Riverside basketball head coach Allen Arnold sits quietly by himself on the bench before every game.
He doesn’t do much socializing, talking, or coaching in those moments before tip-off. Arnold needs those fleeting moments on his own.
The reason?
“I’m a nervous wreck before every game,” he said. “I’ll be the first to admit it. Those moments before a game are terrible for my nerves.”
But once the game gets going, Arnold says, he’s completely fine. He settles in, visualizes what he wants implemented by his team, and he coaches.
Arnold — who’s entering his seventh year as Riverside head coach — just so happens to be one of the best at his craft in the state. In his Riverside career, he’s racked up 109 wins to just 60 losses. He led the Warriors all the way to capturing the 4-A Upper State Championship in 2023-24 before falling just short in the state title game.
“Our kids push each other and know what to expect as part of this program,” said Arnold. “They buy in and compete every single day, from our first practice to our last game of the season.”
Arnold has found his success through a style of coaching not seen as often in today’s game.
It’s best explained by some of his players.
“He’s tough on us. He’s intense,” said senior Ben Sponaugle. “But the thing about Coach [Arnold], is that he’s not going to yell at you just to yell. He’s doing it to help make you better. And we all know that, and it makes us want to play better for him.”
“I’ve always said this: you’ve got to get through the first 10 seconds of the yelling,” said sophomore guard Huck Flinn, laughing. “Once you do that, you get used to it. You learn so much from him. I’ve learned so much from him. I truly believe he’s the best coach in the state.”
During games, Arnold is often animated, never afraid to make his feelings on a call — or a player’s decision — made known. Arnold isn't shy to sit a player on the bench for any reason — even his stars.
If a player isn’t locked in, isn't focused, is chucking bad shots, or is making mental errors, they’ll ride the pine until Arnold is ready to put them back in.
His practices start before most people are awake. 6 a.m. is often the report time. Every detail matters. Every drill matters. Every second of preparation contributes to success.
“Every single thing we do in practice is for a purpose,” said Sponaugle. “Everything is for a reason. We never do any drills just to do them. And he’ll get on us if we aren’t doing them right.
“There are some coaches that I would say are a little ‘soft’ in how they do things. They let players kind of do what they want and don’t demand much. That’s exactly the opposite of Coach Arnold.”
Arnold’s teams are defined yearly by a recognizable playing style.
Suffocating and disciplined defense. Ball movement reminiscent of some of Gregg Popovich’s most talented San Antonio Spurs rosters.
And the persevering motto of Arnold’s that he’s woven into every Riverside team he’s coached: “Never the good shot, always the great shot.”
These basketball commandments have helped take the games of numerous Warriors to the next level.
“Coach Arnold has legitimately transformed me,” said senior Reeves Garner. “He’s got what he believes in and wants us to do. Being here early every morning and running these drills, you see it paying off. It’s made me a better player, and it builds you up both on the court and with your character.”
“Coach Arnold has made me into the tough, gritty player I am today,” said former Riverside and current American University basketball star Julen Iturbe. “He made me mentally and physically tough. He also really cares about the kids and winning.”
Arnold doesn’t just expect a high work rate from his players, either. He demands it from himself the same.
When not at practice, Arnold spends countless hours scouting future opponents — attending their games and watching the film he’s given.
Over the past 21 days, Arnold has scouted opponents in some capacity for all but a handful of them. He coached a 19-point win over Mauldin on Monday. He’s been at games watching future opponents play every other day this week.
“The man never takes a day off. He’s scouting every day, it seems like,” said assistant coach Zacari Garrett, who also played as a Warrior under Arnold. “He’s the hardest worker I’ve met in the sport of basketball.”
And even through Arnold’s often blistering intensity on the court, his players don’t fear him.
They respect Arnold. They love playing for him. It’s evident even after another early-morning practice, where players cut up and crack jokes with their coach, as if he were one of them.
“That’s the thing about him. The players know he’s hard and tough,” said Garrett. “But that doesn’t change the fact that they love playing for him and love him as a person. He’s also able to have his fun.
“He’s old school. He gets on them harder than everybody else, no doubt. But they also know he’s got their backs — 100 percent of the time.”
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