After 17 years as the owner of NorCalPreps.com and the site’s Publisher/Editor in partnership with Rivals.com, it is with a heavy heart that I announce my retirement. NCP has been sold to Douglas Benton (aka Streak One), who will take over as the site’s new owner effective January 1, 2017.
Doug joined NCP in September 2004 as a freelance writer while still a junior at Yuba City High School. He went on to major in Journalism and received his bachelor’s degree from Chico State University in 2009. After his graduation, Doug was retained by NCP as a full-time sports analyst covering baseball, boys/girls basketball and football. He is currently the site Editor in addition to chairing all player and team ranking committees, moderating the message boards and managing NCP’s social media presence. As I contemplated my exit from the high school sports arena and who I could entrust with the legacy of NCP, I could think of no better candidate than Doug. Needless to say, the site will be in very good hands.
I founded NCP as a boys basketball site in 1999. Shortly thereafter, I entered into negotiations with Rivals.com, who required that we add football coverage as a condition of the partnership. As the site grew, we eventually added girls basketball and primarily due to Doug’s efforts, baseball coverage was added in 2009. My vision was that NCP would eventually become the primary source for recruiting news and prospect rankings in the region. I am proud to say we have accomplished that goal.
In my years at the helm of NCP, it has been a joy to watch many fine young people develop to become college and professional athletes but more importantly, contributing members of society at large. I have fond memories of engaging with fans on the message boards with many interesting experiences, one of which I will share.
In the summer of 2000, I was scouting the Oakland Soldiers at a club tournament in the Bay Area. A slim, 6-foot-6 kid came in off the bench and made an instant impact on the game with his ball-handling ability and court vision. I had never seen nor heard of this kid before. No one else in the gym seemed to know who he was either. So, I approached the bench and asked one of the coaches who said "his name is Lebron James and this past season, he led his high school team to the Ohio State Championship Game as a freshman." Intrigued, I scouted him the following summer at an exhibition game between the Oakland Soldiers and Modesto Christian who had just won the CIF NorCal Division I Regional Title and featured Richard Midgely, Marc Pratt, David Paris and Chuck Hayes. James was a man among boys and he was the first high school kid I had ever seen to that point who demonstrated legit NBA-caliber moves. Thoroughly convinced of this kid’s future, I declared on our message board that James would be a lottery pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. Remember, he had only completed his sophomore season at this point and was still relatively unknown outside the state of Ohio. The board lit up with criticism of my seeming blasphemy. "This is an example of the problem with high school sports. People on this board blowing kids’ heads up with how great they are…" was a typical response. I understood the criticism but stood by my prediction. The rest, as they say, is history.
While one chapter of my life is closing, another continues. As some of you might be aware, I have other business interests. As the President of Janico Building Services, 100% of my focus will now be directed there. I bid a fond farewell to my NCP family and much success to Doug on his new journey.
Lorenzo Harris, Publisher
Doug joined NCP in September 2004 as a freelance writer while still a junior at Yuba City High School. He went on to major in Journalism and received his bachelor’s degree from Chico State University in 2009. After his graduation, Doug was retained by NCP as a full-time sports analyst covering baseball, boys/girls basketball and football. He is currently the site Editor in addition to chairing all player and team ranking committees, moderating the message boards and managing NCP’s social media presence. As I contemplated my exit from the high school sports arena and who I could entrust with the legacy of NCP, I could think of no better candidate than Doug. Needless to say, the site will be in very good hands.
I founded NCP as a boys basketball site in 1999. Shortly thereafter, I entered into negotiations with Rivals.com, who required that we add football coverage as a condition of the partnership. As the site grew, we eventually added girls basketball and primarily due to Doug’s efforts, baseball coverage was added in 2009. My vision was that NCP would eventually become the primary source for recruiting news and prospect rankings in the region. I am proud to say we have accomplished that goal.
In my years at the helm of NCP, it has been a joy to watch many fine young people develop to become college and professional athletes but more importantly, contributing members of society at large. I have fond memories of engaging with fans on the message boards with many interesting experiences, one of which I will share.
In the summer of 2000, I was scouting the Oakland Soldiers at a club tournament in the Bay Area. A slim, 6-foot-6 kid came in off the bench and made an instant impact on the game with his ball-handling ability and court vision. I had never seen nor heard of this kid before. No one else in the gym seemed to know who he was either. So, I approached the bench and asked one of the coaches who said "his name is Lebron James and this past season, he led his high school team to the Ohio State Championship Game as a freshman." Intrigued, I scouted him the following summer at an exhibition game between the Oakland Soldiers and Modesto Christian who had just won the CIF NorCal Division I Regional Title and featured Richard Midgely, Marc Pratt, David Paris and Chuck Hayes. James was a man among boys and he was the first high school kid I had ever seen to that point who demonstrated legit NBA-caliber moves. Thoroughly convinced of this kid’s future, I declared on our message board that James would be a lottery pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. Remember, he had only completed his sophomore season at this point and was still relatively unknown outside the state of Ohio. The board lit up with criticism of my seeming blasphemy. "This is an example of the problem with high school sports. People on this board blowing kids’ heads up with how great they are…" was a typical response. I understood the criticism but stood by my prediction. The rest, as they say, is history.
While one chapter of my life is closing, another continues. As some of you might be aware, I have other business interests. As the President of Janico Building Services, 100% of my focus will now be directed there. I bid a fond farewell to my NCP family and much success to Doug on his new journey.
Lorenzo Harris, Publisher
