NorCal Issue 109, Nov. 19, 2015

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vol. 6. issue 109 nov. 19, 2015 norcal

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f you, dear devoted SportStars reader, are a basketball fan — and here’s hoping you are, considering the special edition you’re reading — then I am here to offer a realization I had recently.

It came on the evening of Saturday, Nov. 14, when I was putting in some work on this very edition in my living room and watching the Golden State Warriors up their record to 11-0 with an overtime win over the Brooklyn Nets. At the time, I was working on the write-ups for our top girls players to watch. As I wrapped up the details of our cover girl, Miramonte-Orinda’s Sabrina Ionescu, right, I looked up to watch Steph Curry bury a clutch 3-pointer.

Then I had my realization.

There may not be a better time to be a basketball fan in Northern California.

I’m sure the early 90s were pretty special too.

That’s when the RUN TMC Era of the Warriors timed up with Jason Kidd’s dominance at St. Joseph Notre Dame High in Alameda. But I think fans can agree that this Warriors team — being that they are NBA Champions and employ the league’s Most Valuable Player — ups the ante a bit.

The high school basketball in NorCal has been equally special.

Last year, we had the Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland boys play a national-caliber schedule on their way to winning the CIF Open Division State Championship in an overtime thriller. Then the team’s star, Ivan Rabb, chose to stay in NorCal and has instantly made the Cal Bears an elite-level program (ranked No. 15 in the Associated Press national poll as of Nov. 16).

Then there’s the girls landscape, where the defending CIF Open Division State champ is also from NorCal: St. Mary’sStockton. And the Rams aren’t just the best in the state; many believe they’re the best team in the nation.

Perennial Bay Area-power Archbishop Mitty-San Jose has one of its best teams in years, too. Then there’s Ionescu, who leads a super-talented Miramonte team, and is one of the most recruited point guards in the country. Oh, and Cal (No. 21) and Stanford’s (No. 15) women’s programs are both nationally ranked, too.

So yeah, don’t take this stretch for granted, hoops fans. ✪

Hoops 2015-2016

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November 19, 2015

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St. Mary’s-Stockton Girls................... 14 Archbishop Mitty Girls....................... 16 Girls Hoops Starting 5....................... 20 NorCal Preseason Top 20..................22 Moreau Catholic Boys........................24 De La Salle Boys................................. 26 Boys Hoops Starting 5...................... 28 Sacramento Boys................................32 4

join our team PHONE 925.566.8500 FAX 925.566.8507 Editorial Editor@SportStarsOnline.com Editor Chace Bryson • Chace@SportStarsOnline.com Staff Writer Jim McCue • JimMcCue16@gmail.com Contributors Bill Kolb, Matt Smith, Clay Kallam, Ben Enos, Dave Kiefer, Liz Elliott, Tim Rudd, Trevor Horn Copy Editor Bill Kruissink Photography Bob Larson, Jonathan Hawthorne, James K. Leash, Norbert von der Groeben, Phillip Walton, Doug Guler, Dean Coppola, Berry Evans, III Marketing/Events Ryan Arter Editorial Intern Mike Young

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Evening the Field

F

ans of Northern California prep football better start getting used to the term “competitive equity” as it relates to the playoffs in the Sac-Joaquin Section, North Coast Section and Central Coast Section.

To be precise, competitive equity is simply a different method used to determine which playoff divisions each team is placed, and in most cases, replaces a school’s enrollment total.

“That’s something we talk about in our office a lot,” said Will DeBoard, the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section’s Director of Communications. “The Southern Section is going to competitive equity divisions next year and, as you know, how the Southern Section goes a lot of other sections go as well.”

Teams in the Sac-Joaquin Section often do move up in divisions for competitive equity reasons, such as St. Mary’s-Stockton in many sports.

Another great example is Central Catholic-Modesto, which is up from Division IV to Division III in football. If it were to win in Division III, it would likely go up again to Division II. That school has less than 500 students, but obviously has a football program that maybe couldn’t take on Folsom or Elk Grove this year but just about anybody else.

“I do like how we do it now,” DeBoard said. “It’s enrollment-based, but we use competitive equity to move up teams. There’s just nothing in place to move a school with a big enrollment down.”

Using competitive equity factors, a school such as Independence-San Jose, which has 3,260 students but only two winning seasons in the last 10, would not be in the same playoff division in the CCS as Bellarmine Prep-San Jose under any circumstances.

In this year’s NCS playoffs, for example, using competitive equity also would have prevented Clayton Valley-Concord from staying in Division II and instead would have included the Ugly Eagles in Division I. They are in Div. II in the NCS because of enrollment.

It is hard for many who have followed enrollment-based playoff divisions for years to grasp some of the wide differences in enrollment that can happen if competitive equity was the norm.

In this year’s Southern Section Mid-Valley Division, for example, the top-seeded team, Sierra Canyon-Chatsworth, represents a school of 410 students. Another team in the same division is from Montebello High with an enrollment of 3,400. Sierra Canyon and Montebello, however,

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Clayton Valley’s Ray Jackson III are worlds apart in the socio-economic background of its students. Sierra Canyon alums include Kendall and Kylie Jenner and many other sons and daughters of celebrities. Montebello is working-class, mostly Hispanic. If the football teams can be competitive and the travel is not extreme, why not stick them in the same division?

It’s doubtful that the NorCal sections would have a school with as large of an enrollment as Montebello in Division IV or Division V, but using competitive equity you also wouldn’t have a school like Stagg-Stockton being in Div. I in the SJS. Instead, the school would be placed in Div. III where the Delta Kings realistically belong. Last year, Stagg had to play Folsom in the first round of the SJS Div. I playoffs and was down 63-0 at halftime.

As you can see, the schools that benefit the most from competitive equity divisions are the high-enrollment, big schools of larger districts like Sacramento Unified, East Side Union High School District of San Jose and others.

It also breaks schools from the same league into different divisions, which already happens in the SJS, CCS and NCS, but doesn’t yet in the Southern Section.

In short, using competitive equity-based divisions has merit because it should lessen the odds of experiencing one of the least enjoyable aspects of high school sports and that’s the opening-round playoff rout. ✪ Mark Tennis is the co-founder of Cal-Hi Sports, and publisher of CalHiSports.com. Contact him at markjtennis@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter, @CalHiSports.

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California football top 25 Through Saturday, Nov. 14 1. (1) — De La Salle-Concord 9-1 Entering the CIF North Coast Section playoffs, the Spartans had only allowed 26 points over their previous seven games. They should win their 24th consecutive section title and then head to the CIF Open Division State Bowl Game.

2. (2) — Centennial-Corona 11-0 Many national polls have the Huskies near the top while one has St. John Bosco at the top. It would be viewed as a huge upset if either of those two teams loses before the CIFSS Pac-5 Division championship.

3. (3) — St. John Bosco-Bellflower 11-0 Braves have been so dominant that they’ve only not been in a running clock game once over its first 11 games.

