s ▁father ▁died ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁ 1 3 . ▁By ▁this ▁time , ▁Jerry ▁showed ▁his ▁interest ▁in ▁sports , ▁but ▁his ▁step father ▁disapp ro ved ▁of ▁his ▁invol vement ▁with ▁sports , ▁while ▁his ▁mother ▁encourag ed ▁him ▁to ▁purs ue ▁it . ▁A ▁gradu ate ▁of ▁Pas ad ena ▁High ▁School , ▁he ▁initially ▁attended ▁Pas ad ena ▁City ▁College ▁in ▁California ▁and ▁played ▁basketball ▁at ▁the ▁college ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 – 5 1 ▁season . ▁T ark an ian ▁then ▁transferred ▁to ▁F res no ▁State ▁College , ▁where ▁he ▁played ▁basketball ▁for ▁the ▁Bul ld ogs ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 4 – 5 5 ▁season ▁as ▁a ▁backup ▁guard . ▁ ▁After ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁F res no ▁State ▁College ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁he ▁earned ▁a ▁master ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁educational ▁management ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Red lands . ▁ ▁Early ▁co aching ▁career ▁He ▁began ▁his ▁co aching ▁career ▁with ▁five ▁years ▁of ▁California ▁high ▁school ▁basketball , ▁starting ▁with ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁Memorial ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁F res no . ▁He ▁then ▁moved ▁to ▁Ant el ope ▁Valley ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁Lanc aster ▁( 1 9 5 8 ) ▁and ▁Red lands ▁High ▁School ▁( 1 9 5 9 – 1 9 6 0 ). ▁He ▁then ▁moved ▁on ▁to ▁the ▁junior ▁college ▁level ▁at ▁R ivers ide ▁City ▁College ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁and