College basketball coaches and recruiting services love
the two – as well as their solid fundamental skills in the post.
They bring range and toughness to the court and possess solid square frames with a high
basketball IQ.
There is something special about twins. Every child has its own charm and individuality, but twins bring a new world into play. Whether it’s the mirror image on display or the idea that two individuals were created at the same time in the same space, it’s a rare and unique circumstance. The Lopez twins have other characteristics that set them apart as well.
For starters, Brook has excellent face up skills and shoots well from all over the court while Robin is fantastic at finishing in the lane and rebounding. Both have also developed jump hooks. This past summer, Robin was the co-MVP of the underclass all-star game at the Adidas All-Star camp in Suwanee, Georgia. Brook took home
the MVP of the Adidas Super 64 in Las Vegas just a week later. They play on
perhaps the best AAU team in all of California (Fresno’s EBO AAU team)
that should be the top AAU team in the country to watch next year. Robin and
Brook played alongside top rated combo guard prospect Derrick Jasper, solid
prep guard Todd Lowenthal, rangy small forward Quincy Pondexter (an SJM teammate),
the Shelton Brothers (who just transferred to SJM for the 2004-05 season),
and numerous others.
Beyond what fans see of Robin and Brook out on the court, the Lopez boys are
two of the more well-rounded young men you will ever meet. They have artistic
ability, understand current events, love to write, enjoy competition, are good
at communicating, and are very good student-athletes. Just ask Brook what his
goal is after high school ends and he’ll tell you about his academic
pursuits. “I want to have a 4.3 GPA,” Brook said. “That’s
my goal.”
Brook is the eldest by a whopping one minute. “He was on top so that’s
how it worked,” said Deborah, their talented mother. “For Brook,
basketball has always been in his blood. At four years old, he could dribble
and hit shots at a 10-foot rim. As he grew into his elementary years, Brook
picked up skills quickly from watching his two older brothers, Alex and Chris,
following them wherever they played. Shooting, being competitive, and playing
basketball meant a lot to him even at a young age. He also loved to learn and
took to books well. For Robin, his first passion was found in learning. As
a young child, he drew on nearly everything and loved the educational workbooks.
From the ‘Dog Spot’ books to everyday learning shows on television,
it was more about interaction and learning for him. That was more of his interest
but he also enjoyed competing too. He went out with Brook and his older brothers.”
Robin and Brook both taught themselves how to read before they went to kindergarten.
Their natural desire and high aptitude towards academics traces back to their
mother’s roots and the teaching and learning tradition that they share
as a family. Deborah was an outstanding student, growing up in the Reedley-Fresno
area of California before attending Stanford University. She’s a respected
teacher in the Fresno area and is accredited in German, History, and Mathematics.
Her parents were both teachers who attended what used t be called the Colorado State Teachers College in Greeley, Colorado. The twins’ grandfather was
recruited to play basketball at the University of Colorado but instead chose
the Teachers College where he was a student-athlete (All-Conference selection).
He met the twins’ grandmother at the Greeley based college and after
their wedding became high school teachers.
Their eldest Lopez son, Alex has continued the tradition of teaching. A 1999
graduate of Santa Clara University, the 6’10 center initially attended
Washington and played a few seasons in the Pac-10 before transferring after
his sophomore year. After graduating from Santa Clara, Alex spent eight months
in Japan, six months in New Zealand, and two months in Spain playing basketball
internationally. Alex decided against playing overseas the following year so
he could gain teaching and coaching experience. That experience led him to
his current position, Head Basketball Coach at El Camino Real High School in
Woodland Hills, CA. In just his first season, Alex guided the Conquistadors
to the playoffs for the first time in twenty years. He continues to keep his
hoop dreams alive - even trying out for the Atlanta Hawks this summer at their
request.
Alex still remembers when he learned that his younger twin brothers were born. “I
was 12 years old at the time and I happened to be 300 miles away in Las Vegas
playing in a summer tournament. When I came back, I’ll never forget rolling
the basketball back and forth to them.”
