Farrington, Broome lead Napa Valley College men's basketball at Sophomore Showcase
Photo: Napa Valley College's Chris Farrington
Courtesy photo
By MARTY JAMES
Chris Farrington, who averaged 14.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game during the men's basketball season, was among four players from the Napa Valley College men's basketball program who traveled to Southern California to play in the 2025 Sophomore Showcase.
Farrington, from Shorewood, Wisconsin, was joined by the Storm's Nate Broome, who is from Benicia; Hassan Flemming, who is from American Canyon; and Jerard Jackson, who is from San Jacinto, CA (Riverside County).
The 2025 Sophomore Showcase, organized and put on by the California Community College Men's Basketball Coaches Association, was held on March 14 at Cerritos College in Norwalk (Los Angeles County).
The Sophomore Showcase provides players from around the state the opportunity to play in games with four-year college coaches in attendance.
"I'm going to continue to help them, and hopefully all can have a spot to go and either play and or go to college and continue their education," said Steve Ball, Napa Valley's head coach.
Each of the players from NVC played in two games and were on the same team during the Sophomore Showcase.
"They usually try to match you up with players from your conference, or at least you know a little bit about somebody on your team," said Ball.
Farrington and Broome each played well.
Farrington scored 20 points in the second half of a game at the Sophomore Showcase.
"He showed that he can do it. Hopefully, something comes out of that. I know he's got quite a bit of interest as well. It's just a waiting game right now," said Ball.
Broome had 10 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks and two assists in the first game.
He followed that up, scoring 11 points and getting seven rebounds, three blocks and four assists in the second game.
"Nate played really well and got noticed by quite a few schools," said Ball.
Broome averaged 8.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game this past season.
Flemming averaged 9.3 points and 2.9 rebounds per game this past season.
Jackson averaged 5.4 points per game this past season.
Farrington and Jackson, meanwhile, were named Freshman Honorable Mention for Northern California by Signal The Light Basketball last year.
Farrington averaged 15.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
He scored a season-high 48 points, hitting six 3-pointers, in the Storm's 107-98 Bay Valley Conference loss in overtime to Solano Community College.
Farrington was also named to the 2023-24 All-Bay Valley Conference team and to the conference's All-Freshmen Team.
Jackson averaged 8.6 points per game.
Ball, meanwhile, announced the commitments of four incoming players for next year's season. They are:
* Davion Orais-Ramsey from Rodriguez High School-Cordelia.
* Jomari Bean from Fremont High School-Oakland.
* Ryan Rice of Casa Grande High School-Petaluma.
* Ray Wiggins from Venture Academy-Stockton. Wiggins is a transfer from Warren Wilson College of Swannanoa, North Carolina.
NVC's summer program starts on June 24 and runs four days a week, ending in early August.
* Marty James is a freelance writer who makes his home in Napa. He retired on June 4, 2019 after spending 40 years as a sports writer, sports editor and executive sports editor for the Napa Valley Register, a daily newspaper in Napa County. He is a 1979 graduate of Sacramento State and a member of the California Golf Writers & Broadcasters Association. He was inducted into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame in 2016, the Vintage High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019, and the Napa High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022.