4. (4) — Folsom 11-0 Since the Bulldogs don’t have to worry about any of the top three, they can indeed go 16-0 again and win the state bowl game in CIF’s highest division outside of the Open Div. 5. (5) — Mission Viejo 11-0 If the Diablos were to win out in the CIFSS West Valley Division, they’d become the favorite to head north and perhaps play Folsom in the CIF Division IAA state bowl game.

6. (6) — Elk Grove 11-0 Ryan Robards took over the state scoring lead with four more TDs in the Thundering Herd’s 55-0 playoff win over Gregori-Modesto.

7. (7) — Mater Dei-Santa Ana 9-2 With a 66-14 romp past Lakewood, the Monarchs advanced to a CIFSS Pac-5 Div. quarterfinal matchup with state No. 13 SerraGardena.

8. (8) — Bishop Amat-La Puente 9-2 To win the CIFSS Pac-5 title, all Bishop Amat has to do is first beat No. 9 Oaks Christian in the quarterfinals, followed probably

by No.3 St. John Bosco and No. 2 Centennial.

9. (11) ▲ Oaks Christian-Westlake Village 11-0 Impressive wins over St. Bonaventure-Ventura and WestlakeWestlake Village has helped the Lions to a No. 3 seed in the CIFSS Pac-5 Div. 10. (9) ▼ Clayton Valley-Concord 9-1 Head coach Tim Murphy’s team is a heavy favorite in NCS Div. II playoffs, may move up in the rankings in the coming weeks.

11. (10) ▼ Mission Hills-San Marcos 10-0 They aren’t the top seed in the San Diego Section Open Division, but are No. 1 in section media poll.

12. (12) — Helix-La Mesa 8-1 The top seed in the San Diego Section Open Div. and the Highlanders want to win it for outgoing head coach Troy Starr.

13. (13) — Serra-Gardena 9-2 QB Khalil Tate passed for 226 yards and three TDs and rushed for 185 yards and one TD — an average outing for him — in 38-20 playoff win over Westlake-Westlake Village.

14. (14) — Foothill-Pleasanton 10-0 We know Antioch got the No. 2 seed in the NCS, but we’ve had the Falcons higher all season and it will only be two weeks until they potentially meet in an NCS semifinal.

15. (15) — Long Beach Poly-Long Beach 8-2** Jackrabbits are done due to four forfeit losses, losing in an envelope draw for the third playoff berth out of their league, then not getting at-large bid to Pac-5 playoffs.

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Antioch’s Najee Harris Photo by Berry Evans III

16. (16) — Narbonne-Harbor City 9-2 Having head-to-head loss to L.B. Poly will keep the L.A. City Section frontrunner in the 15-16 range of the rankings until the CIF bowl games.

17. (17) — Bellarmine-San Jose 9-1 Bells have won six straight since they lost their only game by a touchdown to Archbishop Mitty-San Jose when QB Troy Martig out with a bad wheel.

18. (18) — Loyola-Los Angeles 9-2 The only losses for the CIFSS Pac-5 quarterfinalists have been to Serra-Gardena and Bishop Amat.

19. (19) — Camarillo 11-0 Unbeaten CIFSS Northern Division top seed also has wins over Pac-5 playoff team St. Bonaventure plus 10-1 Calabasas.

20. (20) — Tesoro-Las Flores 9-2 The Titans are led by Arizona-bound QB Devon Modster and have lost only to Mater Dei and Mission Viejo.

21. (21) — La Habra 10-1 Playoff win vs. Kennedy-La Palma was third straight shutout for team that has lost only to Mission Viejo.

22. (25) ▲ Antioch 10-0 We were waiting for the Panthers to beat Pittsburg in their rivalry game until moving them ahead of the Pirates in the rankings.

23. (22) ▼ Ridgeview-Bakersfield 10-0 The top-ranked team from the CIF Central Section falls into Div. II in that section so it would go south for bowl games. The Div. I winner will be in the north.

24. (24) — Vista Murrieta-Murrieta 10-1 It’s amazing how many times the Broncos score on special teams.

They are the No. 2 seed in CIFSS West Valley Division.

25. (NR) ▲ Calabasas 10-1 Features WR/DB Darnay Holmes, who like Antioch’s Najee Harris, is one of the nation’s top-ranked Class of 2017 prospects.

Dropped Out: No. 23 Chaminade-West Hills. **Season complete and record does not include forfeits.

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November 19, 2015

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Play at the

Palace Rocklin’s premier basketball facility is beginning a new year-round youth league

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ardwood Palace in Rocklin is thrilled to announce the addition of their new year-round youth basketball league, Hardwood Hoops, which will start this winter. Focusing on player development and skill improvement in a fun, organized and convenient environment is what Hardwood Hoops will deliver for children ages 4 to 17 years old.

All practices and games will take place at the beautiful Hardwood Palace facility from Monday through Thursday evenings. All games will be on Friday evenings leaving your weekends free for you and your family.

Grant Yamasaki, Hardwood Palace Youth League Director,

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is excited about bringing a top-quality basketball program to the Placer Valley.

“Over the years, we have built Hardwood Palace into one of the main destinations for competitive weekend tournaments in Northern California,” Yamasaki said. “(We) have now decided to begin a youth league which will be built on the foundation of great organization, communication and fun.”

Hardwood Palace has a solid reputation of being a state-ofthe-art facility with its padded spectator benches, flat screen televisions, electronic scoreboards, café and sky-view mezzanine that allows visitors to watch games from above the action. Adding the youth league will enhance the basketball Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

CUP RUNS FULL

opportunities they are committed to providing.

“People love our big, beautiful eight-court facility and we can’t wait for our new youth league to thrive and get the positive feedback that our tournaments do,” Yamasaki said. “We hope you choose our youth league for your kids to join.”

Hardwood Hoops has also partnered with I’m Possible Training for basketball players 3rd grade to high school who are looking for an extra edge.

With their league registration players have the opportunity to take advantage of this special training either weekly or monthly at a discounted rate.

The winter session runs Jan. 15-March 4 and sign-ups are available at www.hardwoodpalace.com. You can save $10 off your registration by signing up and entering the coupon code HOOPS by Dec. 1. ✪

The sun was shining, the fields freshly mowed and once again Placer Valley proved to be the perfect setting for one of the largest and most competitive youth soccer tournaments of the fall season in Northern California — the Placer United Girls Cup. With a 20-plus year history, this tournament is one that many teams have on their calendar before the season even begins. Open to U11 to U19 competitive girls teams, Placer United Soccer Club, adidas and local corporate sponsor, the Roseville Auto Mall, delivered a weekend full of amazing soccer that was played over the course of three days from Oct. 23-25.

Due to a record number of teams competing — 214 to be exact — 32 fields throughout Roseville, Rocklin, Lincoln, Loomis and Elverta were utilized to accommodate this huge tournament.

Jodi Tarr, Club Administrator for Placer United Soccer Club, was thrilled with the overall success of the event. “The tournament was great, we had wonderful volunteers, fabulous weather and great competitions,” she said.

The competitive brackets were broken down into Super, Premier, Gold and Silver divisions to allow for the best match-ups possible in each age group. Several games ended in ties forcing nail-biting penalty kick-offs to determine a winner. Tarr added, “When all was said and done we crowned 25 champions.”

Go to www.placerunited.com to see a full list of the results and to learn more about Placer United Soccer Club. ✪ — Copy and photos provided by Placer Valley Tourism

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An all but unanimous choice as the nation’s top team, St. Mary’s-Stockton won’t be taking any time to soak it in

W

ith as many preseason-No. 1 ranking features being written on this year’s girls basketball team at St. Mary’s-Stockton, it can be a challenge for players to become complacent.

For one senior at St. Mary’s, 6-foot shooting forward Kat Tudor, she likes to remind herself of what to do each day by placing her championship ring from last season on a desk in her room.

“When you get rings like that, it makes you want another one,” she said. “We’re still on a high from winning state, but we’ve still got to walk in the gym every day and get the job done.”

The Rams definitely got the job done last season as they went 34-1 and knocked off favored Mater Dei-Santa Ana 76-69 in the CIF Open Division State Championship.

The team’s only loss came to Blackman-Murfreesboro (Tenn.) at the Nike Tournament of Champions held in Chandler, Ariz. Mater Dei actually won that title, so for St. Mary’s to beat the Monarchs in the Open Division with a lineup that’s almost 100 percent back this season makes the team an easy choice as preseason No. 1 for the state as well as leading mythical national title contenders.

Even though the Rams have won eight CIF state titles (seven under current head coach Tom Gonsalves), this is the first time they’re coming off an Open Division state title, and they have more returning talent than perhaps any team they’ve ever had.

“We’re just so fortunate we’re so deep, but we don’t ever talk about winning period,” Gonsalves said at a conditioning workout for most of the players in late October. “We just practice every day to play at a certain level. There’s no way they can rest on anything.”

Point guard Mi’Cole Cayton was the team’s lone finalist to be Ms. Basketball State Player of the Year as a junior, but just selecting her over teammates such as Tudor and Aquira DeCosta was very difficult.

Cayton has been a stat stuffer since the middle of her sophomore season but is one of those players who doesn’t have to score to make a huge impact. Her assists, steals and rebounds often lead the team. She also was MVP of the San Diego Classic held in July when a team of St. Mary’s girls won their fourth straight club championship.

Tudor, who has committed to Oregon State, begins her senior year with 301 career 3-pointers and has a chance to threaten the school and state record (according to Cal-Hi Sports) of 447 set in 2005 by Renee Roberts. She was firing in 3-pointers as a freshman, but the reason she became a Pac-12 recruit is the work she put in to become stronger, quicker and faster.

DeCosta is at another level among all the St. Mary’s players and should end her prep career alongside Ms. Basketball State Players of the Year such as Jackie Gemelos and Chelsea Gray. The 6-foot-3 sophomore and last season’s State Freshman of the Year played on the USA Under-16 national team last summer and eventually was ranked as the No. 1 player nationally for the Class of 2018 by ESPN-W. Her list of college finalists, once she figures it out, will likely read like a who’s who of major powerhouse programs.

Even with those three, one of the real trademarks of this group is the ability juniors Sierra Smith and Naje’ Murray to use their speed and quickness to drive the lane, force defenses to collapse and then kick it outside to

Kat Tudor 14

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one of the many 3-point shooters. Smith is ranked as the nation’s 15th best point guard in the Class of 2017 by ESPN-W. Murray is likely going to get many college offers next year as well.

“People ask, and I tell them, we really do have 11 players who will be Division I in college,” Gonsalves said. “These girls just have so much athleticism to go with everything they do.”

An additional senior — 6-foot forward Sidney Fadal — has signed with nearby Pacific while senior Angel Johnson, who is only 5-foot-9 but is one of the team’s most intense interior defenders and rebounders, also could get some college interest.

It’s not like the Rams don’t have new players, too. Freshmen Nicole Young (5-9 guard) and Jada Moss (5-8 forward) were impressive in the summer while Raziya Potter is a 5-foot-10 sophomore transfer from Kimball-Tracy who was one of the state’s top freshmen last season.

It’s all that depth that has many other coaches looking on in amazement.

“Normally, one could hope maybe an injury could slow them down, but they have kids that just might do more damage when they get their opportunity,” said Miramonte-Orinda coach Kelly Sopak, whose team lost to St. Mary’s in last year’s NorCal Open Division final and could be the Rams’ top competition in the North once again. “The thing that impresses the most about this SMS team is that they put so much stress on your defense. They have great point guards that can score in Cayton and Murray, they have the best shooter in Naje’ Murray the country in Tudor and the most athletic kid on the floor every night in DeCosta.”

Sopak, who coaches Tudor and DeCosta for his AAU national-champion CalStars club team, also calls this year’s St. Mary’s team “one of the most talented” he has seen in his years as a club and high school coach. He added, “The only team I have coached against that could beat them is probably the 2009-10 team (also from St. Mary’s).”

Potter’s introduction to the intense practices, constant full-court pressure and attention to detail that permeate Gonsalves’ program hasn’t been too hard for her to adjust to because she’s known some of the players for many years.

“So far, so good,” she said at a recent workout. “I’ve just been trying to build up my stamina because of how we play and how we practice. But the main reason I came here was the education. I’m excited to be here and can’t wait to get into a game.”

It’s likely Potter will be getting into her first game coming off the bench, but Gonsalves surprisingly left the door open for any of his new players to see significant playing time.

“We have all five starters back, but I’m not convinced yet which five are going to start this year,” he said. “If there’s someone who doesn’t want it bad enough, we have someone next who may. I don’t care who plays the most. I just want those who deserve it.”

Whether the Rams can be No. 1 in the nation can be more tricky and always open for debate, but if they were to win the Nike TOC title and then win a second straight CIF Open Division title it would be hard to argue for any other team. ✪ Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

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One year after winning Div. II state title, Archbishop Mitty looks to be even better

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ome coaches believe the worst — their preseason evaluation focuses on the value of the graduated seniors, the inexperience of the returners and the long, hard road ahead. Other coaches are so sunny writers need to apply SPF 40 before interviews. Everything’s great, everything’s wonderful, we’ve never been better …

Sue Phillips, the longtime coach at Archbishop Mitty-San Jose, with a resumé that includes time in college and extensive international experience with USA Basketball, falls somewhere in the middle.

She doesn’t gush as a matter of course, and she acknowledges that some groups of players are better than others.

This year, though, her optimism about her young team is enough to require bystanders to buy beach umbrellas — and with only one senior on the roster, the future is bright enough that fans will need to do more than just wear shades. “We’re going to be a really fun team to watch,” said Phillips. “The beauty of this team is our ability to handle the ball and our passing. And we share the ball.”

That sharing is for good reason, as Phillips — who has coached WNBA All-Stars (Danielle Robinson) and too many Power 5-conference college players to count — believes all ten players on the roster will play in college. The best of the lot? That’s another reason for a blue-sky outlook: There really isn’t just one star. After Phillips had talked about almost her entire roster, another player was mentioned — and Phillips simply said, “Oh, she’s really good too.”

The two most decorated players are juniors Heleyna Hill and Madeline Holland, who were unanimous first-team All-West Catholic

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Athletic League selections last year. But Phillips is equally excited about two sophomores who only spent part of their freshmen years on varsity. She expects Karisma Ortiz and Nicole Blakes to play major roles, along with incoming freshman Haley Jones. Jones and Ortiz are both 6-footers who can play any position, and Blakes is a slender, athletic 6-2 forward with great hands and speed.

It would be a mistake, though, to focus too much on youth, as senior guard Jahnay Anderson gives Mitty quickness and experience in the backcourt, and 6-2 junior post Tahlia Garza had a breakout summer. Defenses that decide to pack it in the paint will have to deal with junior Daniella Guglielmo’s long-range shooting.

Already the defending CIF Division II State Champions, Phillips has loaded up the schedule in anticipation of a return to the title game. The Monarchs start the season in Spokane, Wash., and will head to the most prestigious tournament in the country, the Nike TOC in Arizona, before Christmas. Then, of course, will come the nightly wars in the always-challenging WCAL. All told, the roster features five players 6 feet or taller, depth all over the floor and the ability to press, score in the half court or just wear teams down with superior talent. Put it all together, and the Monarchs look to be one of the most talented teams ever to come out of Mitty. After 27 league titles, 24 Central Coast Section championships, 11 NorCal titles and six state titles, saying this year’s version is one of the best ever is saying something pretty special. ✪ — Clay Kallam

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Madeline Holland

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Miramonte-Orinda | Senior POSITION: Guard HEIGHT: 6’0” COLLEGE DESTINATION: Undecided 2014-15 AVERAGES: 23 points | 8.9 rebounds | 7.3 assists | 5.0 steals THE RUNDOWN: There’s a reason why she’s this issue’s cover girl. Ionescu is among the most recruited seniors in the nation, holding offers from just about every top college program, including the defending NCAA-champion UConn Huskies. She’s already been part of two USA Basketball Junior World Championships gold-medal teams and was CalHi Sport’s State Junior of the Year last season. This year she’ll lead an experienced Matadors team looking to defend its North Coast Section Div. III title and return to the CIF NorCal Open Division final.

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Brookside Christian-Stockton | Senior POSITION: Point Guard HEIGHT: 5’7” COLLEGE DESTINATION: Washington 2014-15 AVERAGES: 26.3 points | 9.3 rebounds | 5.8 assists | 6.4 steals THE RUNDOWN: There’s not much McDonald didn’t do for the Knights as a junior. She can hurt defenses just about any way she pleases, whether it be driving to the hoop (she shot 60 percent on 2-point shots), sinking 3-pointers (she shot 44 percent) or getting to the foul line (280 attempts, 69 percent).

She’s also a skilled passer and defender. She was named second-team All-State Elite by Cal-Hi Sports.

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St. Mary’s-Stockton | Senior POSITION: Guard HEIGHT: 5’9” COLLEGE DESTINATION: Nebraska 2014-15 AVERAGES: 12 points | 3 rebounds | 2.4 assists | 2.5 steals THE RUNDOWN: While the stats may appear pedestrian, keep in mind that Cayton’s minutes were often limited in the second half of several blowout victories by the Rams. When she would play full games — such as the CIF Open Division State Championship (which St. Mary’s won) — she’d post numbers like 21 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals.

She was named first-team All-State Elite by Cal-Hi Sports and was a Ms. State Basketball finalist.

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St. Mary’s-Stockton | Sophomore POSITION: Center HEIGHT: 6’3” COLLEGE DESTINATION: Undecided 2014-15 AVERAGES: 12.9 points | 7.6 rebounds | 2.5 steals | 1.4 blocks THE RUNDOWN: She’s one of the top recruited players in the nation for the Class of 2018. She entered last season with a boatload of hype, and delivered on all of it. DeCosta created an interior presence that gave the up-tempo Rams an extra dimension. Cal-Hi Sports honored her as the State Freshman of the Year and a second-team All-State Elite selection. She earned a bronze medal with the U16 National Team over the summer.

Salesian-Richmond | Senior POSITION: Point Guard HEIGHT: 5’8” COLLEGE DESTINATION: USC 2014-15 AVERAGES: 13.8 points | 4.6 rebounds | 6.8 assists | 5.4 steals THE RUNDOWN: The younger sister of former Pride star and current Louisville standout, Mariya Moore, Minyon has carved out her own impressive legacy at Salesian. The future Trojan did a little bit of everything, every night, in leading the Pride to a 28-4 record and an NCS Div. IV championship last season. She was a second-team All-State Junior.

Julia Blackshell-Fair, top right Vanden-Fairfield | Forward | 5’10” | Junior Loretta Kakala Manteca | Center | 6’2” | Junior Myah Pace, bottom right Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland | Guard | 6’0” | Junior Kat Tudor St. Mary’s-Stockton | Guard | 6’0” | Senior Baylee Vanderdoes Placer-Auburn | Center | 6’2” | Senior

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Previous year’s record in parenthesis 1. Modesto Christian (30-4): The Crusaders have been NorCal Open Division contenders in all three years of the playoff format’s existence. Point guard Christian Ellis begins his final year running the offense, but he may be called upon to be more of a scorer this season. Senior Robinson Idehen, who was not transfer-eligible last year until January, had an immediate impact inside and grew into a force throughout his shortened season. Coach Richard Midgley, who led the Crusaders to a state championship berth in 2000-01 as a player, hopes to have the pieces to make another deep postseason run.

2. Moreau Catholic-Hayward (23-7): Led by three-year starter and athletic Cal-bound wing, Oscar Frayer, the Monarchs — with plenty more returning talent in Damari Milstead, Brandon Lawrence and Terrell Brown —are poised to be the most dangerous team in the East Bay.

Previous year’s record in parenthesis 1. St. Mary’s-Stockton (34-1): If ever a preseason ranking qualified as a no-brainer, this would be the one. The Rams are the consensus No. 1 in the state AND nation. The reasons are many, but it starts with 6-3 all-everything sophomore Acquira DeCosta.

Senior Mi’Cole Cayton adds experience and talent to the backcourt; Kat Tudor is one of the best pure shooters in California, and those three names are just the tip of the St. Mary’s iceberg. When all that talent is combined with Tom Gonsalves’ intense and demanding coaching, and an unorthodox system that baffles even the most experienced coaches, you get a national powerhouse.