A number of college coaches also remember watching the older two Lopez brothers
in high school and seeing their younger twin brothers run around the court
between timeouts. They often ask if those were the same boys they use to see
when they were scouting Alex and Chris. As the twins started to grow and advance,
both Alex and Chris made it a point to help them develop. Even this summer,
Chris attended every game in Las Vegas. Their older brothers instilled the
twin’s maturity and drive on the court. They respect the game.
“Chris would take Brook and I’d take Robin,” Alex said,
commenting on their trips to gyms or playgrounds in the Fresno area during
their youth and on the fact that Robin is more of a true post while Brook plays
the perimeter like Chris did. “We still try to hook up once a summer
and do the same thing, play two on two. Its amazing how good they’ve
become and how they’ve grown. I have to steal their shoes now because
they get the best ones!”
Just how good are the twins? A number of recruiting scouts say they are two
of the top post players on the west coast for the 2006 class; some have said
they are the best. A few college basketball coaches who watched their performance
in Las Vegas this summer said that the NBA will be calling straight out of
high school. Coaches who are close to the twins rave about their work ethic
and talent. “With Robin, what’s going to make him successful is
that he knows what he is. He’s a five, he’s very good around the
glass. and enjoys being a stopper; playing in the paint,” said Darren
Matsubara, the very successful head coach of EBO. “Robin is a very sound
player who can score and defend down low. The difference between Robin and
Brook is that Brook is a three. He’s very advanced at shooting but he
has to work twice as hard because he has the size of post. That means he has
to learn how to handle both positions. He’s extremely tough to stop though
with his height when he pops out from the block and shoots the 15 footer.
Their coach at SJM has been tireless in working with them. Wil Hooker, a former
player at Fresno State and a terrific coach who practices individually with
the players in his program as well as conducting team workouts, also works
with the twins on the EBO staff.
The twins are being recruited by a number of Pac-10 teams and have had letters
and visits from numerous national programs as well. They had a chance to work
with Pete Newell this summer and have connections at both Bay Area schools,
including a long time acquaintance with Jamaal Wilkes, the father of future
Cal student-athletes Omar and Jordan Wilkes. A number of programs on the West
Coast head the twins’ list, but they are focused for now on enjoying
high school and doing well with their studies.
For fans looking to pick up a few fun facts about the Lopez Twins here are
some items to keep in mind; to answer everyone’s favorite question about
twins with regards to switching places, yes, when they were younger they did
swap places for a day. It happened in 1st grade and they got caught by a smart
teacher. Brook played the saxophone in the band for 5 years before getting
to high school and lists Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett as his favorite NBA players.
He also enjoys 80’s music, a variety of books, and The Lord of the Rings
movies.
Robin and Brook both say that their favorite area in the United States is
the beautiful seaside town of Oak Harbor, Washington near Whidbey Island in
Seattle. The ferries that travel throughout Puget Sound, the scenic views and
beautiful beaches are full of adventure for children. Robin also played in
the band but performed on the drums before entering high school. He enjoys
art and drawing in his spare time and is also an avid reader. He enjoys the
movie soundtracks by John Williams and lists Ken Griffey Jr. as his favorite
baseball player; Tim Duncan as his favorite basketball star.
Who’s the most influential person in their lives? That’d be mom,
they say. “She’s the one that has always kept us motivated and
going,” Robin said. “When school gets tough, or just anything,
she’s always there to help,” added Brook.
During the course of their junior seasons, both Robin and Brook will keep
a journal that will be published here at http://california.scout.com. They
will be writing summaries from time to time about game action, recruiting,
as well as some of the interesting things they both like to write about. They'll
also answer questions that readers might have about them and their future so
feel free to write to them by clicking here. At the Mail page, be sure to click one of their names on the player list.
The same link can be used to send emails to our other journal authors such
as Jon Scheyer, Anthony Goods, Drew Shiller, and James Keefe. We’ll also
be adding a few other players from the 2006 national class to the journal segment
in the near future.
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