Tesoro High standout Matt DeAngelo changes course and decides to play for Irvine Valley

Matt DeAngelo of Tesoro looks to make a pass in a game last December. (Photo: Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone)

Former Tesoro High School basketball star Matt DeAngelo said Wednesday he has decided to attend and play basketball at Irvine Valley College this coming season, instead of at Menlo College in Northern California.

“I just thought it would be better for me personally if I was going to stay closer to home for these next two years,” DeAngelo said. “That was the main force behind the decision.”

In addition to his parents, DeAngelo said he has grand-parents, two brothers and a sister still residing in Orange County that he wants to continue to be near to, rather than being in Atherton in the San Francisco area where Menlo College is.

“It feels like a great time to be here,” he said.

DeAngelo said the coronavirus pandemic, which has shut down high school and collegiate sports since March, was not the main factor in his decision.

“It’s more about me wanting to stay around here a little longer,” he said.

DeAngelo said he was impressed with the coaching staff at Irvine Valley College, led by Jerry Hernandez.

“Him and Coach (Jason) Garey run a great program over there,” DeAngelo said. “My club coach Harry Wilson, has a great relationship with him and my Tesoro coach Steve Garrett, has a great relationship with him as well. And I just trust it will make me a better player and it will get me to where I want to go.”

Irvine Valley officials, and officials at other community colleges are waiting for a final decision from the California Community College Athletic Association on when fall sports and winter sports will start. That decision is expected later this month and it’s possible that the start of the basketball season could be delayed.

“They have a few plans right now,” DeAngelo said. “The one I remember, I believe it was plan A, was to kind of start late January or early February.”

DeAngelo said he plans to study kinesiology.

DeAngelo, a 6-0, 172-pound senior guard, was Tesoro’s co-captain and leading scorer, averaging more than 20.3 points per game during the regular season last year.

DeAngelo was selected to the Orange County North-South All-Star Basketball Game which was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. He was a four-year varsity member and led Tesoroto a 21-5 overall record this year and conference championship of the Sea View League. 

“I was just lucky to have gone there, to have met the people that I did and to have Coach Garrett and Coach (Joshua) Parks by my side the whole way. I was just lucky to be there.”

-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com