Dominating intramurals at Clarion wasn’t enough for Kaison Branch.
So when the opportunity to walk on to the basketball team presented itself, the Highlands graduate took it.
Three years later, the player nicknamed “Sensei Kaison” is starting at point guard.
“It’s like having a coach on the court every time he’s out there,” Golden Eagles coach Damian Pitts said. “He’s an invaluable piece of our puzzle. When I get on a player for doing something incorrectly, he’ll take them to the side, almost like another coach, and explain to them what the proper thing to do is.”
Branch, a 24-year-old redshirt senior, embraces his leadership role, especially because he hopes to become a coach in the future.
“I know the young guys will follow somebody who knows what they’re doing and has been at this level for a couple of years and that is going to hold them accountable,” said Branch, who had seven points, six assists and five rebounds in Clarion’s season-opening 77-72 overtime victory over Claflin on Saturday.
“Players are more likely to listen to players and their peers holding them accountable rather than coaches repeating themselves, so I wanted to become a better leader (this year) so we have a better bond as a team.”
Pitts moved the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Branch to point guard this season even though it’s not his natural position.
“He isn’t a traditional point guard, but his understanding of what goes on in our system is, what I call it, sensei level,” Pitts said.
“He is now getting the younger players into the right positions on the court. So although his skill set isn’t that of a point guard, his mind most certainly is.”
Branch likes the change, too.
“I do look to score, but the main thing I’m looking to do is make the right play,” he said.
After graduating from Highlands in 2015, Branch went to Community College of Beaver County to play basketball, but he injured his foot and needed surgery before ever playing a game. He took three semesters off and worked as an activities coordinator at Deborah D. Booker Community Center in his hometown of Natrona Heights.
Branch decided to go back to school and knew several friends at Clarion. He also had familiarity with former Golden Eagles coach Marcess Williams and his staff. After Branch showed he was overqualified to be playing intramurals, the coaches convinced him to join the team as a walk-on for the 2018-19 season. Williams’ contract wasn’t renewed after the season, though, so Branch had to prove himself again when Pitts was hired in June 2019.
“I didn’t know if he fit what we wanted to do,” Pitts said. “Within a semester, he had earned a scholarship. You hear about guys who will run through a brick wall. That’s him. He plays hard all the time.”
Branch started all 28 games in 2019-20, averaging 9.8 points and 4.1 rebounds as the Golden Eagles finished 5-23. Clarion played an abbreviated season last winter because of the pandemic, and Branch started 10 games and averaged 6.1 points and 4.0 rebounds as the team went 4-7.
Even though Branch will have another semester of athletic eligibility after this season, he doesn’t plan to use it. He only needs to take two classes in the spring to complete his degree in physics with a minor in mathematics.
His final goals on the court have nothing to do with individual success.
“With this being my last year, I really want to make an impact not just for this season, but to set our team up for the future with our younger guys,” Branch said.