Thursday, December 31, 2015
COMPANION PIECE:The difficulty of making an impact even in community college hoops
The following is a companion piece to a feature "There's skill and body development but what about adding basketball IQ?" -- posted the other day.
So many kids chatter about what they're going to do when they get to the Big Show. It's admirable to have such lofty goals but flat out a pipe dream
without first constructing the building blocks necessary in attempting to fulfill these ambitions.
A prime example of the difficulty in reaching the highest level of professional basketball, let alone possessing a D1 college scholarship, is available for viewing at most community college basketball programs.
Look around northern California -- are there any just-out-of-high-school natives, 2015 grads, who are dominating opponents? Even being consistently overall plus factors each game?
The answer appears to be no.
Yes, there are those who are currently averaging in double-figures although such an achievement is not a predictor for a next level of scholarship let alone earning eventual NBA status. But let's use it as a barometer here even though these guys have just completed but the first half of their initial collegiate season.
* Mohammed Abdulrasul, Fremont High (Sunnyvale), West Valley: 13.2 ppg.
* Terrell Alcorn, El Cerrito High, Merritt: 14.2 ppg.
* Omari Brown, Sacred Heart Cathedral High, Merritt: 10.8 ppg.
* Soren Carpenter, Lowell High, Skyline: 10.0 ppg.
* Will Ingersoll, McKinleyville High, College of the Redwoods: 15.9 ppg.
* Kameron Johnson, Granada High, Las Positas: 11.9 ppg.
* Michael Murphy, Valley High, Cosumnes River: 10.4 ppg.
* Alex Smith, St. Mary's High, San Joaquin Delta: 11.4 ppg.
* DeAndre Stallings, Liberty Ranch High, Columbia: 14.6 ppg.
* Eric Toles, Cosumnes Oaks High, Sierra: 14.6 ppg.
* Tyler Wright, Mills High, Skyline: 11.6 ppg.
Note: Players such as Derrick Randolph, Mason Washington, Anthony Smith, Mark Thomas and others are not listed here because they finished high school earlier than last season.
Now this is not to diminish anyone's achievement -- hats off to these youngsters above -- but to point out a harsh reality. If academically eligible to make the jump, it looks like none of the above will be doing so come April. There are still too many holes in their respective game, too many gaps, a lack of overall consistency.
As was written earlier: To get on the court (at the D1 level), bodies must be built stronger, endurance extended, existing skills honed further and new ones developed, new roles accepted and possibly most importantly, the learning of how to defend at the (four year) college level is foremost. That's a plate stacked pretty high.
If there isn't a breaking down of statistics as well as film taking place at the community college level, as well as the absorption and application of such in order to increase individual basketball IQ, then it's pie-in-the-sky whose taste is more than likely to be far less sweet than desired.
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So many kids chatter about what they're going to do when they get to the Big Show. It's admirable to have such lofty goals but flat out a pipe dream
without first constructing the building blocks necessary in attempting to fulfill these ambitions.
A prime example of the difficulty in reaching the highest level of professional basketball, let alone possessing a D1 college scholarship, is available for viewing at most community college basketball programs.
Look around northern California -- are there any just-out-of-high-school natives, 2015 grads, who are dominating opponents? Even being consistently overall plus factors each game?
The answer appears to be no.
Yes, there are those who are currently averaging in double-figures although such an achievement is not a predictor for a next level of scholarship let alone earning eventual NBA status. But let's use it as a barometer here even though these guys have just completed but the first half of their initial collegiate season.
* Mohammed Abdulrasul, Fremont High (Sunnyvale), West Valley: 13.2 ppg.
* Terrell Alcorn, El Cerrito High, Merritt: 14.2 ppg.
* Omari Brown, Sacred Heart Cathedral High, Merritt: 10.8 ppg.
* Soren Carpenter, Lowell High, Skyline: 10.0 ppg.
* Will Ingersoll, McKinleyville High, College of the Redwoods: 15.9 ppg.
* Kameron Johnson, Granada High, Las Positas: 11.9 ppg.
* Michael Murphy, Valley High, Cosumnes River: 10.4 ppg.
* Alex Smith, St. Mary's High, San Joaquin Delta: 11.4 ppg.
* DeAndre Stallings, Liberty Ranch High, Columbia: 14.6 ppg.
* Eric Toles, Cosumnes Oaks High, Sierra: 14.6 ppg.
* Tyler Wright, Mills High, Skyline: 11.6 ppg.
Note: Players such as Derrick Randolph, Mason Washington, Anthony Smith, Mark Thomas and others are not listed here because they finished high school earlier than last season.
Now this is not to diminish anyone's achievement -- hats off to these youngsters above -- but to point out a harsh reality. If academically eligible to make the jump, it looks like none of the above will be doing so come April. There are still too many holes in their respective game, too many gaps, a lack of overall consistency.
As was written earlier: To get on the court (at the D1 level), bodies must be built stronger, endurance extended, existing skills honed further and new ones developed, new roles accepted and possibly most importantly, the learning of how to defend at the (four year) college level is foremost. That's a plate stacked pretty high.
If there isn't a breaking down of statistics as well as film taking place at the community college level, as well as the absorption and application of such in order to increase individual basketball IQ, then it's pie-in-the-sky whose taste is more than likely to be far less sweet than desired.
MJC 84, Napa Valley 63
MJC: Mason Washington 18, Brennan Pope 14, Michael Hatfield 14, Zack Gonzales 11, Joe Hamilton 10, Brandon Moss 7, Blake Houser 4, Donovan Galloway 4, Chris Salazar 2
Napa Valley: Isaiah Brown 26, Dan Galarza 10, Alex Aquino 10, Joe Fons 7, Rae Hubbard 4, Tom Salsman 3, Angel Sanchez 3
Columbia 74, Skyline 68
Columbia: DeAndre Stallings 30 (six treys), Michael Meserole 16, Kashmire Hughes 8, LaWayne Grant 6, Boston Van De Veur 6, Aaron May 5, LonZell Lewis 3
Skyline: Hameed 14, Hughes 14, Snoddy 8, Parker 7, Jimenez 7, Wright 6, Carpenter 2
Tuesday's high school scores/Wednesday night high school scores
From Tuesday:
Bellarmine 47, St. Patrick St. Vincent 31
Bellarmine: Jake Wojcik 7-3-20 (three treys) , Angelo Athens 4-2-11, Denzel 2-0-4, Clark 1-2-4, Bradford 1-0-3, Maxwell 1-0-3, Mora 1-0-2
St. Patrick/St. Vincent: Stanley 2-2-8 (two treys) , Henderson 2-2-6, Hill 3-0-6, Mays 2-2-6, Kamagate 1-1-3, Edwards 0-2-2
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St. Francis: Peter Hewitt 6-3-15, Darius Thomas 6-1-13, Giuseppe Benedetti 5-1-12, Logan Johnson 5-1-11, Jacob Mihanovic 3-3-10, Noah Stapes 4-1-9, Curtis Witt 3-0-8 (two treys), Gabe Adzich 2-0-4
Mountain View: Ryan Hammell 3-4-12, Liao 2-0-7, Resnick 1-2-5, McTighe 2-1-5, Martin 2-0-4, Gubbi 1-0-3, Johnson 0-2-2, Robbins 1-0-2, Dicerson 1-0-2, Hsia 1-0-2, Singh 1-0-2, Kulandaivelu 1-0-2 (two treys)
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Burlingame: Tyler Garlitos 11-2-29 (five treys), Vinny Ferrari 9-9-28, Coleman 2-0-6, Mufarreh 2-2-6 Goodman 1-0-2, Baker 0-2-2,
Mission-San Francisco: Jeff Branner 4-8-16, Niamey Harris 4-3-14 (three treys), Jayden Foston 5-0-13 (three treys), Jamion Wright 5-0-12, Porter 3-0-6, Pratt 1-0-2, Taylor 1-0-2, Asberry 2-0-4
From Wednesday:
All-tournament team: MVP -- Noah Stapes (St. Francis)
Austin Henderson (San Ramon Valley); Ryan Hammel (Mountain View); Miles Tention (Palo Alto); Giuseppe Benedetti (St. Francis); Peter Hewitt (St. Francis). Hustle Award -- Darius Thomas (St. Francis).
Championship - St. Francis 69, Palo Alto 50
St. Francis: Gabe Adzich 6-1-16 (three treys), Noah Stapes 5-0-15 (five treys), Guiseppe Benedetti 3-2-10 (two treys), Logan Johnson 3-2-9, Darius Thomas 4-0-8, Peter Hewitt 3-1-7, Jacob Mihanovic 2-0-4
Palo Alto: Rojahn 4-0-12 (four treys). Dorward 5-1-11, Simison 3-0-6, Miles Tention 2-1-5, Jackson 1-2-4, Jefferson 0-4-4, Hull 2-0-4, Smallwood 1-0-2, Schlemmer 1-0-2
Calcaterra leads Marin Catholic to win
Danny Schmidt provides full coverage of Wednesday's Marin County hoops play, starting with Marin Catholic's 82-71 victory over Heritage High.
