2011 AAA/CIF Championship Wash vs Bal @ AT&T

Baseball: Washington completes undefeated season, triple crown with win over Balboa
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Friday, May 13, 2011 | 53 Comments

Washington players and coaches celebrate after the final out of their win over Balboa in the AAA championship on Thursday at AT&T Park. (Photo by Doug Ko)

By Jeremy Balan

Call it the Triple Crown, call it the Trifecta, call it whatever you want — there wasn’t a need for a name, because it hadn’t been done before.

With a 4-1 win against Balboa High School in the Academic Athletic Association baseball championship on Thursday at AT&T Park, Washington High School became the first school in history to win a AAA championship in football, boys basketball and baseball in the same school year.

Washington junior starting pitcher Dane Vande Guchte sends a pitch toward the plate against Balboa on Thursday at AT&T Park. (Photo by Doug Ko)

The Eagles also wrapped up an undefeated league season and will advance to play Oakland Tech in the Transbay Championship Series, which begins Wednesday at San Francisco State University.

“The first word that comes to mind is that it’s just crazy,” said Washington head coach Rob Fung. “It’s history, it’s never been done, and this is something that no one will every take away from this group.”

Balboa took an early 1-0 lead on three singles in the top of the third inning, but it didn’t take long for the Eagles to respond.

Washington’s junior starting pitcher, Dane Vande Guchte, tied the game in the bottom of the third on a deep fly ball to the warning track in left field. Due to a base-running error, only one of two runners scored and Vande Guchte was limited to a single, but on the next at-bat the Eagles scored the eventual game-winning run.

Vande Guchte broke to second base on a delayed steal, and freshman Jordan Wilson, who was on third, broke home on the throw to second to score the go-ahead run.

“It was different being behind [early], but we knew we had our chances and knew it was going to come,” Vande Guchte said. “We weren’t scared or anything like that, we just played our game.”

The Eagles tacked on two runs in the bottom of the sixth, and Vande Guchte shut down the Buccaneers on the mound.

After allowing the lone run in the third, Vande Guchte didn’t allow a hit in the next three innings, and sophomore Chris Hau shut Balboa down in order in the seventh to collect the save.

“He’s a big player. A little guy, but a big player,” Fung said of Vande Guchte. “He gave us everything he could and he couldn’t even go that seventh inning, he left it out there.”

The lack of Balboa offense spoiled a solid start from junior Alex Arnold, who struck out three in 5 1/3 innings and kept the Bucs in the game before running into trouble in the sixth.

Balboa only got one runner in scoring position after the third, but the future seems bright, as the Bucs are only losing one senior to graduation, and have played their best baseball in the postseason, including an upset of Lowell in the semifinals.

“We started maturing and peaked at the right time,” said Balboa head coach Tom Pontino. “We’re certainly going to be back. We’re going to try our best.”

Scoring Summary

Third Inning
B – Michael Li singles, Eduardo Herrera scoreshttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
W – Dane Vande Guchte singles, Avery Velasco scores
W – Jordan Wilson steals home

Sixth Inning
W – Alex Kozakiewicz reaches on a fielder’s choice, Javon Philips scores
W – Chris Hau walks, Kozakiewicz scores

Washington completes Triple Crown of San Francisco
At AT&T Park, Dane Vande Guchte and Chris Hau pitch Eagles to baseball title following championships in football and basketball.
hey've been playing organized baseball, basketball and football in San Francisco since 1924, but never had a school won Section titles in all three during the same year.

That is until Washington (San Francisco) completed the triple crown on Thursday at AT&T Park, home of the defending World Series champions San Francisco Giants.

"Winning it there made it extra special," said Washington coach Rob Fung following a 4-1 win over Balboa (San Francisco).

Dane Vande Guchte and Chris Hau combined on a four-hitter as the Eagles (19-6-1) won their 16th straight Academic Athletic Association game overall.

Photo by Brad Kupper
Dane Vande Guchte was the winning
pitcher and had key RBI single.
Vande Guchte (7-1) pitched the first six innings before giving way to Hau and the Eagles manufactured four runs on an RBI single from Vande Guchte, a double steal, fielder's choice by Alex Kozakiewicz and bases-loaded walk to Hau.

It was the fifth title in 17 seasons under coach Rob Fung who has reached the Section final 16 times. Washington's football and basketball also won section crowns during the 2010-11 school year.

Balboa (12-14), which had a 1-0 lead, lost previous games to Washington 12-2 and 10-2. The game was played after the Giants' 3-2 win over the Diamondbacks.

"I can't say I saw this coming before the season," Fung said. "We lost all our pitching from last season. We caught the ball well all season but our pitching really emerged, especial (Hau). He turned into a real mainstay."

The Eagles managed just five hits themselves off of tough-luck 6-foot-1, 180-pound junior loser Alex Arnold.

"(Arnold) pitched a very good game," Fung said. "He was tough."

Balboa took the lead in the third on an RBI single by Michael Li, the only player in the game with two hits. That scored Eduardo Herrera, who had also singled.

