From Alumnus to Head Coach, Claus Rises on the Collegiate Stage
Published on May 8 2025Justin Claus casually eased into the chair on the other side of the desk. There is an effect that Claus carries with him; humbleness, and quiet confidence, and it sits well with the people around him.
A local kid who grew up in Rio Dell with his brother Zac, his mother, Danielle, and his father, Joe, Claus learned to walk with a basketball in his hand. “My parents tell the story that they bought me a mini basketball hoop. I stood up so that I could put the ball in the basket, and it just led to me walking.”
The first time he took the court as an official player was when he was just five years old and never looked back. By fifth grade, Claus started playing basketball for Eagle Prairie Elementary but played on the eighth-grade team. “I was lucky enough to go to a small school. It allowed me to play up (with the older kids) so I got eighth-grade experience from fifth grade on. It helped me the most growing up playing with older faster players.”
Claus went on to play at Fortuna High and in 2014, his senior year, the Fortuna Huskies had an impressive run with 27 wins and just 2 losses going into playoffs which, at the time, was the best record for Fortuna High basketball history. “Until my brother’s team came along in 2019 and had only one loss,” Claus smiles. “We went to the second round of state playoffs which is also how far Zac’s team got. I couldn’t even eat him there,” he laughs. You can tell the way Claus talks about his younger brother that there is an incredibly tight bond between them.
Justin Mora, the head coach at the time for College of the Redwoods, recruited Claus to play at CR. Barry Mendenhall and Gordie Hunt were the assistant coaches back then. “I was looking at other schools, too, but the local thing really enticed me. I’m family-oriented and see the value in our community.”
It was the same values system that led Claus to play at Cal Poly Humboldt in 2016-2017 (at that time Humboldt State University) after his stunning two-year stint at CR. “There were other colleges that may have been better financial options, but I wanted the challenge to play at that level and have a good Humboldt County career.”
But Claus’s basketball career was cut short with an injury that some thought was only minor at the time. Little did anyone know, Claus would never step foot on the hardwood floor in Lumberjack Arena for game action. Claus suffered a slipped disc in his back that ended his basketball career. However, it was his mindset that allowed him to shift perspective. “I used that as an opportunity when everything was uncertain, to coach my brother’s (Zac) team. I just wanted to stay involved with basketball despite what was going on with me physically,” he says. “And that’s what started the whole coaching thing.” In 2017 a stellar Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team was built. It consisted of local Humboldt County standouts, Drew Gillette, Donald and Bradley Willis, AJ Stubbs, Issac Puzz, Gio Magdaleno, Kai Pajares, Jayden Morehead, and Garrett Hall.
“Humboldt County has a lot of talent and potential, but I think it’s hard to foster that when people aren’t working together. I’ve seen phases in Humboldt County where really good players, motivated players come together and push each other in the off-season.” Claus went on to say, “We were really inspired by the (Golden State) Warriors run that year. The ball movement, the crafty things the Warriors were doing. We (as a team) were inspired by things that made us different instead of being the best but the same as everyone else. I was really lucky to have a team of guys that locked into that sort of idea because it really pushed me as a coach to be creative.” Because it’s even more than that, Claus continued. “It’s connection between players and coaches. It’s how we move the ball offensively, how we defend, how we prepare, how we serve others. And it’s giving players authenticity confidence to express themselves through basketball, to lean into their uniqueness and strength.”
In 2018-2019 Claus had the opportunity to coach at Cal Poly Humboldt as an assistant. And in that same year, Claus’s AAU team’s senior year of high school.
Claus said, “And then in 2019, the head CR coaching job opened up and (Ryan) Bisio got the job, brought me on. We were able to recruit some of our AAU team from 2017. I think people believed we were going to be something special, but I knew we were going to be something special. Then we won our first Golden Valley Conference and went deep into playoffs.”
And the rest, as they said, is history.
It has been a remarkable run for College of the Redwoods Men’s basketball program, with four Golden Valley Championships under their belt in just five short years.
“I don’t question the way that I look at basketball or team philosophy, or how players treat each other. I will follow these values my whole career and allow them to shape how we recruit, build the program, how we treat each other on a day-to-day basis, what we’re doing on the court, what we celebrate as a team, our goals,” said Claus.
Not only is Claus applying his life lessons on the court as a coach, he said, “I think if someone gets too planted in what they do, they can get left behind, so I’m always learning as much as I can, but it’s the values that I’ve talked about that really influence what we do as a program.”
Bisio, who is transitioning into the new Athletic Director role, said of Claus, “This is such an exciting time for the men’s basketball program and Justin personally. It’s incredible how much Justin's given our basketball community. His personal trainings, youth camps, influence on Fortuna High, his time as an assistant coach at Cal Poly Humboldt, to the signature work he's done here at CR. Justin's imprint has graciously influenced a generation of local players and now he finally gets a chance to run his own program, farm to table, and nobody deserves it more.”
When asked of Claus who he admires, he replied after a moment, “My dad, on a personal level. When I hear people talk about my dad in the community I hear the phrases, ‘he’s always present’ and ‘he makes people feel good and valued.’ I strive for that in my life. I want people to leave interactions with me with that same takeaway.”
It’s safe to say that the men’s basketball program is in excellent hands with Claus at the forefront of the program. From his intentions to his values to the way he looks at the game and his players, Claus leaves people with a lasting impression of genuineness, care, and a sense of value. Just like his dad.
- Favorite food: Burritos
- Favorite animals: Marmoset monkeys
- Favorite color: Forest Green
- Favorite basketball player: Stephen Curry