2. Miramonte-Orinda (30-3): Sabrina Ionescu gets most of the attention, and deservedly so, but she’s far from the only weapon in Kelly Sopak’s arsenal. He’s got Division I players up and down the roster, but an emerging star is diminutive sophomore Clair Steele, who hit big shot after big shot down the stretch last season.

3. De La Salle-Concord (27-5): With legendeary coach Frank Allocco having moved on to the college ranks, it will be fun to see how this talented Spartans team — featuring Jordan Ratinho and Nikhil Peters, among others — will take shape under former Allocco pupil, A.J. Kuhle (who arrives FROM the college ranks).

4. Archbishop Mitty-San Jose (20-11): The Monarchs graduated just five from their CIF Division II NorCal champion roster. They did lose talented wing Sebastian Much to a transfer, but senior center Ben Kone and junior sharpshooter Kyle Peterson still lead a talented bunch.

5. Sacramento (28-6): All the pieces are in place for this Dragons group to follow through on the championship potential many spotted three years ago when the core of this group — center Solomon Young and combo guard Christian Terrell — joined the varsity as freshmen.

3. Archbishop Mitty-San Jose (25-6): Sue Phillips has coached some fabulous teams, and some fabulous players, but this year’s team might be one of her best. There are five players six feet or taller, but they’re not all posts – and the youngest, freshman Haley Jones, will join sophomore Karisma Ortiz, also 6-0, in a killer backcourt rotation.

Robinson Idehen of No. 1 Modesto Christian

6. Folsom (28-5): Saint Mary’s-bound point guard Jordan Ford is now a senior and already has 60 wins under his belt. The Bulldogs are just fine in his hands.

9. Salesian-Richmond (19-11): The growing pains should be over for this talented bunch after just two players graduated from a 19-win team a season ago.

5. McClatchy-Sacramento (27-7): Most teams, even defending Division I state champs like McClatchy, would be shattered by losing a player like 6-3 Gigi Garcia (Washington) to an ACL injury — but with another elite player, Courtesy Clark, transferred in, don’t expect much of a dropoff. Jordan Cruz is another top-shelf talent.

6. Vanden-Fairfield (30-4): Some key seniors moved out, senior Kiana Moore and junior Julia Blackshell-Fair lead a host of talent – and that talent always plays hard.

7. St. Francis-Mountain View (22-6): Returning first-team AllMercury News guard Curtis Witt returns along with 6-foot-9 UC Davisbound post, Peter Hewitt, and 6-5 forward Noah Stapes.

8. Capital Christian-Sacramento (27-9): The defending CIF Div. IV NorCal champions are loaded with returning talent, including Tiegen Jones, Zachary and Ryan Chappell and Mekhi Williams.

4. Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland (25-9): Guards Asha Thomas (Cal) and Aisia Robertson (Kansas) graduated, but most everybody else returns for the defending CIF Div. III state champs. Seniors Aerial Chavarin, Mylah Andrade will get plenty of help from All-State junior guard Myah Pace.

7. Sacred Heart Cathedral-S.F. (18-11): So the Irish lost 11 games last year, and star A’Shanti Coleman graduated and are still No. 7? Yes, and not just because of high-scoring Iimar’i Thomas.

Aquira DeCosta of No. 1 St. Mary’s-Stockton

10. Sheldon-Sacramento (21-8): With SJS sanctions and drama in the rear view, the Huskies are poised for a big resurgence with their top four scorers returning, including Devin Greene and Matt Manning.

8. Brookside Christian-Stockton (27-4): Washington-bound senior guard Aaron McDonald is one of NorCal’s most dynamic players, able to beat good teams pretty much by herself. She’ll get help though.

9. Salesian-Richmond (28-4): East Bay foes keep waiting for Salesian to come back to the pack, but USC-bound guard Minyon Moore just kept the train rolling. Don’t expect it to derail this year.

10. Pinewood-Los Altos Hills (24-4): Pinewood, the smallest school in this top 20, has always used the 3-pointer as a great equalizer. Might be best shooting team Pinewood has ever had.

11. Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland (28-4)

16. Woodcreek-Roseville (27-6)

11. Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa (26-7)

16. Berkeley (23-10)

12. Monte Vista-Danville (27-4)

17. Serra-San Mateo (23-6)

12. Sacramento (18-10)

17. Carondelet-Concord (26-4)

13. Manteca (22-8)

18. Campolindo-Moraga (28-5)

13. St. Francis-Sacramento (20-8)

18. Inderkum-Sacramento (24-4)

14. Sacred Heart Cathedral-S.F. (17-12)

19. Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa (30-4)

14. St. Mary’s-Berkeley (23-9)

19. Lincoln-Stockton (23-5)

15. El Cerrito (29-4)

20. Jesuit-Sacramento (17-11)

15. Antelope (27-3)

20. Enterprise-Redding (22-6)

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everybody loves

Oscar Led by the gregarious, humble Oscar Frayer, Moreau Catholic has the talent to be a NorCal champion Story by Stephen Scott | Photo by Phillip Walton

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T

here’s a tattoo on the body of Moreau Catholic High basketball standout Oscar Frayer IV that reads: “If it doesn’t make dollars, it doesn’t make sense.”

It’s something said often by his late father, who died suddenly from a car accident when Frayer was only 7-years-old. Rather than trying to make sense of the tragic event, Frayer has been nothing but money with his young life, say all those who surround him.

From his warm, funny and friendly demeanor to efforts in the classroom — he’s earned a 3.5 grade point average this semester at the Hayward school — to excelling on the basketball court, the long, lean, high-flying 6-foot-6 wing is a young man for young people — and old — to look up to.

Not just on the court, where he has earned a scholarship to nationally-ranked Cal, but off of it as well.

“He’s a super humble person,” Moreau Catholic coach Frank Knight said. “When we have CYO kids come to our campus to give demonstrations, Oscar is the first one to greet them and they all gravitate to him.

“He has every reason to have a huge head but he’s so grounded. He such a good kid. That’s why everyone roots for him. He’s easy to root for.”

As a four-star recruit, the leading scorer and rebounder for the Bay Area’s top-ranked team, and an elite defender, Frayer has the potential to make a lot of money playing the game.

Making it to the NBA wasn’t something his dad planted into his only son. His father and mother, Bionca, set examples of more vital lessons like effort and putting your best foot forward. “Never give up,” Frayer said. “Always give your best no matter what.”

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The latter definitely applied to his mom, who was left not only with young Oscar to raise, but two older daughters.

“What a great woman,” Frayer said. “A single parent raising three kids? She’s incredible. I don’t have enough words to describe all she has done in my life. My sisters too.”

Knight said he and his coaching staff have had trouble describing some of Frayer’s exploits on the court as well.

Like as a sophomore in the NorCal playoffs at Kezar Pavilion in San Francisco. “He was dribbling through traffic, goes up, gets hit, does a 360 and slams it home,” Knight said. “I just turned to my coaches and said ‘Did that really happen?’”

