the team beyond the bench
BRANDON CHEEKS
Head COACH
Coach B is a Queens New York native and a San Diego City College Alumni. He was also a collegiate athlete at Cal State Long Beach. As a walk-on athlete, he played for Seth Greenberg and Wayne Morgan. Coach B is now a husband and a father of four young men. Coach has been a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and small business owner for over ten years. His coaching career started at the high school level in 2012 at The Rock Academy in San Diego CA. After Coaching at the Rock Academy, he went on to coach at Mater Dei High School in San Diego CA. 2018 marked the year that Coach B transitioned into the professional level of coaching. In his first year as the head coach of the San Diego Guardians ABA Basketball organization, Coach B led the Guardians to being voted the ABA’s most improved team. After three years of coaching in the ABA, Coach B led a TBL team to a 6-0 start, earning coach of the month honors for his first month in the TBL. The TBL team went on to win the Western Conference Championship where a member of the team was selected MVP honors.
In Coach B’s playbook defense wins championships. His offensive system will always fit the roles and skill sets of each individual player for the success of the team. Coach B has made it a goal to coach each game as if it were his last. His mission is to spread his passion and respect for the game to each player he has the privilege to coach.
Troy Collier
Assistant Coach and Chaplain
Troy played at Eastern Illinois University from 1989-1994. During his tenure, he was a member of the 1992 Mid-Continent Conference tournament championship team who advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history. After graduation, he went on to receive his Master’s degree in Business and Sports Management then worked in corporate America for
3 years.
In 1999, Troy returned to Eastern Illinois University to serve as an assistant men’s basketball coach until 2002. In 2001, the Panthers won the Ohio Valley Conference tournament championship and advanced to play in the NCAA tournament for the second time in school
history.
From 2002-2007, Troy accepted assistant men’s coaching positions and Missouri State and Ball State, respectively. Troy began his journey serving with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) in 2013 until 2018 in Champaign, IL as a coaches area representative. In 2018, Troy and his family moved to San Diego, CA and later joined the FCA staff in San Diego in 2020. Currently, Troy is serving as a representative with FCA Basketball as well as an assistant coach with the San Diego Sharks of the TBL.
Jeremiah Ryden
Assistant Coach
Jeremiah Ryden is a San Diego native and seasoned basketball coach with extensive experience and a deep-rooted passion for the game. Armed with a NCAA Gold Certification, Coach JR offers not only a solid understanding of basketball fundamentals but also excels in strategic planning, effective communication, and instilling a winning mindset in his players.
His coaching journey includes notable positions such as Head Coach at Swish Pro-Am and Assistant Coach at the renowned Drew League, where he has sharpened his ability to lead players to success over the past decade.
With eight years of AAU experience as Head Coach leading teams at KAO and Sixthman in the competitive AAU Gold Division and significant contributions to various leagues and high school programs. These include- the Assistant Director for the high school program for Sixthman.
He’s been committed to Sixthman since May 2121 and has taken a role at Sixthman as the Director of player development.
Coach Jeremiah has left a mark on basketball development in the region. He has also dedicated his time to nurturing young talents through leadership roles at esteemed basketball camps like EBC Basketball and Tierrasanta Basketball, showcasing his commitment to skill development and mentorship. Now, as he embarks on his first season as Assistant Coach with the San Diego Sharks, Coach JR’s passion and decades-long dedication to basketball position him as a valuable asset ready to make a meaningful impact on the team.