An excerpt: "Scoring exactly half of the team’s points was junior guard Joey Calcaterra, who posted his second consecutive 41-point outing to go along with six rebounds and five assists. Calcaterra, who earned all-tournament honors, averaged 34.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists and three steals a game during the four-game Bambauer tournament..."
An excerpt: "Scoring exactly half of the team’s points was junior guard Joey Calcaterra, who posted his second consecutive 41-point outing to go along with six rebounds and five assists. Calcaterra, who earned all-tournament honors, averaged 34.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists and three steals a game during the four-game Bambauer tournament..."
Manteca wins, Weston Ranch falls
Thomas Lawrence game reports the Manteca High 66-63 victory over Woodland Hills as well as Weston Ranch falling 77-69 to Centennial.
Palma over Half Moon Bay
Monterey Herald: "Jamaree Bouyea scored 22 points, grabbed four rebounds, dealt three assists and stole the ball three times as Palma held off Half Moon Bay 42-40 to win the Gold Division of the Aptos Invitational.
Bouyea scored eight of his points in the third quarter to help Palma to a 35-28 lead..."
Plus, there are a number of scores/mini-reports of other games involving Monterey County teams included.
Bouyea scored eight of his points in the third quarter to help Palma to a 35-28 lead..."
Plus, there are a number of scores/mini-reports of other games involving Monterey County teams included.
FCC 82, Cuesta 81 (Hancock tourney)
The Rams put up interesting shooting numbers: 31-60 overall, 3-9 from long distance and 17-18 on free throws.
From NJPodesta's Instagram account:
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Yuba 86, Siskiyous 59
Yuba Mens Hoops: "Yuba beats Siskiyous 86-59. Zamora 29, Saraba 18, E Schieve with 15 and 10! BVC home opener Jan 5th vs Contra Costa at Yuba. Gametime 5:30!!"
The Appeal-Democrat game reports.
The Appeal-Democrat game reports.
AVC 83, Chabot 74 OT (Chabot tourney)
Chabot Men's Basketball: "For the second night in a row Chabot drops a tough game in overtime losing 83-74 to AVC in the third place game of the Chabot Holiday Tournament. Chabot will open Coast Conference play next week starting off with Foothill at home.
Wykeem Randle 18 pts
Drelan Tripplett 15 pts
Keith Phillips 15 pts
Deshun Garrett 10 pts
Robert Blunt 9 pts
DeAndre Davis 5 pts
Seth Cox 2 pts
Chabot falls to 12-5 on the season."
Wykeem Randle 18 pts
Drelan Tripplett 15 pts
Keith Phillips 15 pts
Deshun Garrett 10 pts
Robert Blunt 9 pts
DeAndre Davis 5 pts
Seth Cox 2 pts
Chabot falls to 12-5 on the season."
Lane 85, Butte 77
The ChicoER: "Danny Lewis scored a team-high 23 points for the Butte College men’s basketball team. However, the Roadrunners couldn’t overtake Lane College, falling 85-77 on the final day of the Siskiyous Classic.
Trey Foster had 14 points and Josiah Wood scored 11 as Butte took a 42-38 lead into halftime.
Lane eventually caught up, tying the contest at 61-all in the second half. As soon as Butte fell behind by three points, Lane held on for the win.
Butte (10-6) will host Simpson at 7 p.m. on Jan. 8."
Trey Foster had 14 points and Josiah Wood scored 11 as Butte took a 42-38 lead into halftime.
Lane eventually caught up, tying the contest at 61-all in the second half. As soon as Butte fell behind by three points, Lane held on for the win.
Butte (10-6) will host Simpson at 7 p.m. on Jan. 8."
MPC 102, Merritt 82
Ohlone 76, Sequoias 71
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Concordia 95, Saskatchewan 61
Stephen Grosey's 17 points and five assists aided Concordia's 95-61 win over Saskatchewan on Wednesday.
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Cal St. East Bay 68, Holy Names 46
In Hayward last night, Cal State East Bay took the measure of Holy Names University 68-46. Each half was fairly consistent in scoring with 34-25 and then 34-21. Pioneer Ryan (Sacramento State) Okwudibonye posted a 22 point, 13 rebound double-double as he shot 9-10 from the floor. For HN, Joshua (Bishop O'Dowd) Crum finished with 26 points in 36 minutes.
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UCSB 88, Seattle 50
The outcome wasn't necessarily a surprise even though the contest took place in Washington but a 38 point margin of victory was as UC Santa Barbara, powered by 36 points from Michael Bryson, walloped Seattle 88-50 yesterday. The Gaucho sharpshooter shot 9-18 from beyond the arc and also corralled 13 rebounds. A 49-22 second half took the game way out of reach for the Redhawks, who were down by just 11 at the break.
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Duke 103, LB St. 81
Playing Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium has been the bane of many an opposing player but it didn't faze freshman guard Noah Blackwell. Even though Long Beach State lost 103-81 on Wednesday, the youngster scored 19 points in 36 minutes, shooting 7-12, 4-6 and 1-2 respectively. He also grabbed six rebounds.
What held the 49ers back was 11 more turnovers than the Blue Devils plus 15 less foul shots.
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What held the 49ers back was 11 more turnovers than the Blue Devils plus 15 less foul shots.
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Boise 64, Davis 56
Minus injured Josh Fox and playing in Idaho, UC Davis came close -- actually leading for some time -- but fell to Boise State on Wednesday 64-56. The Aggies actually held a 31-29 lead after 20 minutes. Bronco freshman guard Paris Austin was on the court for 21 minutes and totaled five points, two assists and a pair of steals.
Dave Southern game reports.
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Dave Southern game reports.
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SD St. 67, Wyoming 55
Down near the border, San Diego State showed some life with a solid 67-55 victory over Wyoming on Wednesday. Malik Pope and Dakarai Allen's numbers were pretty negligible. The rebounding differential was 50-26 in favor of the Aztecs, who garnered 21 offensively.
Mark Ziegler game reports.
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Mark Ziegler game reports.
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Colgate 77, Lafayette 70
In Patriot League play yesterday, host Colgate turned back Lafayette 77-70 despite the latter receiving a team best 21 points from Bryce Scott. Teammate Ben Freeland took down 10 rebounds in 20 minutes of play.
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NM 88, Nevada 76
In Albuquerque, New Mexico righted itself after a bad tournament in Hawaii and took an 88-76 win versus Nevada. Freshman big Cameron Oliver fouled out with just under eight minutes remaining and his absence hindered any comeback by the Wolf Pack. Oliver achieved nine rebounds, eight points and four blocked shots in 25 minutes.
Chris Murray game reports.
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Chris Murray game reports.
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Utah St. 80, SJSU 71
Utah State came to town on Wednesday and departed with an 80-71 victory over San Jose State University. The Spartans got within four at one point in the second 20 minutes but the Aggies spurted ahead once again to put the game away. For SJSU, Frank (Salinas High) Rogers posted a 23 point, 11 rebound double-double.
Shawn Harrison game reports.
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Shawn Harrison game reports.
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Virginia 71, Oakland 58
Virginia hosted and won against Oakland University on Wednesday but the worthy-of-posting item here is that Max (Valley Christian) Hooper's streak continues. He shot 3-8 from three-point range to finish with nine points and his run is now that all 103 of his shot attempts this season have been treys and he has made 46.
HMB is rolling
John Murphy catches readers up on Half Moon Bay High's victories over Pacific Grove and Palma.
A Prolific Prep update
"A final from tonight (Monday) in Detroit.
Prolific Prep Academy 100 - Huntington Prep Academy 80
Prolific Prep Academy moves to 6-0 on the season versus. Top 25
high school teams.
Most wins against Top 25 HS teams and most games played vs.
Top 25 HS teams than any other HS team in the country.
We play Athlete Institute (Thon Maker) from Orangeville, Canada
on Tuesday night before heading to New York to either play Word
of God or St. Patrick School out of New Jersey.
Philippe Doherty"
St. Francis selected as top squad
Darren Sabedra looks over the hoops teams in Santa Clara County plus a portion of San Mateo County and has St. Francis High basketball at the top of the leader board.
