To build a truly great team, you need more than just talent — you need heart, character and a commitment to lifting each other up.

What makes a truly great contributor? Is it skill, height or talent alone? Those may be markers of a team that chases perfection at any cost, solely focused on winning, but De Anza basketball defines greatness differently.

Head coach Joseph Berticevich stands firmly on the principle that a player’s worth is not only measured by their performance on the court but by the kindness and integrity they show there as well.

His team is a wide range of young men from diverse and challenging backgrounds, each with needs that go beyond the game. With a heart for his players, Berticevich meets them where they’re at, providing them a safe place to grow not just as athletes but as individuals.

In a world that often overlooks the deeper needs of young men, Berticevich doesn’t follow the status quo. In the fast-paced, self-centered culture around us, he’s chosen a different path — one that values relationships and human connection above competition.

On his court, he’s coaching for life, not just for the game, pouring encouragement into young men who may never have experienced this kind of support before.

This is Berticevich’s playbook: building a bond, speaking life into young men and nurturing acceptance instead of judgment.

On De Anza’s court, players find a family, not just a team. It’s a place where they’re encouraged to lift each other up rather than tear each other down — a community that values every member, from star players to redshirts.

These are the values that define De Anza basketball, where success is measured in the strength of relationships, not rankings.

This level of care is not something Berticevich started recently, but something he’s been implementing for years and years.

The team is not a team, but a family.

Not often do coaches take the time to build those familial relationships, but Berticevich does.

Infact, this is what the whole program is about: for his players to be set up for the most success and having a trusted male figure to lean on, to have a man who will support them in anything they go through in life.

“If my players leave this team knowing I had their backs, desired their success and had a fun time playing for me, then I know I’ve done my job correctly,” Berticevich explained.

This intention is critical for what the program is trying to establish. A culture is being built right under our noses and we aren’t even aware of it.

Assistant coach Patrick Gallmann, who’s coached with Berticevich for 12 years and known him for 45 years, shared heartfelt words.

“Joe is a great coach and he’s an even greater man,” Gallmann said.

Their bond goes back to their childhoods, forged through the friendships between Gallmann’s brother and Berticevich that have lasted a lifetime.

Gallmann’s admiration is a testament to the kind of loyalty and respect Berticevich inspires.

Berticevich goes beyond the typical coach’s duties. He arranged a professional media day complete with lights and fog machines, creating memories his players will carry with them. He brought in a muralist to transform the locker room into a place to gather, bond and unwind.

These little touches start to chip away at the hardened exteriors his players may come in with, allowing them to feel safe, supported and open to trust.

It’s well known that any of these coaches can be trusted, they back up their words with their actions and they are always making the effort, they are the definition of consistent.

”We want to play basketball the right way. We’re trying to build a culture of success so these guys can set the foundation for this program,” Gallmann said. “We aren’t so focused on wins and losses, although of course we’d like to win, we want to do things the right way and get the players to do the right things.”

The players are a reflection of Berticevich and the coaching staff’s vision. They are the embodiment of what is trying to be instilled–connection, respect and unity.

From the stands, you can feel it — the closeness of this team, a brotherhood that extends beyond the starting lineup. There is no division, no hierarchy, just young men who truly want to see each other succeed.

This isn’t just a team that’s been thrown together; they were all carefully handpicked and in four short months, they’ve built bonds that will last lifetimes. It’s a family, and that’s something you can feel from every corner of the gym.

The players are the true inspiration of this team. Against all odds, from backgrounds that range from quitting the sport to being cut from other programs, they’ve come together with one common goal: to reach the next level. But at what cost?

Nearly half the team came from other junior college programs, each with a reason to leave their previous teams.

Many share the same story: their last program didn’t care about them, at least not in the way that truly mattered. These programs valued winning over the growth and well-being of the young men in their care.

Now, as members of De Anza’s team, they seek a change — a sense of connection, and a coach who supports them not only as players but as individuals. They want to grow both on and off the court and are eager for an environment that nurtures these aspirations. For them, De Anza felt like the perfect fit.

