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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Brooks steps away from Eastern staff

Saying he wanted to go “wherever life takes me,” Winston Brooks has resigned as an assistant coach with the Eastern Washington men’s basketball program.

“I’m thinking about finishing my master’s (in sports administration),” the former Gonzaga Bulldog said. “I want to finish my work without any distractions.”

Brooks was with the Eagles one season, which was a disappointing 8-20 finish a year after the team went to the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles were sixth in the Big Sky Conference and were eliminated in the first round of the conference tournament.

“I want to have a career in athletics,” Brooks said. “I’m not sure if it will be in coaching or on the administrative side. But I want to finish my degree first.”

Despite the losing record, Brooks, whose main responsibility was working with perimeter players and scouting, was optimistic about his season with first-year head coach Mike Burns.

“I enjoyed it,” he said. “I really respect Coach Burns for giving me the opportunity. I love working with the guys and being around Coach Burns. My heart really wasn’t all the way into coaching.”

“Right now, we’re just going on business as usual,” Burns said. “We’ll worry about replacing him in June. That’s when the contract ends. There are a couple guys I’m talking to – a couple of players we’re looking at. Sometime after recruiting season, we’ll discuss it and see who’s available.”

Brooks, from Richmond, Va., played at Howard (Texas) College and at North Idaho before GU. The Zags went 53-13 in his two seasons, winning two West Coast Conference titles and playing in the NCAA Tournament.