallejo. After Bracy, Harris, Gomez, and Washington all moved on to college in 2016, more players from outside the city wanted to be a part of the program. “More people throughout the westcoast seen how hard we worked to help the guys in our area, and it led them to wanting to be a part of our program” Hodges stated. “When you do things right, people tend to follow” Hodges added. With the growth of the program and the desire from players outside of Vallejo that want to be a part of the program, Team Rampage Director Antonio Hodges and Team Rampage Head Coach Brandon Bracy hopes that it can motivate the players in Vallejo to continue to get better. “We are using AAU to show players especially in Vallejo, that it takes hard work to be a college basketball player, and everything must be earned” Bracy stated. With only four basketball players in the past four years completing a season of college basketball within the two public schools in Vallejo, and all of them being a part of the Rampage program, it is clear to see that change has taken place. However, the need for improvement in youth sports still must take place in order for this trend to continue.

- Team Rampage Media