Chodosh working this summer

When you play your high school basketball in Pebble Beach, the expectations are that it must be just something to do between teeing up on the greens and equestrian polo. But not to Matt Chodosh, a senior-to-be at Stevenson School.

For him, it's all been a quest for betterment in the sport he most enjoys. Initially, it was participation in hoops and soccer but come high school, each sport took place at the same time so it was good bye as a goalkeeper and going solo on the court.

Around this time, it was also a mano-a-mano case case of sibling rivalry. Although it wasn't voiced at the time of their matching up, Chodosh now rates his older brother Ben, who also played at Stevenson, as his biggest basketball influence "since he was the one I was most competitive with."

But there was also the matter of attending Point Guard College down in Irvine. It's a unique camp where "we played and studied the game, half a day on the court and half a day off taking notes while watching NBA players perform." This provided greater insight for Chodosh as the event stressed technical elements but also leadership, court awareness and other intangibles.

In comparison, Chodosh recalled his freshman days, one of being "very unconfident and nervous in practice in games. I couldn't shoot and my ballhandling was a lot weaker. I felt I held the team back in practice." He was a frosh playing varsity, meaning he had to match up with upperclassmen who "were stronger and better. It was my first time playing up. I learned a lot, it makes you better."

To measure his advancement, Chodosh took on the role of captain for Coach Matt Arruda in the last Stevenson season (14-9 overall, 7-7 in the Mission Trail Athletic League), one is which he averaged 15 points and seven rebounds a game. "We only had three seniors and some weren't true basketball players." So it was a time for "leading practices and teaching the plays on offense. It was my third year and I wanted to help the guys out with where to pass, where to move on the court and what were smart shots."`

Now at 6-foot-3 and playing mostly as a combo guard, Chodosh rates his ability to get to the basket with his quick first step as his top talent. He also has a talent for posting up and negotiating past his opponent, something he developed while playing all five positions in his pre-high school days. Add to that his being a plus defender.

As for a highlight moment, he offered, "last season in high school, I hit a halfcourt shot just before halftime. I got really pumped about that."

Mixing in club ball with his high school efforts, Chodosh sees the latter as "a lot more structured. AAU is faster paced with more freedom. You get to experiment." He recently joined the Bay Area Warriors and participated in the recent Nor Cal Summer Tip Off and Pangos (Cream of the Crop) event in southern California. The Las Vegas Classic awaits later this week.

Here's Warriors Coach Randy Bessolo on Chodosh: "I have not seen that much of him but he has made a positive first impression. He is a very smart, skilled and unselfish player."

He believes the betterment in his game arrived primarily from his personal efforts in improving his shooting and dribbling plus time in the weight room, the three main areas of his focus in the gym.

An Honorable Mention All-County selection and second team All MTAL for his play this past season, Chodosh is looking to expand his effect on the game in both the tangible and intangible areas come the 2014-15 go-around. His 3.5 grade point average and the Stevenson curriculum will make him a favorite with most any admissions department.