"March Madness Shootout"
|
7th ANNUAL
"MARCH MADNESS SHOOTOUT"
MARCH 19-20, 2016 @ JAMTOWN
PRESENTED BY:
POWERED BY:
  
CONTACT:
RUBEN GARCIA / 925) 367-3912
info@TeamSelectBasetball.com
"Foundation for Excellence; On the Court, In the Class Room, In Life"
|
Tuesday: UC Santa Cruz grabs a win
From the Santa Cruz Sentinel: "Sophomore forward Sam Gabbard had 21 points and 10 rebounds to pace the UC Santa Cruz men’s basketball team past host La Verne 70-65 on Tuesday.
Freshman center Will Crain added 10 points and seven rebounds for the Slugs (4-10), who snapped a two-game losing streak.
UCSC faces host Redlands on Wednesday at 5 p.m.
La Verne (2-6) was led by its starting backcourt of Hakim Arnold and Khaneal Mason, who combined for 26 points.
La Verne made just 3 of 23 from behind the arc. Thirty-six of UCSC’s 45 rebounds came at the defensive end."
Gabbard is out of Vacaville High and Crain from Casa Grande High.
Freshman center Will Crain added 10 points and seven rebounds for the Slugs (4-10), who snapped a two-game losing streak.
UCSC faces host Redlands on Wednesday at 5 p.m.
La Verne (2-6) was led by its starting backcourt of Hakim Arnold and Khaneal Mason, who combined for 26 points.
La Verne made just 3 of 23 from behind the arc. Thirty-six of UCSC’s 45 rebounds came at the defensive end."
Gabbard is out of Vacaville High and Crain from Casa Grande High.
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
CRC 71, AVC 64 (Chabot tourney)
From Dave Rogahn: "Cosumnes River won 71-64 vs AVC Leondre Lintz 16 pts 5 rebs 3 asts Lejae Thompson 12 pts 10 rebs 2 asts Gerard Andrus 12 pts 8 rebs 3 asts..."
CCC 95, Chabot 92 OT (Chabot tourney)
Dave Rogahn: "Contra Costa 95-92 win Larry Wickett 28 pts 13 rebs 7 asts 3 stls
Rae Jackson 27 pts Anthony Sullen 17 pts 8 rebs Bobby Syvanthong 10 asts"
CCC Men's Basketball: "The #18 Comets defeated #8 Chabot College 95-92 in an overtime thriller!!! It was back and forth contest throughout with both teams making runs. F Larry Wickett was spectacular pouring in 28 points, grabbing 13 rebounds, and dishing 8 assists, while G Rae Jackson caught fire in the 2nd half finishing with 27 points and 5 rebounds. G Anthony Sullen added 15 points and 7 rebounds. The Comets will play Consumnes River College tomorrow at 5 PM in the championship of the Chabot College tournament... GO COMETS!!!"
Dave Rogahn: "Chabot lost 95-95 OT Wykeem Randle 29 pts 15 rebs Keith Phillips 15 pts 10 rebs Dalvin Guy 14 pts 9 rebs 3 blks DeAndre Davis 12 pts 6 asts"
Butte 93, Umpqua 80 (Siskiyous tourney)
ChicoER:
"The Butte College men’s basketball team continued to roll in the Siskiyous Classic, this time with a 93-80 win over Umpqua, a team out of Oregon.
Trey Foster led the Roadrunners with 27 points and Michael Shoemaker added 16. Danny Lewis also scored 12 points for Butte.
Leading 48-33 at halftime, Butte stretched its lead in the second half to 72-53. Umpqua came back to cut down its deficit to seven points, but Butte pulled away for the victory.
Butte (10-5) plays in the final day of the tournament against Lane College, of Oregon, at 1 p.m. on Wednesday."
SCC 97, AHC 80 (Hancock tourney)
Full Box
ACH 58, Rodriguez 44
Matt O'Donnell game reports the American Canyon High win Tuesday over Rodriguez High.
Beyer High wins
James Burns goes long in game reporting the Beyer High 66-59 win Tuesday over McClymonds, in addition to offering mini reports on other games.
TLawrence and his area player watchlist
Thomas Lawrence is out with his San Joaquin area player watchlist which contains a bevy of names. Do check it out.
Cal Maritime wins again
The Times-Herald: "The Cal Maritime men’s basketball team defeated New Hope Christian 86-50 in the Simpson tournament in Redding on Tuesday.
The Keelhaulers (8-5) were led by Daniel Radford, who scored 17 points. Zach Davis added 15 points, while Kameron Hoyt had seven points and eight rebounds. Travis Arenas had eight rebounds and five steals.
The Keelhaulers play Concordia of Nebraska, a nationally ranked team, on Wednesday in the tournament championship with 4 p.m. slated for tipoff time."
The Keelhaulers (8-5) were led by Daniel Radford, who scored 17 points. Zach Davis added 15 points, while Kameron Hoyt had seven points and eight rebounds. Travis Arenas had eight rebounds and five steals.
The Keelhaulers play Concordia of Nebraska, a nationally ranked team, on Wednesday in the tournament championship with 4 p.m. slated for tipoff time."
A really thorough look at Malik Pope
"What’s wrong with Malik Pope?" -- Mark Ziegler.
Still have to believe he'll end up a Top 10 draft pick when the time comes. Sometimes, struggle is a benefit -- it all depends on what the reaction to it is.
Still have to believe he'll end up a Top 10 draft pick when the time comes. Sometimes, struggle is a benefit -- it all depends on what the reaction to it is.
The Marin County basketball report
Tim Menicutch leads with Drake High downing Redwood High for the long game reports and also covers the other Marin County squads in action on Tuesday.
Idaho St. 84, Northridge 79
Host Idaho State State took down Cal State Northridge 84-79 last night as sophomore guard Ali (Arizona Western College/San Lorenzo High) Faruq-Bay totaled 32 points in 31 minutes of play. He shot 11-16, 4-7 and 6-6 while adding four rebounds and two steals. For the Matadors, Kendall (UNLV/Deer Valley High) Smith tallied 21 points.
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UTEP 85, Texas-RGV 64
Built on a career high seven treys, Dom Artis finished with 21 points as host Texas El Paso had no trouble with Texas-Rio Grande Valley on Tuesday. His line on the night also included eight rebounds, eight assists and three steals.
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Portland St. 89, Fullerton 82
In the City of Roses yesterday, sophomore Isaiah Pineiro went for 21 points, five boards and a trio of assists to aid Portland State's 89-82 win against Cal State Fullerton. He shot 9-14 overall and 3-3 from the foul line.
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Jacksonville 69, Marist 68
Kori Babineaux enjoyed 17 points, six boards and four assists in Jacksonville's 69-68 win over Marist on Tuesday.
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Miami 76, Princeton 64
Down in Coral Gables on Tuesday, Miami defeated Princeton 76-64 as Henry Caruso scored 14 points, grabbed four boards and pilfered a trio of steals for the Ivy Leaguers.
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UConn 71, Texas 66
Up in the Nutmeg State, Texas came close but eventually fell to Connecticut 71-66 yesterday. For the Longhorns, Isaiah Taylor scored 19 points,
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Sacto hoops
Jordan P. Hales provides a solid look at basketball blooming in the Sacramento area (scroll down just a bit from what first appears on the screen).
The Palma High Chieftains
John Devine, who covers hoops in Monterey County like no other, looks at Palma High hoops for the 2015-16 season:
"Expectations are nothing new at Palma.
Pressure?
Well, standing pat isn't acceptable.
Remember, this is a program coming off its first league title in three years, that reached the State Nor Cal Division IV quarterfinals.
It's also a unit that returns four starters, including two all leaguers and The Herald's Basketball Player of the Year in Wyatt Maker.
The 6-foot-8 senior, who has already signed with CSU-East Bay, averaged a double-double last year for Palma, dropping in 15.3 points a game. Maker is a force with his back to the basket. He can knock down the jump shot or kick it back out to his guards for open looks on the perimeter.
Surrounding the big man are a trio of guards that can shoot, including all-leaguer Jamaree Bouyea, who had an outstanding summer for Seaside's Finest. The 6-foot guard led the Chieftains in 3-point goals last season, showcasing flashes of his potential during his sophomore year with explosive performances.
Senior Jack Brusa provides Palma with another outside shooter while 6-4 sophomore Garrett Maker started last year as a freshman.
A diamond in the rough could be Dominic Johnson, who jumped on a few college radars over the summer with his performances.
While two sophomores will provide added depth off the bench, chemistry shouldn't be an issue with a team filled with experience.
Yet, the only pressure Palma feels comes from within."
"Expectations are nothing new at Palma.
Pressure?
Well, standing pat isn't acceptable.
Remember, this is a program coming off its first league title in three years, that reached the State Nor Cal Division IV quarterfinals.
It's also a unit that returns four starters, including two all leaguers and The Herald's Basketball Player of the Year in Wyatt Maker.
