In the aftermath of a perfect 18-0 win-loss season, the Santa Barbara Breakers Head Coach Curt Pickering notched his 300th career coaching victory on May 31, 2008 when the Breakers beat the Ventura Jets 113-108 at Santa Barbara City Sports Pavilion. The win raised the Breakers record to 13-0 with the closely matched game, which saw the Jets lead in the game 101-99 with 4:31 time remaining in the 4th quarter. Thanks to 7 Breakers players hitting double figures in the scoring column, the red, white, blue and gold outscored the Jets 14-7 during crunch time for the final tally.
Pickering began his coaching career at the collegiate level, recording an 89-108 record during 10 years of service. He then moved on to the professional ranks, helping BK Kbosterneuburg win the Austrian Basketball Association Championship in 1986 with 41-9 record. His team competed in the European Cup, equivalent to the NBA Finals, against such notables as Vlade Divac, former LA Lakers Star and Drazen Petrovic of the Portland Trailblazers. Petrovic and Pickering reunited 2 years later when Pickering accepted a scouting position with the New Jersey Nets and Petrovic was traded from the Blazers to the Nets. Pickering continued his Vagabond tour with several coaching stints in the minor leagues, honing his skills in Biloxi, Mississippi (CBA); Winnipeg, Canada (IBA); and Clearwater, Florida (USBL) until settling in Santa Barbara, California, thanks to long time Los Angeles Lakers icon and Santa Barbara resident, Bill Bertka.
Pickering architectured the Santa Barbara Islanders, a CBA franchise, serving as General Manager and Director of the Player Personnel. The Islanders still hold the CBA all-time record for the most wins by an expansion team (37-19) and highest scoring average per game, 123.6. The club also sent 10 Islanders back to the NBA for playing opportunities during the 1989-91 seasons.
Following championships as Head Coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers (1991) in the NBA summer pro league and Kazma Club of Kuwait (1993), Pickering made final international stops in Dubai, VAE; Bahrain; Philippines; and Venezuela before re-settling down in Santa Barbara in 1997 to create the Montecito Basketball Academy, a weekly program for youths, ages 4-15. The academy has serviced over 8,000 individuals focusing on self-esteem and the fundamental skills of the games.
For the past two years, Pickering has re-directed his attention at the professional level owning and coaching the Santa Barbara Breakers, an upstart minor league franchise. The team has amassed 17-6 and 18-0 records (35-6) and won the West Coast Pro Basketball league (WCBL) championship this past June. The Breaker will continue their trek in September when the travel to China for a 10 game tour.
All in all 30 years of coaching has resulted in a 306-190 overall win loss record; 4 championships; coaching 5 NBA head coaches when they were players: Rick Carbisle, Nate Mcmillan, Byron Scott, Isiah Thomas, Reggie Theus; as well as over 100 other NBA players Reggie Miller and Dominique Wilkins, to name a few.
Collegiate Record 89-108
USA Minor leagues 90-38
International Clubs 127-44