Coach Smith begins his 9th year as the Head Coach of the Bulldogs. He begins his 20th year as a head coach and 29th year overall. Before becoming a head coach, he was an assistant coach for six different head coaches (Missouri Valley College, Maryville High School, Rio Rancho High School, Kearney High School). He is the only head coach for the Bulldogs program since its inception in 2016, starting with only freshmen and building the program ever since. Beginning a varsity program in the 2018-2019 season, the Bulldogs have won two league championships (2019-2020 and 2021-2022) and have reached the CIF playoffs five years in a row. Prior to becoming the head coach at Portola High School, Coach Smith was the head coach at both Cleveland High School and Rio Rancho High School in Rio Rancho, New Mexico.  

In New Mexico, he led Rio Rancho HIgh School to a State Championship in 2007 with a record of 30-1, Cleveland High School (where he was the inaugural coach) to a State Runner up finish in 2014, with a record of 28-3, 6 District Championships, 7 trips to the State Quarter-finals, 3 trips to the State Semifinals and was a four-time Coach of the Year. He has over 270 career wins and has sent numerous players to play at the collegiate level, with one former player (Chris Newsome) still playing in the PBA (Philippines Basketball Association). 

Coach Smith is a native of Kearney, Missouri. He played his collegiate basketball at Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Missouri. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Missouri Valley and a Masters degree in Special Education from Northwest Missouri State University.

His wife Kristi (of 25 years) is a 6th grade teacher at Portola Springs Elementary. Their daughter Kaeli is currently attending college and working at Disneyland and their son Brock is currently a senior at Portola. They also have an English Bulldog named Thunder.

Coach Smith pushes his players to believe that “Dawgs gotta E.A.T.” Our players have the Effort, Attitude and Toughness to reach their goals this season. 

Franky Rizzo is currently in his 7th year of coaching. In 2011, he played basketball for Norte Vista High School and in 2014 he played for Bethesda University of California. His hometown of Riverside is known for being on the side of the Santa Ana River in which we used to catch tadpoles and frogs while being watchful of coyotes and “quick sand”. Since he was 13, he attended a church called Riverside Christian Assembly and for a few years after graduating high school he was the main youth leader for the church. Coach Rizzo is excited to continue his coaching career with the Bulldogs and has been instrumental in training not only our boys teams, but he also helps train members of our girls program as well.

Coach Rizzo’s motto is “Stop complaining and work harder.”

Coach Hamilton has been an assistant coach for the Boys Basketball program at Portola High School since 2018 and is beginning his 7th season as head coach for the frosh team and assistant coach for the varsity team.

Coach Hamilton has played and loved basketball for as long as he can remember. His first serious exposure to organized basketball was in high school where he played basketball and other sports for all four years. During that span, his  basketball program competed for multiple basketball state championships, winning the first basketball title in school history in 2005.

Coach Hamilton attended the University of South Carolina where he earned his bachelor's degree in English and his master's degree in teaching (Secondary Education).

After graduating, he taught English and coached basketball as a program assistant at Dreher High School in Columbia, South Carolina. He was the head coach of the freshmen basketball team for four years, and the junior varsity level for 1 year. During that time, the varsity team competed for and won a region (league) title and qualified for the State playoffs each year.

As a coach, Coach Hamilton seeks to challenge players to use basketball as an opportunity to learn more about themselves and build healthy habits of mind that they can later utilize in other aspects of their lives. He often use the phrase “do your work early” to emphasize the importance of ambitious dedicated goal setting, competitive tenacity, and necessary sacrifice for success in competitive sports and success in life.

Coach Scott Pho hails from the community of El Monte, California. Although his early childhood was spent in Northern California, his family relocated to Southern California when he was five years old. It was in this diverse and dynamic environment that Coach Pho’s love for the game of basketball took root and eventually flourished.

Coach Pho’s coaching journey began in 2009 when he volunteered at the Alhambra YMCA, mentoring and guiding young athletes aged between 9 and 12. This initial experience ignited a profound interest in coaching that would go on to shape his career path and philosophy.

In 2019, Coach Pho assumed the role of JV Head Coach at Oxford Academy. The challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic prompted him to pivot to the role of Varsity Assistant in 2020.

In the 2022-2023 season, Coach Pho embraced a new challenge as the Freshman Coach at Portola.

Coach Pho holds a Bachelor's degree in Creative Writing from CSU, Long Beach and an MBA from Syracuse University. His academic background has provided him with a well-rounded perspective that he applies to his coaching style, emphasizing the importance of communication and leadership, essential qualities for fostering a cohesive and driven team.

A firm believer in the adage that hard work and commitment can triumph over talent, Coach Pho instills in his players the notion that the combination of innate ability and relentless effort can lead to unparalleled success. With this philosophy at the core of his coaching approach, he envisions a future where dedication, perseverance, and skill converge to unlock boundless potential both on and off the court.