Frayer, who was one of five starting freshman in the 201213 season, has blocked more than one shot at the top of the square on the backboard, according to Knight, who says he has “NBA athleticism.”

“It’s crazy what he can do,” he said.

But because of his humble nature, and the fact the Mariners resembled Michigan’s Fab 5 at the prep level, Frayer never demanded to be the big scorer. Instead, he did his job and continued to polish other phases of his game. As a freshman, he averaged 12.9 points, 7.9 rebounds and 4.0 blocks, leading the state among ninth graders in the latter category.

The following year, those numbers progressed to 14.1, 10.1 and 3.7. Last year, as his perimeter skills flourished, he averaged 17.1, 8.4 and 1.9. He’s also averaged a healthy 2.5 steals per game in his career.

“He’s improved steadily every year in all facets,” Knight said. “That’s impressive, because he was very good when he got here.”

Since then, he’s added about 35 pounds and grown into a wiry 205-pound frame. His outside shooting has been the

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most noticeable improvement. He made 11 3-pointers his first two seasons combined, but increased that to 40 last year.

That number could double his senior season, which opens at the Prep2Prep Tipoff Classic on Nov. 28 in Newark against one of the nation’s top five teams, Sierra Canyon-Chatsworth.

The defending state Division V champs — the Trailblazers were ridiculously left off SoCal’s Open Division — features five five-star players, including 6-8 front-liners Ira Lee and Cody Riley, and guards Remy Martin and Devearl Ramsey.

Moreau, meanwhile, has a five-star junior point guard in Damari Milstead and other fourth-year starters in Brandon Lawrence, Terrell Brown and Armond Simmons. The Mariners have won a combined 68 games the last three seasons, the Trailblazers 70.

As freshmen, Frayer’s squad went 18-10, the same year Sierra Canyon went 17-11.

“It’s definitely a marquee matchup for both teams,” Frayer said. “We’ve seen it all over the last three years so we definitely won’t be intimidated. It will be a chance for both teams to get better.”

And for Frayer to show his skills, which are many says the event’s founder and organizer Gerry Freitas, a former college coach and one of the West Coast’s premier scouts.

“Oscar Frayer is an elite athlete with a very high ceiling,” he said. “He makes athletic plays that most players simply are not capable of. ... He has the work ethic needed to become an impact wing in college.”

Which could lead to making a lot of money after that. It only makes sense, says Knight.

“I wouldn’t put anything beyond Oscar Frayer,” he said.

“There’s no shot he can’t block and no goal he can’t reach.” ✪

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KUHLE runnings New coach A.J. Kuhle begins a new era with a talented De La Salle team

A

Jordan Ratinho

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“Our greatest strength right now comes down to a team full of .J. Kuhle admits he never could have seen this coming. guys who all can play,” Kuhle said. “We have great versatility and Fifteen years after winning a state title in his senior year they compete at a very high level. They’re there every single day with De La Salle High of Concord, Kuhle has returned to with a consistency of behavior and effort. That alone gives you a replace his old coach, the immensely successful Frank Allocco. pretty good edge.”

“I had never really thought about it,” Kuhle said just two Leading the way for the Spartans will be seniors Jordan Ratinho days into his second week of practice. “Coach Allocco was and Nikhil Peters. Ratinho, who will attend USF, is a 6-foot-4 wing here for 18 years. Coach (Terry) Eidson and Coach (Bob) Lawho can play just about anywhere. “You can give him the ball and douceur have been football coaches here ever since I’ve been Kuhle ask him to do pretty much anything and he’ll do it,” Kuhle said alive. Opportunities at this school don’t come that often. Evof Ratinho. “It’s great to have a guy who is one of your best players erything was the perfect storm.”

The storm began when Allocco accepted a position as associate committing every single day to making himself and his teammates better.”

Peters, a 6-5 post who can also create matchup problems with his versahead coach on Rex Walters’ staff at the University of San Francisco.

Kuhle, who had spent his last eight years as an assistant with the Uni- tility, has also received collegiate offers. He and Ratinho are both four-year versity of Denver, found himself just at the right point of his career to take players. Other impact returners include 6-7 senior big man Nick Macarchuk, a defensive leader, and 6-4 junior wing Emeka Udenyi, who Kuhle on his own program.

Now he’ll begin the task of replacing one of NorCal’s winningest coaches. said is coming off a very strong summer. Kuhle also mentioned senior capAllocco amassed a career record of 654-99 with three state titles. Two titles tain and shot-maker Matt Zumbo at guard.

How much will this team resemble those of Allocco, where stifling deand 487 wins came while leading the Spartans. Any pressure Kuhle feels in fense and impeccable half-court offense was emphasized? “My only sample ushering in a new era is alleviated by seeing the talent on his roster.

De La Salle is No. 3 in SportStars NorCal Top 20 and was recently ranked of De La Salle basketball was when I was here (as a player),” Kuhle said. “I No. 18 in the West Region (12 states) in a preseason list by GrassRoot- do think we’ll play in a manner and pace where we emphasize making more Hoops.net. The early season accolades are based on a good amount of re- possessions available per game.”

However the new era looks, winning will likely be involved. ✪ turning talent from a 27-win team, and an infusion of underclassmen from — Chace Bryson a junior varsity team which went 17-1.

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Folsom | Senior POSITION: Point Guard HEIGHT: 6’0” COLLEGE DESTINATION: Saint Mary’s 2014-15 AVERAGES: 20.7 points | 2.9 rebounds | 3.3 assists | 2.3 steals THE RUNDOWN: Already a two-time All-State Elite selection by Cal-Hi Sports and two-time Sacramento Bee Player of the Year honoree, Ford has been a lights-out player since his sophomore year. In two seasons, he’s lead the Bulldogs to 62 wins and one CIF State finals appearance. His presence makes an experienced Folsom roster one to fear in the SacJoaquin Section and beyond.

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November 19, 2015

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose | Senior POSITION: Forward/Center HEIGHT: 6’9” COLLEGE DESTINATION: Oregon State 2014-15 AVERAGES: 20.2 points | 11.5 rebounds | 2.3 assists THE RUNDOWN: Kone had his true breakout season as a junior, leading the Monarchs to the CIF Division II State final where he posted a double-double of 22 points and 14 rebounds in a double-overtime defeat. He went for 23 and 17 in the NorCal final. His season-ending award list included Cal-Hi Sports naming him a first-team All-State Junior and a second-team All-State Elite selection. He was also the San Jose Mercury News Player of the Year.

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Moreau Catholic-Hayward | Senior POSITION: Guard/Forward HEIGHT: 6’6” COLLEGE DESTINATION: California 2014-15 AVERAGES: 17.1 points | 8.4 rebounds | 2.4 steals | 1.9 blocks THE RUNDOWN: Frayer has been committed to Cal since his sophomore season, and it’s clear why the Bears was so eager to add him. His ability to score at the rim and shoot from outside (he led the Mariners with 40 3-pointers last season), along with his 6-6 frame, make him a matchup nightmare for opponents. He was a first-team All-State Junior and a first-team All-State Division III selection by Cal-Hi Sports a year ago. He begins this season as the runaway favorite to be East Bay Player of the Year.