The 6-foot-8 senior, who has already signed with CSU-East Bay, averaged a double-double last year for Palma, dropping in 15.3 points a game. Maker is a force with his back to the basket. He can knock down the jump shot or kick it back out to his guards for open looks on the perimeter.
Surrounding the big man are a trio of guards that can shoot, including all-leaguer Jamaree Bouyea, who had an outstanding summer for Seaside's Finest. The 6-foot guard led the Chieftains in 3-point goals last season, showcasing flashes of his potential during his sophomore year with explosive performances.
Senior Jack Brusa provides Palma with another outside shooter while 6-4 sophomore Garrett Maker started last year as a freshman.
A diamond in the rough could be Dominic Johnson, who jumped on a few college radars over the summer with his performances.
While two sophomores will provide added depth off the bench, chemistry shouldn't be an issue with a team filled with experience.
Yet, the only pressure Palma feels comes from within."
Marcus Poe, two sporter
From the Santa Rosa Press Democrat: "Cloverdale basketball coach Steve Bernardi continues to be amazed at the athletic prowess of Marcus Poe. The senior also played football for the Eagles.
“He’s the best all-around athlete from Cloverdale since Craig McMillan and one of the best ever from these parts,” Bernardi said. “He’s quick and agile on both the basketball court and the football field.”
Poe is averaging nearly 17 points this basketball season and played wide receiver and defensive end in football.
Comparing him to McMillan is a lofty superlative. The current Santa Rosa Junior College basketball coach led the Eagles to two North Coast Section Division III-A titles and also was a starting guard for the University of Arizona when that school made it to the NCAA Final Four in 1988."
“He’s the best all-around athlete from Cloverdale since Craig McMillan and one of the best ever from these parts,” Bernardi said. “He’s quick and agile on both the basketball court and the football field.”
Poe is averaging nearly 17 points this basketball season and played wide receiver and defensive end in football.
Comparing him to McMillan is a lofty superlative. The current Santa Rosa Junior College basketball coach led the Eagles to two North Coast Section Division III-A titles and also was a starting guard for the University of Arizona when that school made it to the NCAA Final Four in 1988."
CCCAA conference play beginning
Signal The Light Basketball offers "Midway Season Report For Northern California"
Menlo School hoops
John Murphy writes about Menlo School basketball, Coach Keith Larsen and his late former assistant Michael Harris.
Three Monday game reports from Darren Sabedra
From Monday, Darren Sabedra covers three games involving prep teams in the San Jose area: Palo Alto over San Ramon Valley, Mountain View defeating Leigh and St. Francis handling Davis High.
Nevada offers Hawkins
Via Verbal Commits: "2019 Bishop O'Dowd (CA) F Raymond Hawkins has received an offer from Nevada"
The Wolf Pack will soon have a lot of company.
The Wolf Pack will soon have a lot of company.
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
There's skill and body development but what about adding basketball IQ?
Here's the group of freshmen (with apologies to anyone overlooked) in alphabetical order:
* Paris Austin, Boise State
* Noah Blackwell, Long Beach State
* Marquese Chriss, Washington
* Armani Collins, Portland State
* Jesse Hunt, Eastern Washington
* Matt O'Reilly, Lehigh
* Josh Patton, Sacramento State
* Ivan Rabb, California
* Colin Russell, Portland
* Isaiah Thomas, Northern Arizona
* Anthony Townes, Pacific
* Jeff Wu, Sacramento State
First off, note the small number for Northern California and thus the difficulty in landing a D1 scholarship. Plus, just Austin, Blackwell, Chriss, Rabb, Townes and Wu are even on the court for 12-15 minutes a game or more although it should be noted that playing time averages are somewhat inflated due to early season scheduling of DII and NAIA opponents. Only three, Blackwell, Chriss and Rabb have provided truly impactful contributions thus far.
Even a number of the talents two years out of high school are struggling this season as a year earlier the signees were:
* Jonathan Galloway, UC Irvine - Galloway redshirted in 2014-15 and now is playing 13 minutes a contest
* A.J. John, Pepperdine - John is at 12 minutes an outing
* Lake Lutes, Air Force - not seeing Lutes as having played this season
* Cam Oliver, Nevada - Oliver is proving to be an exception
* Malik Pope, San Diego State - Pope is shooting 28% overall in 2015-16
* Mason Stuteville, Sac State - Stuteville is playing 6.8 minutes a contest
* Gabe Vincent, UC Santa Barbara - Vincent started right away last season as a frosh and also this one having advanced from 26 minutes per game to just under 34 now
* D.J. Wilson, Michigan - Wilson is averaging 8 minutes a game after a medical redshirt season
* Temideyo Yussef, Long Beach State (injured, hasn't played this season)
To get on the court, young bodies must be built stronger, endurance extended, existing skills honed further and new ones developed, new roles accepted and possibly most importantly, the learning of how to defend at the college level is foremost. That's a plate stacked pretty high.
Is it that these two classes were just part of an overall down cycle of talent in Nor Cal? Or is this really the norm?
The answer is impossible to determine without a long term statistical analysis but there are other factors to consider.
* High school coaching is more and more built on a foundation of winning, or else. Sound familiar? That's also the longtime lament about spring and summer travel ball.
* With a prep focus on short term game-planning and preparation, just where does bettering a player fit here?
* Other elements are players having an over-inflated sense of their current ability and either not feeling the need to work all that hard or not fully understanding what hard work actually is. That, combined with a lack of awareness of what it involves in order to compete at the four-year college level, is becoming more and more of a roadblock. The guess here is that prep coaches could bring in Cuonzo Martin or Johnny Dawkins to talk about how difficult it is to become a solid contributor, let alone a mainstay, on a college team and the impact would still be minimal.
* This is impossible to quantify but what about the idea that talents today appear to have shorter attention spans so that only so much can be shown on the court and on tape in a session before an over-saturation, eyes-glazed-over level is reached?
* There certainly are plenty of skill trainers around even if the argument is made they vary in levels of aptitude and effectiveness. The opportunities to better shooting, passing, dribbling and rebounding skills are there for the taking with the appropriate selection.
* But who teaches how to defend, especially how to play college level defense? That is, how to guard your individual opponent plus when and how to rotate when the ball swings to the other side of the court, how to close out on a shooter, etc?
* Just as important though is who teaches basketball IQ, how to 'see' the game, what to look for and when? Does anyone? But would kids want to take part in such a skill building, especially if it involved viewing tape and not necessarily being out on the court to a large degree?
There's the old business saying "find a niche and fill it" and building better basketball IQs is a wide open opportunity. It would probably have to be incorporated alongside on-the-court hoop skills advancement in order to have any chance of being successful but it's a natural pairing.
So who is going to jump in and offer just that?
MCH 59, Manteca 43
James Burns game reports the Monday Modesto Christian High 59-43 win against Manteca High.
More game reports and scores from the Modesto Christian Holiday Hoop Classic
James Burns game reports the remainder of the Monday matchups in the Modesto Christian Holiday Hoop Classic tournament, including the Beyer High 74-66 success versus Saugus.
Shasta 98, Umpqua 89
Up in Weed, Shasta College used 28 points from Ashton (McKinleyville High) Pomrehn as well as well as Brett (Foothill High) Cloney's 18 to defeat Umpqua College out of Oregon. The former shot 7-10 from long distance.
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De La Salle impressive in loss
PoP: "Zach Collins, Christian PoPoola Jr and Charles O'bannon Jr. - Gorman Gaels were sensational tonight vs perennial power De La Salle."
That's three high, high level talents but De La Salle fell by only 12, 71-59. They led 49-48 at the end of the third period.
That's three high, high level talents but De La Salle fell by only 12, 71-59. They led 49-48 at the end of the third period.
FCC 78, Cerritos 68 (Allan Hancock tourney)
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Butte 90, SCC 83 OT (Siskiyous tourney)
ChicoER: "Josiah Wood hit two free throws with 6 seconds left in regulation to send the Butte College men’s basketball team into overtime tied at 76 against Sacramento City to open the Siskiyous Classic in Weed.
That’s when the Roadrunners outscored Sac City 14-7 in the extra period for a 90-83 victory.
Michael Shoemaker led Butte with 18 points, and Cam Moore and Wood both scored 17, Trey Foster added 16 and Travis Stevens provided 11 points in the win.
Butte fell behind early 17-9 before cutting down the deficit 35-33 at halftime. Butte (9-5) continues tournament play against Umpqua of Oregon on Tuesday."
