After seven straight 20 plus win seasons, Salesian fell back to earth with a 19-11 record last season. The Pride lost two seniors from that squad but return a plethora of talented underclassmen including sophomore Derrick Langford.
The 6-foot-2 combination guard has room to grow as he plays similarly to former Ohio State Buckeye D'Angelo Russell. Langford is a floor general who facilitates for his teammates but has the ability to score with his dribble. During the past summer, Langford was travelling with Team Superstar 15U on the Under Armour circuit.
Team Superstar Coach Kellan Carter says, "Derrick's best strength is scoring. He is very shifty with his dribble and attacks the basket very well. Also has a great shooting touch. Made seven 3s in one game this summer. On the court, he is very poised. He is a very good teammate and I always could count on him to get the team back on the right track. Whether we needed a basket or somebody to make a play, he stepped up."
By all accounts, Langford is a humble and easygoing type of student. He considers math to be his subject and wants to major in Sports Science. He is looking for a program that can help him maximize his playing abilities while winning some games.
The schools that have expressed interest in Langford have primarily been on the west coast in the Pac-12, Big West, Mountain West, and WCC conferences. The Salesian program has produced several Division I level prospects recently including guards like Mario Dunn (Montana) and Markel Leonard (Cal Poly, Lewis and Clark).
Coach Carter has high hopes for Langford, "At the next level, I think he will become a great PG. His size is very good for the position and his decision making improved greatly over the summer. He will be a great play maker and a great leader. Derrick was by far my most consistent player this summer. His recruiting should sky rocket this year."
El Cerrito went undefeated in the Tri County Rock League last season but the Gauchos lost half their roster due to graduation or transfer. Salesian has great depth in the backcourt that includes Langford, fellow sophomore Jamario Bibb, and senior Brandon Mcghee. Look for the Pride to be back in the mix with Langford in Richmond, Calif.
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