During Berticevich’s tenure at Pioneer, he left an undeniable impact on his players, one strong enough to bring them back to him.

Players like Justice Owens, Sean Crowley, Elijah Denker and Moses Kim were drawn to continue their journey with him.

Sean Crowley, team captain and sophomore, put it simply: coming to play for Berticevich was a “no-brainer.” Coming from another program, Crowley had a solid season but yearned for a bigger role, trusting that Berticevich could help him reach it.

His decision wasn’t just based on Berticevich’s legacy, but on the kind of man he is.

“Coach B is the same person no matter what’s going on in his life. He always comes in with a smile on his face and treats all his players the same,” Crowley said.

Berticevich’s passion and energy leave a lasting impression. It’s abundantly clear he cares, both about winning and about his players.

As Crowley put it, “As a player, you can’t ask for more than that.”

Berticevich’s impact is the same with former players and new recruits alike — meaningful and full of care.

De Anza freshman AJ Richards recalls his first encounter.

“The first practice, Coach B walked up to me and shook my hand,” Richards said. “Mind you, I’d never seen him in person before, so I was thinking, ‘How does he know who I am?’ He made me feel seen.”

That simple gesture, calling someone by their name and showing respect, goes a long way. For many of these young men, it’s a rare experience to have a deep relationship with a coach or any male role model.

This is new territory, and it’s one that deserves to be recognized. This is how respect is built: by meeting people where they’re at, accepting them for who they are and genuinely wanting to see them grow.

Confidence is a core element of Berticevich’s coaching philosophy. Richards spoke about how his confidence has grown since joining this team because he sees how much trust his coaches have in him to perform. These coaches understand that trust is built through example, and they are leading the way.

Perhaps the greatest example of Berticevich’s belief in his players is shown in his recruitment of Justice Owens, captain and sophomore.

Owens has a unique story: before becoming a De Anza Lion, he had quit basketball altogether. He’d played one season at another program and decided it wasn’t for him.

Owens took a gap year to find himself, but even as he filled his time, something always felt missing.

Then Berticevich reached out. He offered Owens a spot on his team, encouraging him to be part of something meaningful.

That call reignited the love Owens had long missed. Berticevich had recognized in Owens the player he truly was, and Owens felt that spark return.

“Coach Berticevich has this confidence in me that no one has, except for my dad,” Owens said.

That kind of faith, the belief that contends a parent’s, is the kind of trust that makes players want to give their all. To know someone believes in you when you don’t believe in yourself — that’s powerful.

“I didn’t have confidence in my abilities, but Coach B saw that in me; he gave me the role I’d hoped for,” Owens said. “He showed me I could be the player I wanted to be.”

With Berticevich’s support, Owens found the courage to push his limits and grow into the player he’d always envisioned.

This impact goes beyond the court and into every aspect of life. Owens thought that if someone can have this much faith in his abilities, then that belief must extend to who he is as a person.

These players know that they’re truly rooted for by their coaches and peers who genuinely want to see them succeed — not just in sports, but in life.

As an observer of this program, it’s clear that what the coaches preach aligns seamlessly with what the team experiences.

The care and dedication from coaches Greg Uyeda, Patrick Gallmann, Skip Yenchik and Joe Berticevich are palpable. When you look closely — at the individuals behind the numbers — you start to see the profound impact of having guiding philosophies in place to help these young men stay accountable and grow.

It becomes evident how vital these values are to each other: being a man of character on the court leads to being a man of character off the court.

Everything these young men do reflects who they are, and the coaches recognize that.

They place tremendous emphasis on this point which has proven to be well received. What sets De Anza’s basketball program apart from the rest is its commitment to personal development. Once a foundation of core values is established, everything these players do flows naturally from those grounding principles.

This team not only sets high standards for athletic performance but also for character and integrity, and the coaches genuinely believe every player has the potential to achieve this.

The love they have for one another is undeniable, it’s a love that won’t fade with time, it’s only choice is to deepen.

It’s a bond built on respect, growth and unwavering belief — a legacy of character and camaraderie that will endure long after the final buzzer.