Butte box
CCC 104, Sierra 86 (Chabot tourney)
Chabot 88, Solano 46 (Chabot tourney)
Chabot record 12-3
Solano record 3-8
Halftime score 55 - 22
Chabot Box score:
Courtney Anderson 1 FG 3 pts
Keith Phillips 11 FGs 5/6 FTs 24 pts
Wykeem Randle 3 FGs 4/4 FTs 11 pts
Drelan Tripplett 3 FGs 3/4 FTs 9 pts
Haydon Ordone 2 FGs 4 pts
Robert Blunt 5 FGs 10 pts
Deshun Garrett 1 FG 2 pts
Dalvin Guy 4 FGs 8 pts
Shamil Sharma 2 FGs 4 pts
Seth Cox 3 FGs 1/1 FTs 7 pts
Larry Jones 0 pts
Melvin Ware 0 pts
Elamin Awadalla 0 pts
3 pointers (Phillips 3, Anderson 1, Randle 1)"
Sac St. 78, Pacific Union 49
St. Mary's 65, UVU 50
Powered by 15 boards and 10 points from Dane Pineau, St. Mary's took down Utah Valley University on Monday 65-50. It was eight offensive boards for the 6-foot-9 junior.
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Oakland 101, Chicago State 93
Max Hooper scored 15 points and grabbed a pair of rebounds in Oakland's Monday night 101-93 win against Chicago State. He shot 5-8 and yes, each was a three-point attempt.
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Texas A&M CC 74, Austin Peay 70
Behind a career-high 26 points from senior guard Hameed Ali, Texas A&M Corpus Christi got by Austin Peay 74-70 on Monday. He shot 6-12, 4-7 and 10-11 respectively while also registering four assists and four steals.
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Cal 86, Davidson 60
It was a good game for the Bears as they defeated visiting Davidson on Monday 86-60. Ivan Rabb posted a 12 point, 11 rebound double-double and Stephen Domingo rolled sixes via half a dozen points and boards.
Jeff Faraudo game reports.
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Jeff Faraudo game reports.
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Seattle 80, UC Davis 75 OT
Way up in Seattle, it was close all they way with Seattle finally emerging as an 80-75 victor in overtime over UC Davis on Monday. Josh Fox paced the Aggies with 18 points with Darius Graham tallying 12.
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UC Santa Barbara 83, Washington 78
On Monday in Seattle, home court disadvantage notwithstanding, UC Santa Barbara handled Washington 83-78. Michael Bryson didn't shoot all that well but still led the Gauchos with 17 points while teammate Gabe Vincent finished with 14. Vincent hit a jumper with one minute remaining to ease the pressure on the Goleta-ites. Marquese Chriss wasn't a factor for the Huskies as four fouls hindered his contributions.
Percy Allen game reports.
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Percy Allen game reports.
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This week's California Community Colleges Men’s Basketball Coaches Association’s Poll
Sad news out of Santa Barbara
Richie Schueler tweeted: "UCSB Sr., John Green, out w/ knee injury for a month+. Injury plagued…before last year, Green played in only 4 games in previous 3 seasons."
It's likely he'll regain a season of eligibility once his 'senior year' is completed.
It's likely he'll regain a season of eligibility once his 'senior year' is completed.
Smith named MWC PoW
Utah State senior guard Chris (Yuba College) Smith has been named Mountain West Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for games played through Sunday, December 27. It is the first-career weekly award for Smith.
Led the Aggies to an undefeated 3-0 mark in the Global Sports Hoops Showcase, defeating Texas-Rio Grande Valley, Idaho State and North Dakota State.
Named the Global Sports Hoops Showcase MVP after averaging 18.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.0 block per game.
Registered season-highs in points (22) and rebounds (10) and a career-best six assists in a victory over Idaho State on Dec. 22.
For the week, shot 57.6 percent (19-of-33) from the floor, 35.7 percent (5-of-14) from behind the 3-point line and 80.0 percent (12-of-15) from the free throw line.
MEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
CHRIS SMITH, UTAH STATE
Senior, Guard, Sacramento, California / Yuba College
Led the Aggies to an undefeated 3-0 mark in the Global Sports Hoops Showcase, defeating Texas-Rio Grande Valley, Idaho State and North Dakota State.
Named the Global Sports Hoops Showcase MVP after averaging 18.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.0 block per game.
Registered season-highs in points (22) and rebounds (10) and a career-best six assists in a victory over Idaho State on Dec. 22.
For the week, shot 57.6 percent (19-of-33) from the floor, 35.7 percent (5-of-14) from behind the 3-point line and 80.0 percent (12-of-15) from the free throw line.
Jackson honored by MIJ
Redwood High's Jordan Jackson is the Boys Prep of the Week for the Marin Independent Journal.
Marin County boys basketball
Here's the overall boys basketball statistics for Marin County players with Marin Catholic's Joey Calcaterra leading in scoring at 28.3 points a game.
Chappell to play for BCole
That's 6-foot-5 Ryan Chappell of Capital Christian.
Milstead stands out
Eric Bossi noted: "Good two days in Palm Springs for 2017 PG Damari Milstead. Flair for scoring from mid range w/the pull-up jumper."
Words of wisdom
Wyoming Assistant Coach Jeremy Shyatt: "On the bball progression from HS/College/Pro, the most successful players change their own game based on their team, role, and opposition."
Missed this from earlier
John Murphy offers a feature on Half Moon Bay High senior Austin Hilton who brings size and more to the Cougars.
Monday, December 28, 2015
Sorry for the delay
Sorry for being a day late as well as being many dollars short. Christmas does take a toll on the pocketbook.
If ever any article is, this one qualifies as a must read
Tim Sullivan talked with former Cincinnati Assistant Coach Al Hmiel in "Confessions of a college hoops 'slimeball'"
A quote: "The truth sometimes hurts, so you didn't tell the truth as a recruiter. You lied. 'Trust me, I'm lying,' was almost my motto."
A quote: "The truth sometimes hurts, so you didn't tell the truth as a recruiter. You lied. 'Trust me, I'm lying,' was almost my motto."
The Modesto Christian Holiday Hoop Classic opened Satruday
James Burns reports on the beginnings of the Modesto Christian Holiday Hoop Classic.
Day One photos
Modesto Christian 73, Turlock 30 plus much more
El Camino 58, Beyer 54
Manteca 79, Freedom 76 plus other game reports
Dave Campbell on the Manteca defeat of Freedom.
The Stockton Record on the Manteca win plus the Weston Ranch victory versus McClymonds.
Day One photos
Modesto Christian 73, Turlock 30 plus much more
El Camino 58, Beyer 54
Manteca 79, Freedom 76 plus other game reports
Dave Campbell on the Manteca defeat of Freedom.
The Stockton Record on the Manteca win plus the Weston Ranch victory versus McClymonds.
A Calvin Geraci feature
Danny Schmidt profiles San Marin's Calvin Geraci who needs to play 'big' this season before heading off to Chico State next year.
Looking at the MCAL
Danny Schmidt provides capsules on each of the teams in the Marin County Athletic League -- Branson, Drake, Justin-Sienna, Marin Catholic, Novato, Redwood, San Marin, San Rafael, Tam and Terra Linda as well as Marin Academy and Tomales.
CalHiSports State Stats Stars of the Week
The NorCal prepsters making the CalHiSports State Stat Stars of the Week:
"Junior Ballard (Lathrop)
Not even a junior yet, this sophomore had back to back big games but they both came in losses as he scored 37 points during a 62-57 loss to Liberty Ranch of Galt and the next day he scored 45 points during a 86-79 loss to Sonora.
and
Jimmy Beltz (Elliot Christian, Lodi)
He scored 40 points the week before in a win over Galt but did even better last week during a 86-75 loss to McNair of Stockton as the junior guard scored 53 points. It’s the fourth highest single game point total so far in the state this season.
and
DeShawnte Collins (Freedom, Oakley)
The 6-foot-4 senior was named the MVP of the Roy Ghiggeri Invitational after scoring 23 points when 6-1 Freedom surprised previously unbeaten and state-ranked Folsom 83-81 in three overtimes in the tourney final.
and
Tyler Garlitos (Burlingame)
In a huge 66-55 win over defending CCS Open Division champion Serra of San Mateo, Garlitos led the Panthers with 29 points. He played earlier in his career for the Padres and helped the Panthers improve to 5-1. According to the San Jose Mercury News, he is averaging 20.5 points and 11.2 rebounds per game.
and
Jesse Hurtado (Alisal, Salinas)
A senior guard with a 35-point outing from earlier in the season, Hurtado hit for 30 points and had seven rebounds and six assists in a 64-60 victory vs. Carlmont of Belmont."
There are also a few others from up here so do hit the link.
