CAMERON PARK — It’s been 11 years since El Dorado County basketball fans were treated to Adam Evans’ exploits on the hardwood at Ponderosa High.
From the time Evans was a freshman called up to play alongside his older brother David in the 1994 Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs, Adam ignited the fans and his team with his scoring ability and defensive play, often leading the Bruins to victory with his one-man show.
Unassuming, shunning the media spotlight and somewhat small at a little over 6 feet, Adam’s reputation still preceeded him wherever he played. In his remaining three years on the varsity team, Adam was the go-to man who absolutely wanted to win whenever he took the floor.
In all he played for three different coaches at Ponderosa — Terry Battenberg, Brett Sargent, Battenberg again and Dave Millhollin — and in two leagues, the Sierra Foothill League and the Sierra Valley Conference.
In his junior year under Battenberg in 1996, the team made it to Arco Arena for the semi-final section game against Rio Americano, a game the Bruins lost in the last seconds.
“Going to Arco was definitely huge for me in high school,” said Adam, who is now a doctor. “I really felt like I learned a lot from Coach ‘B.’ He’s a disciplinarian, both on the floor and in life. We really respected what he said.”
Adam had offers to play for a Division I school but chose to play college ball at Brigham Young University, Hawaii, following David there to begin another chapter in his career. After he was named Pac West Freshman of the Year in 1998, Adam left for Colombia for a two year mission having fulfilled his dream of playing alongside David for an entire season.
“The highlight of my basketball career was playing with David at BYU. He was 6-6 and I was 6-2 and we were both guards.
“David,” Adam added proudly, “was a three-year first team All American at BYU. My two other brothers, Jared and Chad, were also in Hawaii and we all lived together. That was awesome. I played in every game and I have to say it was my best year of college.”
Parents Rosemarie and Thurman, sister Megan, who currently lives in Hawaii, and little brother Grant, now a freshman at Ponderosa, traveled to all of BYU’s road games and joined the boys to celebrate family Christmases in Hawaii.
Adam’s 11-year journey has brought him full circle. He’s back in Cameron Park where he and his wife Amy opened Evans Chiropractic two months ago. Now this one-time dynamo on the basketball court is not only building his practice, he and Amy are parenting three children — which one finds out includes raising pigs and chickens — all part of “raising boys” Adam explained. “That’s their job.”
During a recent week, the Evans welcomed their third child, daughter Ailey, who joins brothers Isaiah, 4, and Maddox, 3, on Wednesday, and hosted a Chamber of Commerce barbecue and ribbon-cutting at the chiropractic office Friday — proving Adam’s energy level is still in high gear.
Adam still holds the Bruin school records of 1,870 career points and 29.2 points per game. David is second with 1,200 points and a 28.8 per game average. Adam is also sixth in both assists and rebounds. The brothers’ jerseys were retired in a ceremony at the school several years ago.
During his playing years wearing No. 14, Adam marked the back of his shoes with the words “Heart” and “Hustle.” After four years of chiropractic school in Oregon he served his internship at Cameron Park Chiropractic for Dr. Lorin Farr. Urged by “buddies at MaxPreps,” to remain in the area, Adam and Amy scrapped plans to settle in the Tri-Cities area of Washington state and stay here.
Once the office was set up, a sign with “Heart and Hustle” was posted on the wall, a message Adam conveys to his patients as he offers chiropractic and rehabilitation services, including a workout space where he teaches core exercises.
“Amy loves the area and it’s great reconnecting with people like Chad Downey, Ryan Beal and Claude Parcon to name a few,” Adam said. “When the A-frame in Cameron Park became available it seemed like the right thing to do.”
He and Amy met at BYU and married in Adam’s senior year.
“I didn’t play because I tore the MCL in my knee,” Adam said. “I was a student assistant coach and Amy and I got married that year. She’s the one who encouraged me to study to be a chiropractor instead of staying in Hawaii and becoming a contractor like David. She knew I loved to talk and treat people.”
During the 2002-2003 school year Adam coached the freshman team at Union Mine. He returns to the Diamondback campus this fall as the junior varsity coach under new head coach Mike Verbitsky, who was Adam’s freshman coach at Ponderosa.
For now he’s playing some pick-up ball and he and some of his former teammates and other county players during the 1990s are “getting back in shape” playing in the “Old Man’s League” in Folsom.
“When I was coaching the freshmen I could run up and down the floor,” Adam said. “Now I’m going to have to get moving if I’m going to keep up with the kids.”
Running a busy practice with Amy’s help, keeping up with three active kids, mountain bike riding with his dad, basketball with his buddies and learning how to raise chickens and pigs — sounds like enough activity to keep anyone fit.
JUST CALL HIM DOC - Former Ponderosa basketball star Adam Evans is now a chiropractor in Cameron Park. Democrat photo by Pat Dollins 
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