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Sacramento | Senior POSITION: Forward/Center HEIGHT: 6’7” COLLEGE DESTINATION: Iowa State 2014-15 AVERAGES: 15.8 points | 7.9 rebounds | 2.5 blocks THE RUNDOWN: Young is beginning his fourth year of varsity basketball with the Dragons. Over the previous three years he’s established himself as one of the most dominant post players of the Sac-Joaquin Section. Just like Frayer, Young was a first-team All-State Junior and a first-team All-State Division III selection by Cal-Hi Sports. He will lead a Sac High team expected to be a force in Division III this season.

Woodcreek-Roseville | Sophomore POSITION: Center HEIGHT: 6’10” COLLEGE DESTINATION: Undecided 2014-15 AVERAGES: 22.7 points | 10.5 rebounds | 3.0 blocks THE RUNDOWN: Brown certainly set the bar high for himself in his first season of varsity basketball.

The lengthy center averaged a double-double and was Cal-Hi Sports’ State Freshman of the Year after helping lead the Timberwolves to 27 wins and a trip to the CIF NorCal Div. I finals. Brown was named to GrassRootHoops.Net’s Underclass All-America Team and is the top-ranked player in the state for his class, according to Cal-Hi Sports.

Alfred Hollins Sacred Heart Cathedral-S.F. | Guard/Forward | 6’6” | Junior Sayeed Pridgett, bottom right El Cerrito | Guard | 6’4” | Senior Jordan Ratinho De La Salle-Concord | Guard | 6’4” | Senior Damari Milstead, top right Moreau Catholic-Hayward | Point Guard | 6’2” | Junior Robinson Idehen Modesto Christian | Center | 6’9” | Senior

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Solomon Young 30

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Solomon Young & Christian Terrell are out in front of an experienced Sac High team poised for a title breakthrough acramento High’s boys basketball has a rich history and tradition of excellence on the court and in the classroom under the watchful eye of longtime head coach Derek Swafford. The program’s accolades include six Sac-Joaquin Section championships, countless Metro League titles and scores of players earning college athletic scholarships.

But off-court accomplishments have always been Swafford’s focus.

“I have two things that I want to teach my players,” Swafford said. “First, to be good students and citizens, and second to have a good work ethic.”

Swafford agreed to head up the program at Sac High when the St. Hope Academy took over the Oak Park campus as a charter school in 1999 because his values as a coach and leader lined up with those of St. Hope. In fact, the coach points to the classroom, not the basketball court, for his greatest accomplishments in his 16 years at the school.

“I have lots of college graduates — some that have played professionally — and they come back to the school and the program,” he said. “Those are the stories that are not told. First and foremost, I want my players to get a college degree.”

The stories that are told about Sac High’s boys basketball program are often about state title runs that fell short, or criticisms of the “old school” coaching and disciplinary style employed by Swafford. Ironically, the Dragons’ ability to compete for section and state titles on a regular basis is tied directly to the coach’s style and discipline.

Swafford understands what it would mean to finally remove the CIF State Championship monkey from his back, especially as he approaches the end of his career. Entering his 17th year this season, Swafford matter-offactly stated that he most likely will call it quits after 20 seasons upon the conclusion of the 2018-19 season.

“It would be big for me and the program to finally win a state championship,” Swafford said, “but the reason I do this is to see when things come ‘full circle’ and guys come back after getting an education.”

This year’s Dragons are seeking to come “full circle” in their own way.

The senior-dominated roster is a rarity that would see many of Swafford’s pupils complete a four-year process in the varsity program. Of the seven seniors on this year’s team, five of them — Solomon Young, Christian Terrell, Jermaine Henderson, Andrew Williams and Josh Gonzalez — will be four-year varsity lettermen. Raphael “Cinco” Durr joined the varsity team as a sophomore and Isaac Rodriguez as a junior. Juniors Sayvon Hines and Nate Toler round out the roster.

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With the wealth of experience on the team, leadership is not a concern for Swafford, who is more accustomed to relying on just a few upper classmen to mentor the rest of the team. The coach pointed to a leadership-by-committee model, but as go-to guys on the court, Young and Terrell may hold a slightly higher stature.

“Being the core two guys, I think that we have to perform every practice and every game to show the others what we expect of ourselves and the others,” Terrell said.

Terrell, a 6-foot-5 combo guard that presents matchup problems for opponents, has grown into his body as well as his leadership role. After averaging a modest 4.3 points per game as a freshman, Terrell was one of four team captains in his sophomore year while averaging 11.9 points and 7.2 rebounds. Last year he continued to evolve his game to the tune of 13.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, and notched 15 double-doubles from his guard position.

His abilities and potential landed him offers from multiple Division I programs, and Terrell recently signed to play at UC Santa Barbara. While he has plenty to offer the Gauchos, Swafford believes his big guard has not even approached his ceiling as a player.

“I truly believe that his maturity is still coming and that he will be blossoming as a player when he is in college,” Swafford said. “He is learning more and more about the importance of spending time in the gym and working hard. He has definitely learned over the years the value of hard work.”

Young may be the epitome of hard work. As a 6-foot-7 freshman, Young was a physical specimen who made an immediate impact with 11.9 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. After averaging 18.2 points and 8.8 rebounds, he missed the playoffs as a sophomore due to injury.

Without their big man, the Dragons bowed out earlier than normal in the 2013-14 postseason.

“He physically and mentally gives himself up to get down low and bang with the big guys,” Swafford said. “It is hard to teach the physicality that he plays with.”

The Iowa State-signee averaged 15.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in the 2014-15 season as Sac High advanced to the SJS Division III final where they jumped out to an early doubledigit lead over Modesto Christian before eventually losing a close game. With Modesto Christian in the Open Division field for the NorCal playoffs, the Dragons advanced to the NorCal

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final where they fell to Archbishop Mitty-San Jose.

Despite the setback, Young continued to work hard in the weight room and on the court in AAU competition. Improvement on an already impressive skill set was a primary goal for Young despite his commitment to the Cyclones.

“My mental game is a strength and I have been working on my dribbling, especially in traffic, and shooting off the dribble,” he said of his offseason regimen. “I’m a workaholic, and if I’m not having a good game, then I’m going to out-hustle my opponent to help my team win.”

With just one player graduated from the 2015 NorCal finalists, it is easy to see why many observers — and the Dragons themselves — expect big things from the program’s most experienced and battle-tested team ever.

Sacramento will begin its 2015-16 tests right away, as they always do with a challenging early tournament schedule that will be capped off by the program’s own St. Hope Elite Hoops Classic over the holiday break in late December.