"Junior Ballard (Lathrop)
Not even a junior yet, this sophomore had back to back big games but they both came in losses as he scored 37 points during a 62-57 loss to Liberty Ranch of Galt and the next day he scored 45 points during a 86-79 loss to Sonora.
and
Jimmy Beltz (Elliot Christian, Lodi)
He scored 40 points the week before in a win over Galt but did even better last week during a 86-75 loss to McNair of Stockton as the junior guard scored 53 points. It’s the fourth highest single game point total so far in the state this season.
and
DeShawnte Collins (Freedom, Oakley)
The 6-foot-4 senior was named the MVP of the Roy Ghiggeri Invitational after scoring 23 points when 6-1 Freedom surprised previously unbeaten and state-ranked Folsom 83-81 in three overtimes in the tourney final.
and
Tyler Garlitos (Burlingame)
In a huge 66-55 win over defending CCS Open Division champion Serra of San Mateo, Garlitos led the Panthers with 29 points. He played earlier in his career for the Padres and helped the Panthers improve to 5-1. According to the San Jose Mercury News, he is averaging 20.5 points and 11.2 rebounds per game.
and
Jesse Hurtado (Alisal, Salinas)
A senior guard with a 35-point outing from earlier in the season, Hurtado hit for 30 points and had seven rebounds and six assists in a 64-60 victory vs. Carlmont of Belmont."
There are also a few others from up here so do hit the link.
Bethel going small
Thomas Gase writes about Bethel High's version of small ball. At 9-6 thus far, the Jaguars have big plans for this season.
Dealing With adversity
"How Dealing With Adversity Has Helped Me Playing Overseas" - by Brandyn Curry
This is an article we all could learn from -- congrats to Curry for making a dilemma something ultimately positive.
This is an article we all could learn from -- congrats to Curry for making a dilemma something ultimately positive.
How to defeat the Warriors
Harvey Araton and Scott Cacciola talked to various hoops coaches and officials for their opinions on how to beat the Warriors. Ideas are necessary but so is the actual execution.
The Bambauer Memorial Holiday Classic opened on Saturday
Tim Menicutch profiles Redwood High's Tim Sullivan in opening coverage of the Bambauer Memorial Holiday Classic.
The Arcata Tigers
Diover Duario provides some press for one of the way-up-north teams -- the Arcata Tigers.
Palma and Half Moon Bay win on Saturday
The Santa Cruz Sentinel game reports the Palma High victory over Santa Cruz High plus Half Moon Bay's defeat of Bellarmine Prep. Point Jamaree Bouyea scored 32 points for the victorious Chieftains.
Of the latter contest:
"Austin Hilton, a 6-foot-7 senior center, scored 12 points and Half Moon Bay improved to 9-0 by beating Bellarmine to open the Aptos High School/Santa Cruz Warriors Nor-Cal Invitational."
Of the latter contest:
"Austin Hilton, a 6-foot-7 senior center, scored 12 points and Half Moon Bay improved to 9-0 by beating Bellarmine to open the Aptos High School/Santa Cruz Warriors Nor-Cal Invitational."
A David Straughter update
Two peas in a pod?
Maybe Walter Byers and Jerry Tarkanian had more in common than they thought. But Tark was much more loveable and much less vengeful. LINK
Looking at Brandon Ashley's game
"The Best 21 and Under Prospects in the NBA D-League"
In it:
"Brandon Ashley – 21 – Texas Legends
NBA Skills: Size, shooting ability, defensive versatility NBA Needs: Shooting range, bulk, ball handling
Ashley went pro after his junior season at the University of Arizona and many had him tabbed as a second round pick, but after going undrafted the Mavericks signed him and used one of their affiliate spots for him.
He has started all 12 games for the Legends and while his statistics don’t jump off the page, he’s playing within himself while adding the 3-pointer to his every game arsenal. Last year with the Wildcats he took less than one three per game and now he’s attempting 3.8 per night and shooting 36 percent from outside. Not bad for a 6-8 small forward.
Add the defensive abilities he brings to the table and Ashley is one of the more intriguing prospects in the entire league. He’s averaging 12.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.5 blocks in 34 minutes a night for coach Van Exel. Ashley is one of only three players — Vince Hunter & Jordan Mickey are the others — with those numbers in the D-League right now.
Right now he’s working on improving his long distance shot, but I would like to see him be more aggressive in terms of driving to the basket as well. Last year at Arizona he averaged 4.5 free throws per game and that number has dipped to only 2.1 so far as a pro. Keep in mind the Legends have spread the court early to allow Tu Holloway and Toure Murry the driving lanes they need to make plays, but regardless Ashley needs to get to the line twice as much as he is currently."
In it:
"Brandon Ashley – 21 – Texas Legends
NBA Skills: Size, shooting ability, defensive versatility NBA Needs: Shooting range, bulk, ball handling
Ashley went pro after his junior season at the University of Arizona and many had him tabbed as a second round pick, but after going undrafted the Mavericks signed him and used one of their affiliate spots for him.
He has started all 12 games for the Legends and while his statistics don’t jump off the page, he’s playing within himself while adding the 3-pointer to his every game arsenal. Last year with the Wildcats he took less than one three per game and now he’s attempting 3.8 per night and shooting 36 percent from outside. Not bad for a 6-8 small forward.
Add the defensive abilities he brings to the table and Ashley is one of the more intriguing prospects in the entire league. He’s averaging 12.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.5 blocks in 34 minutes a night for coach Van Exel. Ashley is one of only three players — Vince Hunter & Jordan Mickey are the others — with those numbers in the D-League right now.
Right now he’s working on improving his long distance shot, but I would like to see him be more aggressive in terms of driving to the basket as well. Last year at Arizona he averaged 4.5 free throws per game and that number has dipped to only 2.1 so far as a pro. Keep in mind the Legends have spread the court early to allow Tu Holloway and Toure Murry the driving lanes they need to make plays, but regardless Ashley needs to get to the line twice as much as he is currently."
USF offer a 2017 point
Alex Kline: "San Francisco has offered 2017 Roselle Catholic (NJ) PG Leondre Washington, who visited over the summer."
The Dons are heavy with offers out to point guards in the next couple of classes.
The Dons are heavy with offers out to point guards in the next couple of classes.
Catching up with Half Moon Bay hoops
John Murphy writes about the success this season enjoyed by the Half Moon Bay High boys basketball team.
About last Thursday's game, John Devine tweeted: "Palma falls to Half Moon Bay 47-42. Jamaree Bouyea has 15 points and Wyatt Maker 13."
About last Thursday's game, John Devine tweeted: "Palma falls to Half Moon Bay 47-42. Jamaree Bouyea has 15 points and Wyatt Maker 13."
Kentucky 75, Louisville 73
In Kentucky's 75-73 victory over Louisville on Saturday, Marcus Lee played 30 minutes and posted an eight point, seven rebound line.
Sac State & UC Davis in pre-conference play
Bill Paterson looks at the state of the Sacramento State and UC Davis basketball programs thus far this season.
A sample of Dave Rogahn's game coverage
From December 22 but posted here to give readers a sense of Dave Rogahn's game coverage (sadly, he lives in the Southland and comes up here only occasionally):
"Rodrigo Puliceno had 14 pts and 14 rebs, and perhaps more importantly a key steal with 5.3 seconds left to allow Canada to hold on for a 77-73 victory over DeAnza Tuesday night in Redwood City.
Canada (7-5) led most of the last 13-plus minutes, opening what seemed to be a commanding 15-point lead midway through the second half. But in the closing minute that lead shrunk to just two points, and DeAnza (3-10) got the ball on a turnover with 28.3 seconds left, giving the Dons a chance to tie or even go for the lead in the final seconds.
After a timeout, the Dons got the ball to Cooper Wilson in the right corner. But before he could attempt a shot or pass, Puliceno stole the ball away. Wilson fouled him immediately, but Puliceno made the resulting two free throws to stretch the lead back to 4 points with 5.3 seconds to go, finally clinching the win for the Colts.
All of that drama seemed unlikely when Canada used a 21-2 run to erase a 4-point DeAnza lead and give Canada a 60-45 advantage with 10:33 to go. Brian Garrett sparked the run, giving the Colts a 47-45 lead with a three and scoring all 11 of his points during the run. His traditional 3-point play with 10:33 left gave Canada the largest lead of the game for either team at 60-45..."
For the full report plus box score, hit this link.
"Rodrigo Puliceno had 14 pts and 14 rebs, and perhaps more importantly a key steal with 5.3 seconds left to allow Canada to hold on for a 77-73 victory over DeAnza Tuesday night in Redwood City.
Canada (7-5) led most of the last 13-plus minutes, opening what seemed to be a commanding 15-point lead midway through the second half. But in the closing minute that lead shrunk to just two points, and DeAnza (3-10) got the ball on a turnover with 28.3 seconds left, giving the Dons a chance to tie or even go for the lead in the final seconds.
After a timeout, the Dons got the ball to Cooper Wilson in the right corner. But before he could attempt a shot or pass, Puliceno stole the ball away. Wilson fouled him immediately, but Puliceno made the resulting two free throws to stretch the lead back to 4 points with 5.3 seconds to go, finally clinching the win for the Colts.
