Robertson head coach James Branch, right, cheers on his players during a 2023 game against Belen. Officials are saying little about the circumstances of Branch’s removal from a game Friday, calling it a “personnel matter.â€
Robertson head coach James Branch, right, cheers on his players during a 2023 game against Belen. Officials are saying little about the circumstances of Branch’s removal from a game Friday, calling it a “personnel matter.â€
As rumors swirl about the status of Las Vegas Robertson head boys basketball coach James Branch, Las Vegas City Schools officials are not commenting on it.
District Superintendent Melissa Sandoval and school board President Michael Quintana declined to comment on Branch’s status, calling it a “personnel matter.â€
Quintana said he did not know if Branch will coach Tuesday when the Cardinals play at the Academy for Technology and the Classics in a District 2-3A game.
Branch was not on the bench for Friday’s 81-46 win over West Las Vegas. Several people who asked not to be identified said Las Vegas City Schools administrators told Branch during a subvarsity game he was not allowed to coach his varsity squad and asked him to leave Gillie Lopez Gymnasium.
Branch declined to comment about his situation.
Branch is in his fourth season at Robertson, having compiled a 91-17 record and led the Cardinals to a Class 3A title in 2022. He has a 27-year coaching record, accumulating 437 wins, two state titles and five championship game appearances but also is known for bouncing from one program to the next in Northern New Mexico.
Among the teams Branch has coached include Taos boys (twice), Questa boys (twice), McCurdy girls, Mesa Vista girls, House boys, Mora boys and Española Valley boys. He guided the 1993-94 Questa Wildcats to the 2A championship, Taos to a third-place finish in 1999 and Española to a runner-up championship in 2018.
Robertson reached the 3A title game three straight years under Branch and is coming off a runner-up finish to Navajo Prep last season.