The largest boys basketball tournament in Northern California will feature 32 teams in two divisions from Dec. 19-23 on the Sac High campus. The field, which draws top programs from all parts of the state, features Southern Section powers Lawndale, Centennial-Corona, and West Ranch-Valencia, as well as regional playoff contenders Woodcreek-Roseville, El Cerrito, Newark Memorial, Weston Ranch-Stockton, St. Mary’s-Stockton and Capital Christian-Sacramento.

While a victory in the tournament they host will not guarantee any success for the Dragons in the section or state playoffs, they know that early competition can go a long way when the season extends late into March .

“You have to grind it out, especially when you are making a state run after 30-plus games,” Swafford said. “At that point, it’s not about talent, but it’s about instinct and critical thinking in the big moments.”

The Dragons know that, if they can stay healthy, that state title which has eluded the program for years is an achievable goal. But, to a player, each understands that success toward the goal means nothing without the final goal being achieved.

“I’m never satisfied,” Terrell said when asked if the team was happy with the progress it has made since many of them were freshmen. “We can always do better. You can play a perfect game, but still find things to work on.”

The work ethic Swafford emphasizes in his old-school ways to the Dragons is more than just a cliché for Young, Terrell, and the rest of the team.

“Our goal is always to make a state run,” Swafford said. “How far we get is how far we commit.” ✪

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Redding Soccer Park will take a break from soccer and make

play multiple league games at one location and avoid travel later

way for the lacrosse world this February.

in the season.”

The 6th Annual Redding Lacrosse Boys Kickoff Jamboree will

Additional attractions to the event include a vendor fair featur-

take place from Feb. 26-28 and feature the age groups of U13 to

ing some of the top lacrosse companies in the country. Coaches

U18. The Jamboree typically hosts between 35 to 40 teams from

and players can check out the newest gear in between games.

predominantly Northern California and Nevada.

Teams can register online at www.reddinglacrossejamboree.

The event isn’t tournament-structured, but more of a multiplegame set-up that provides teams a chance to fit three or four

once the game schedule is published in early December. Once

games into one weekend. The schedule is worked out between

the game schedule is complete, cost for teams will measure out at

the organizers and registered teams so that competitive equity is

$95 per contest.

observed and teams aren’t playing clubs they face during league.

“Typically, teams are only able to play 12 to 15 games during

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com with just a $50 deposit. The remaining balance will be due

For players who aren’t currently on a team, the event is exploring a new “House” team option in which individual players can

a regular season,” Jamboree director Lewis Chamberlain said. “So

register to play for a house team. Keep an eye on the website for

getting three to four in over a weekend is big. It’s also a chance to

more information on this option. ✪

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SHASTA CASCADE

SPORTS FEST The Shasta Cascade Sports Festival — arriving May 27-29 — is an event so big it takes three cities to make it happen! Redding, Anderson and Shasta Lake have joined forces to offer athletes, families and friends of all ages a festival that will become a tradition for years to come. What better place to have a come-one-come-all, bonanza of athletic fun?

The Shasta Cascade Sports Festival includes a longcourse triathlon, a marathon and half marathon, Olympic distance tri and duathlons, 5K and 10K run/walks, non-competitive bike tours and tons of kids events.

Approximately 2,000 athletes are expected to tackle Shasta County’s finest outdoor courses, and the three-day weekend will be its own Sports Expo, packed with gear, clothing, health products, live entertainment, food and beverages, a beer garden and all of the region’s usual beauty and adventure.

The Shasta Cascade Sports Festival is on track to becoming one of the top athletic events in the West, and a destination race for athletes and families from across the nation.

Visit the website today: www.ShastaSportsFest.com ✪

Big League Dreams 20155 Viking Way 530-223-1177 November 21-22: Youth Baseball: Hardball North December 5: BLD Flag Football March 2016: High School Baseball and Softball: Dates TBD redding.bigleaguedreams.com

Shasta Magic Basketball

Redding Soccer Park www.ReddingSoccerPark.com Lacrosse: www.ReddingLacrosse.com February: Lacrosse Opening weekend Redding Boys Jamboree U13-High School.

Diestelhorst Dash

Nov. 26: Diestelhorst Dash, free event for children up to age 8. Free! Turn up ready to run. www.ShastaRegional.com

www.ShastaMagic.com Tournaments (4th-12th graders) March 19-20, 2016: Shasta Magic Elevation Tip-Off April 23-24, 2016: 12th Annual Battle for the North State

Shasta SportsFest www.ShastaSportsFest.com Shasta Cascade Weekend Sports Festival California’s premier race, Memorial Day Weekend 2016

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Pressing Matters There’s this one really good team in our league, and they press all the time. It’s really hard to play against them, and we just keep turning the ball over. My dad wonders why we don’t press, because it works so well, and I do too. If a team keeps winning doing something – like the Warriors shooting 3’s – why shouldn’t other teams do the same?

H.G., Oakland

his is actually a very complicated question to answer, as there are issues about coaching philosophies and styles, talent levels and following the fashion, but I’ll stick to just one aspect.

Most pressing teams have to press pretty much all the time to be successful. Players have to have it ingrained that as soon as their team scores, they’re applying pressure all over the court. It’s very difficult to press effectively if you only do it every three or four games. It has to be a mindset.

So if a team presses all the time, it’s going to press against bad teams and good ones. Every night, the opponent knows what’s coming and tries to counterattack. To deal with a pressing team, the opposition needs to 1) have a ballhandler who can dribble through the press pretty much by him or herself, 2) be superior athletically or 3) be extremely organized.

Those three attributes are the reason that many coaches don’t press regularly: Opponents only need one of the three to break the press, and sooner or later, your team is going to run into an opponent who can do two of them.

A brief digression: Every team has preseason goals, and most of those goals involve getting into postseason play. Eventually, then, to reach the goals, a team is going to have to do more than just beat the teams in its league, or teams similar in athleticism or experience. Or to put it another way, the system the coach employs must be able to work against good teams with a variety of skill sets.

So here are some questions: For your team to reach its goals, will it have to beat a team with an elite ballhandler who can dribble through the press? If yes, that’s an issue. For your team to reach its goals, will it have to beat a team that is superior athletically (quicker, taller, faster)? If yes, that’s an issue. For your team to reach its goals, will it have to beat a team that is very disciplined? If yes, that’s an issue.

For almost all teams, the answer to at least one of those questions is “yes.” For a majority of teams, maybe a vast majority, the answer to two of those questions is “yes” — and if your teams falls into either of these categories, pressing is probably not the best option as a full-time strategy.

After all, you’re going to beat the bad teams anyway, pressing or not. The goal is to beat the good teams, and in general, good teams in postseason will have no problem breaking anything less than a spectacularly good (and consistent) press. ✪

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Clay Kallam is an assistant athletic director and girls varsity basketball coach at Bentley High in Lafayette. To submit a question for Behind the Clipboard, email him at clayk@fullcourt.com.

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November 19, 2015

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