All of that drama seemed unlikely when Canada used a 21-2 run to erase a 4-point DeAnza lead and give Canada a 60-45 advantage with 10:33 to go. Brian Garrett sparked the run, giving the Colts a 47-45 lead with a three and scoring all 11 of his points during the run. His traditional 3-point play with 10:33 left gave Canada the largest lead of the game for either team at 60-45..."
For the full report plus box score, hit this link.
Sac High over Cap Christian
Earlier this week, from Sac High Dragons: "Sac wins the St. HOPE Elite Hoop Classic defeating Capital Christian 72-61"
The West Valley College Holiday Classic honorees
From the recent West Valley College Holiday Classic comes these honorees:
MVP: Duncan Douglas - Santa Monica
All‐Tournament Team:
Nicholas Smiley - Santa Monica
Deondre Otis - Monterey Peninsula
Isaac Clark - Monterey Peninsula
Riley Knowles - Hartnell
Javon Adams - Solano
MVP: Duncan Douglas - Santa Monica
All‐Tournament Team:
Nicholas Smiley - Santa Monica
Deondre Otis - Monterey Peninsula
Isaac Clark - Monterey Peninsula
Riley Knowles - Hartnell
Javon Adams - Solano
Seth Davis thinking out loud
SI's Seth Davis serves up an interesting column of thoughts and tidbits, plus predictions for the new year/second half of the season.
Dec. 25: Washington St. 82, New Mexico 59
In Honolulu on Christmas Day, Washington State impressively handled New Mexico 82-59. Shooting 7-9, 3-5 and 0-1, Ike Iroegbu scored 17 points and reached double-double status with a team-best 11 boards for the Cougars.
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Dec. 25: Hawaii 79, Auburn 67
Roderick Bobbitt 'slumped' to 30 points on Christmas Day (after scoring 32 last Wednesday) in leading Hawaii to an impressive 79-67 victory over Auburn in Honolulu. He shot 8-13 overall, 6-7 from beyond the arc and 8-8 at the foul line.
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Sunday, December 27, 2015
Dons offer a 2017 big
Via Adam Ayalew: "6'10" Jr. Luka Garza of @MaretBHoops has announced a recent offer from The University of San Francisco."
Also: ""D1 Coaches: Luka Garza showcases a very good inside-out skill-set. Great feet, strong hands. Absolutely relentless."
Also: ""D1 Coaches: Luka Garza showcases a very good inside-out skill-set. Great feet, strong hands. Absolutely relentless."
Thursday, December 24, 2015
That's it until after Christmas
No posting on Christmas Eve day, Christmas day or the day after -- back on December 27. Be kind and be joyful.
An Isaiah Pineiro feature
Trevor Horn/Auburn Journal features Isaiah Pineiro who is coming on as a sophomore at Portland State of the Big Sky Conference. He played at Palcer High and the Sierra College.
Oklahoma 84, Hawaii 81
In one of the best matchups of the season thus far, Oklahoma got by Hawaii 84-81 on Wednesday night. It was Get-Reacquainted-With-Roderick-Bobbitt Night as the senior totaled 32 points (8-12, 3-4, 13-16 shooting), wrapped in six assists, four rebounds and a trio of steals.
UH athletics game reports.
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UH athletics game reports.
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St. Mary's 81, Santa Clara 59
A 46-28 second half broke open a relatively close game and led St. Mary's to an 81-59 success versus Santa Clara on Wednesday. Gael center Dane Pineau posted a 14 point, 10 rebound double-double, shooting 7-7 from the floor. Fellow man in the middle Jock Landale shot 5-8 to finish with 10 points.
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Utah St. 76, North Dakota St. 62
The host Aggies nabbed their own tournament by topping North Dakota State 76-62 last night, winning both halves of the game. Senior guard Chris Smith shot 6-9, 1-3 and 2-2 respectively on his way to 15 points for the victors plus he added eight rebounds and two assists.
USF 89, Pacific 76
No late game heroics last night on the Pacific side as host USF utilized a 53-31 second 20 minutes to turn away the Tigers 89-76. Each team had four players in double figures but those of the Dons were much higher. Who knew the San Francisco crew has a 13-25 beyond the arc night in them? Pacific does now.
The Stockton Record game reports.
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The Stockton Record game reports.
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Portland 87, Pepperdine 79
Host Portland handled Pepperdine 87-79 last night as senior guard Bryce Pressley contributed 15 points, four assists and three rebounds. He shot 4-5 from three-point range.
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Placer High hoops
Ike Dodson/Auburn Journal details the return to the fray of Placer High hoops, a squad with all the skills, size and smarts to go a long way this season.
Frayer down to four
Chris Murray reports that Nevada is one of four finalists for Oscar Frayer, alongside St. Mary's, Oregon State and Grand Canyon..
A Big East-er looking at Douglas
San Jose City College Men's Basketball indicates that Providence is checking out Akil Douglas of the Jags.
DNelson now in Spain
Eurohoops: "After playing with Crvena Zvezda and Panathinaikos in Euroleague, DeMarcus Nelson is getting one more chance in the top level of Europe by signing with Unicaja Malaga.
As the Spanish club announced the American guard is leaving Monaco of the French ProA, in which he was playing so far in the season. Unicaja needed a player after the injury of Stefan Markovic and Nelson was signed until the end of the season."
As the Spanish club announced the American guard is leaving Monaco of the French ProA, in which he was playing so far in the season. Unicaja needed a player after the injury of Stefan Markovic and Nelson was signed until the end of the season."
One take on Marcus Lee
Jonathan Givony/Draft Express on Marcus Lee: "... projected 44th: “He’s a junior, still has this really narrow frame, still does not have a great feel for the game, not a great defensive rebounder, not a very skilled player. He’s playing all these minutes, so he’s obviously going to put up some numbers, but the way Kentucky has looked has to kind of be on him a little bit, too. Because he’s certainly had an opportunity here – like the last few minutes of the (OSU) game, Skal was on the bench, and you have Poythress and Lee and can’t get anything done.”
Projected as the 44th best prospect in the NBA draft yet gets completely dumped on -- there appears to be a disconnect here or at least an incomplete evaluation.
Projected as the 44th best prospect in the NBA draft yet gets completely dumped on -- there appears to be a disconnect here or at least an incomplete evaluation.
The latest on Marquese Chriss
Percy Allen: "The Marquese Chriss roller coaster is a thrill ride — The freshman forward rebounded from a so-so performance in his last outing with a handful of highlights Tuesday night. He threw down an alley-oop dunk from Andrews and tormented the Redhawks with three offensive rebounds, 8-for-10 shooting and 16 points. Chriss also had two blocks and two steals to offset two turnovers in 24 minutes. For just the second time this season, he committed fewer three fouls in a game which allowed him to be aggressive on both ends of the court."
An Elliott Pitts update
Bruce Pascoe: "Been asked a bunch about Elliott Pitts, who missed his fifth straight game with an off-court issue that UA isn’t identifying. The process of elimination suggests a few things:
Now that fall semester is over and the issue isn’t resolved one way or another, that suggests academics are probably not involved. Besides, Pitts is known to be a good student and Miller has characterized it as a “personal issue.”
Pitts also been on the court before games in early warmups and has no sign of illness or injury.
And the fact that he’s been in town, sitting on the bench, cheering the Wildcats on, indicates he’s not inclined to transfer. If he was, he probably wouldn’t be in Tucson, especially after the semester ended last week (remember how fast Sidiki Johnson and Craig Victor left town in midseason?).
What's more, Pitts is getting good playing time (21.3 average minutes) and, really, transfers are almost always about PT.
Moreover, once a player steps foot on the court during his junior season, it is typically too late to transfer. Playing in any games during a season burns that entire season -- barring a waiver -- meaning Pitts would only have his senior year left to play elsewhere.
And even if he transferred now in order to be eligible next December, Pitts would only have two-thirds of a season left to play in his college career.
Bottom line: All indications are this is an off-court matter that could still take a while to resolve."
Now that fall semester is over and the issue isn’t resolved one way or another, that suggests academics are probably not involved. Besides, Pitts is known to be a good student and Miller has characterized it as a “personal issue.”
Pitts also been on the court before games in early warmups and has no sign of illness or injury.
And the fact that he’s been in town, sitting on the bench, cheering the Wildcats on, indicates he’s not inclined to transfer. If he was, he probably wouldn’t be in Tucson, especially after the semester ended last week (remember how fast Sidiki Johnson and Craig Victor left town in midseason?).
What's more, Pitts is getting good playing time (21.3 average minutes) and, really, transfers are almost always about PT.
Moreover, once a player steps foot on the court during his junior season, it is typically too late to transfer. Playing in any games during a season burns that entire season -- barring a waiver -- meaning Pitts would only have his senior year left to play elsewhere.
