Bryan Alberts chooses a school

Bryan Alberts will transfer to Long Beach State University to play for former Zag coach Dan Monson. Alberts considered transferring to Weber State and Virginia Commonwealth, but is returning to Southern California where he attended high school in the Los Angeles suburb of Northridge.

Coach Monson, famous for leading Gonzaga to their Elite Eight run in 1999, has been the coach at Long Beach for the past 9 years compiling a 164 -134 record and making the NCAA tournament in 2012. Last season, the Long Beach backcourt was led by former WCC standout Evan Payne who’d transferred from Loyola Marymount. Payne decided to forgo his final year of eligibility to pursue a pro career. Alberts, who graduated from Gonzaga in three years, will have an opportunity to play immediately in a Long Beach backcourt with no returning starters.

Alberts, with good size (6’5”) and a sweet three-point stroke was always an intriguing prospect but could never find consistent minutes. Even two years ago when he started 10 games, his minutes decreased dramatically late in the season as his backcourt mate’s (Melson, Dranginis, EMac) games became more steady and consistent. He went from playing 11.4 minutes per game his freshman year to 5.9 minutes per game this past season. With this year’s addition of Norvell, Wade, Kispert and Ayayi, along with Perkins and Melson assuredly starting, minutes would again be hard to find.

Long Beach State University is in the Big West Conference and Bryan will have the chance to compete against former Zag Luke Meikle, who plays for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.