And even if he transferred now in order to be eligible next December, Pitts would only have two-thirds of a season left to play in his college career.
Bottom line: All indications are this is an off-court matter that could still take a while to resolve."
Hayes may not be done just yet
Former Modesto Christian High star Chuck Hayes is 'in conversation' with the Philadelphia 76ers about playing again in the NBA.
The author of this article pooh-poohs the idea but the 76ers are in need of some elder leadership (and so much more since they are 1-29) and no veteran stars are planning to make Philly their home anytime soon.
The author of this article pooh-poohs the idea but the 76ers are in need of some elder leadership (and so much more since they are 1-29) and no veteran stars are planning to make Philly their home anytime soon.
From Tuesday: Oklahoma 88, Washington St. 60
Over in Honolulu on Tuesday, Oklahoma had little trouble with Washington State to the tune of 88-60. For the Pullman-ites, Ike Iroegbu stood out in posting a line of 16 points, five rebounds and three assists.
From Tuesday: Hawaii 68, Northern Iowa 52
Hawaii downed Northern Iowa 68-52 on Tuesday with two Bay Area-connected senior backcourters aiding the victory:
* Roderick Bobbitt - back in the starting lineup, he totaled eight assists, four points plus three boards
* Quincy Smith - seven points, three assists and a trio of rebounds
* Roderick Bobbitt - back in the starting lineup, he totaled eight assists, four points plus three boards
* Quincy Smith - seven points, three assists and a trio of rebounds
From Tuesday: UTEP 87, Sam Houston St. 68
From Tuesday: Dom Artis achieved an unusual line for a small guard in Texas El Paso's win over Sam Houston State: 13 points, 12 rebounds and five assists.
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Nor Cal JC play so far
In the Bay Valley Conference, the records of the contenders are:
* Los Medanos 8-4
* Contra Costa 8-5
* Marin 6-7
* Mendocino 6-7
* Merritt 5-9
LM is a surprise and good for them. CCC has a Big Three of sophomores in Larry Wickett, Anthony Sullen and Bobby Syvanthong and that trio has carried the squad. Marin lost some players due to the turmoil and coaching change but George Johnson has emerged as the team leader. Mendocino isn't big but is managing to hold its own thus far. Merritt has 13 freshman and is awaiting a frontcourter or two to emerge with consistency.
In the Big Eight Conference, the records of the contenders are:
* Santa Rosa 9-6
* Sac City 7-5
* DVC 8-6
* CRC 5-5
* Modesto 5-6
* SJDC 5-6
* ARC 4-8
* Sierra 3-7
This is a league where it appears anyone can beat their opponent on this or that night. Who does so with the most level of consistency will finish on top. A special note: newcomer Mason Washington has emerged as a mainstay for MJC and hopefully Zach Gonzales will re-emerge with his offensive firepower. Those two make the Pirates dangerous.
In the Central Valley Conference, the records of the contenders are:
* FCC 11-5
* Columbia 9-5
* Sequoias 10-6
Fresno City College is the favorite until and unless someone knocks them from their perch. Nabbing victories minus Josh Sykes in the lineup was especially impressive.
In the Coast North Conference, the records of the contenders are:
* SFCC 14-1
* Chabot 11-3
* LP 9-5
* Cañada 6-5
* Foothill 7-6
It's probably a race between CCSF and Chabot but do not discount Las Positas which is playing very well of late. Both Cañada and Foothill have the system to challenge anyone on a given night.
In the Coast South Conference, the records of the contenders are:
* Cabrillo 9-3
* Hartnell 8-4
* Monterey 9-6
Cabrillo looked near invincible early on but has come back to earth a bit. With a new roster, Hartnell has really surprised and MPC has a solid combination of star talents and role players, overcoming any questions about lack of size. The contest involving these squads will be battles.
In the Golden Valley Conference, the records of the contenders are:
* Feather River 16-1
* Shasta 9-5
* Butte 8-5
* Redwoods 8-7
Is anyone not surprised by Feather River? Gotta love a team that nobody pegged to be so tough. Butte is always a tough team to beat but just not sure of the level of firepower Coach Russ Critchfield has at his disposal this season. Redwoods is small but contains solid scoring ability.
I will now don my fireproof bodystocking to handle the incoming ordnance from fans of those teams not listed here.
Injury updates
* Mario (Salesian High) Dunn has returned to the court -- 21 minutes -- for Montana on Tuesday after rehabilitating a wrist injury
* Freshman Matt (Pacific Prep) O'Reilly also finally got into a game at Bucknell. He played five minutes on Tuesday and scored three points -- yep, a trey.
However, 6-foot-7 Zach (Yuba City High) Nelson is out for the season at Utah Valley University and Long Beach State's Temidayo (St. Joseph Notre Dame) Yussef remains out indefinitely.
* Freshman Matt (Pacific Prep) O'Reilly also finally got into a game at Bucknell. He played five minutes on Tuesday and scored three points -- yep, a trey.
However, 6-foot-7 Zach (Yuba City High) Nelson is out for the season at Utah Valley University and Long Beach State's Temidayo (St. Joseph Notre Dame) Yussef remains out indefinitely.
Utah St. 69, Idaho St. 58
As the tournament host, Utah State proved to be a bit rude in defeating guest Idaho State 69-58 on Tuesday. Aggie Chris (Yuba College) Smith approached a triple-double with 22 points, 10 boards and six assists.
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Washington 79, Seattle 68
In the Battle for Seattle, it was Washington the victor with a 79-68 triumph over the Redhawks. Marquese Chriss shot 8-10 on his way to 18 points for the Huskies and he added five boards, two blocked shots and a pair of steals. Plus just one foul.
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Virginia 63, Cal 62
It was in Virginia and an overtime was required before the Charlottesville crew topped the youthful Bears 63-62. California actually owned a six point lead during the overtime session. Freshman Ivan Rabb played 42 minutes and posted a line of 12 boards plus nine points.
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Wichita St. 98, Nevada 69
Propelled by 62 free throw attempts (Nevada earned 31), Wichita State took care of visiting Nevada 98-69 on Tuesday. Freshman big Cameron Oliver totaled nine points, six rebounds and three blocked shots for the Wolf Pack.
Chris Murray game reports.
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Chris Murray game reports.
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Idaho 68, UC Davis 51
UC Davis is hurting right now, what with the injury slowing down Josh Fox and the continued absence of JT Adenrele. On Tuesday, Idaho came to Bicycle City and thrashed the Aggies 68-51. Darius Graham paced Jim Les' squad with both 13 points and three assists.
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UC Santa Barbara 80, Iona 76
UC Santa Barbara got back on the winning track Tuesday with an 80-76 victory over Iona as part of a tournament based in Las Vegas. Senior Michael Bryson was far and away the Gaucho points leader with 29, a career high, as he shot 9-17 overall plus 10-11 at the charity stripe. Sophomore guard Gabe Vincent led with six assists.
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UC Riverside 63, Denver 54
Down in the Southland on Tuesday, UC Riverside turned away Denver 63-54 as Taylor Johns provided 14 points (6-8 shooting) plus eight rebounds. Teammate Malik Thames was solid if unspectacular with six points, four boards, four assists and two steals alongside zero turnovers.
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Arizona 85, LB St. 70
Mark Tollefsen contributed 12 points plus four rebounds in Arizona's 85-70 victory over Long Beach State on Tuesday. The Wildcats owned a 40-20 rebounding advantage and shot 32 free throws to 15 for the 49ers.
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Princeton 89, Bucknell 77
Henry Caruso scored 13 points, grabbed four rebounds and distributed three assists in 26 minutes as host Princeton bested Bucknell 89-77 yesterday.
Utah 105, Delaware St. 58
In Salt Lake City last night, Utah walloped Delaware State 105-58 as Ute Gabe Bealer got 11 minutes of court time and made the most of it with nine points and four boards.
UC Irvine 80, Norfolk St. 62
Mike Best scored 10 points and redshirt freshman Jonathan Galloway enjoyed a nine rebound, seven point night in 15 minutes of playing time as UC Irvine downed Norfolk State on Tuesday 80-62 to win the tournament hosted by UTEP.
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CSU Bakersfield 78, Portland St. 66
Portland State received 12 points plus five rebounds from sophomore forward Isaiah Pineiro but fell to Cal State Bakersfield in California's Country Music Capital 78-66 on Tuesday.
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SJSU 128, Life Pacific 66
Gary Williams Jr. provided 17 points plus four assists in San Jose State University's 128-66 victory on Tuesday over Life Pacific, which is not an insurance company as some might surmise.
William Jessup hoops
Robert Marten catches readers up on the basketball doings of William Jessup University.
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