Washington came back with two runs in the bottom half on Vande Guchte's RBI single that went over the head of the right fielder and a double steal with Jordan Wilson crossing home safe.

That put Washington up for good.

The Eagles added two more insurance runs in the sixth on Kozakiewicz and a bases loaded walk to Hau.

"Those runs were huge," Fung said.

File photo by David Stephenson
Washington manager Rob Fung won his
fifth SFS title in 17 seasons.
Hau worked a 1-2-3 seventh and the Eagles stormed the mound.

"It was a pretty good dog pile," Fung said. "It was a very emotional scene."

Washington now gets ready for the Transbay Series, which starts Wednesday at San Francisco State. The Eagles will play the Oakland Section champions in a best-of-three series.

Washington hopes to repeat 2006 when it also went undefeated in league and captured the Transbay Series.

As far as winning the Trifecta in all three major sports, Fung said the entire Washington community was thrilled.

"There were lots of alumni out and that's all they kept talking about," Fung said. "I'm glad we were able to make everyone happy."

Everyone but Balboa, that is.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
By: Mitch Stephens | MaxPreps.com

Thomas on Cal Hi Sports

Did not show diving catch which they showed twice and he still did not make top 5

April 20, 2011

Kevin McCarthy
NorCalPreps.com Analyst

Talk about it in the Message Boards
The package. For basketball recruiters, that means a prospect sporting prodigious talent alongside top of the chart physical skills. Rarely, if ever, do academics enter the definition, let alone the will and effort to get and perform better. That's why the number of flameouts exist in both national prep rankings and early NBA draft selections -- heart, determination and attitude are too often overlooked in lieu of eye-opening raw material.

Washington High's Brenden Glapion has never drawn the attention of the power elite in college hoops but, through his exemplified values, he has sculpted the odds in his favor for enjoying a successful collegiate tenure as well as a fruitful life afterwards in the real world.

The 6-foot-3 Glapion plays in the Academic Athletic Association in San Francisco. He and his team went 25-10, 14-2 this past season and his performance garnered him Player of the Year honors, earned in part by his 23 points per game scoring average. But his game doesn't rest on volume shooting attempts. In a game that decided the league crown against Mission High on December 4, Glapion went 14-17 at the foul line in a 75-72 victory. Two days before, he made 14-15 free throw attempts in a win over Lowell.

The outcome of that title match turned out to be his best basketball moment. "We won the city championship but it was a great game because we really played together well and clicked as a team," Glapion explained. Duly note the sentiment ultimately feeding his satisfaction. The Eagles had lost 77-66 two weeks earlier to Mission.

He notes his best basketball skill as "probably scoring but I like to dribble and then pull up." For Glapion, it's a matter of always working to add to his skills set, such as the element above in an era when it's long distance shooting and/or taking it to the rack, with a void for displaying any in-between game. This is another setting apart difference for the young man.

Glapion also offered the following as part of his skills set: "having a high basketball IQ, making the right plays at the right time and staying poised and composed."

He sees dramatic growth in his basketball evolution. "As a freshman to a senior, I've grown in every aspect -- physically, shooting, defending, being more focused and playing every game like it is your last one." The latter will bring a smile to even the most discerning of coaches.

The backcourter also sees himself as playing different roles, depending on the time of the year. "With Washington, I carry more of a scoring and leadership role but in club team ball I'm usually one of the main scorers but don't have to get 20 a night for us to win."

Two summers ago, it was the Bay Area Warriors and the San Francisco Rebels from sixth to eighth grade for Glapion in spring and summer hoops. He played for Coach Todd Petersen and the Silicon Valley Vipers last year.

Here's Petersen on Glapion: "Brenden was a combo guard for us, primarily a two and our backup at the point plus probably our leading scorer. He has a scorer's mentality, an effective mid-range game and finishes well for his size. He'll get by his opponent and the next thing you know the ball is in the basket. Brenden is as coachable as they come and he does what it takes to get better. I also worked individually with him last year and he's gotten bigger and stronger and his ballhandling has gotten better. I see him as a late bloomer, a smooth, understated player."

Jolinko Lassiter coaches the Washington High squad. He's a 2002 alumnus and worked with the Eagles' girls team for three seasons before switching over to the boys in 2008. Having enjoyed Glapion at his disposal of late, Lassiter describes his senior as "a high IQ player, not flashy but someone who has worked hard on his game. Brenden is a great student with a high grade point average and he is a great teammate on and off the court."

Glapion says his grade point average is 4.1.

As for what the future portends, Glapion again distances himself from others with what he is considering as majors in college: "Political science and history are my favorites," he explained, adding that he is thinking about a future as a lawyer.

But first comes choosing a school and he has four colleges currently under consideration and is certainly open to others joining in: Occidental (Los Angeles), UC Santa Cruz, Dominican University (San Rafael) and Academy of Art University (San Francisco).

"I will decide in a week and a half to two weeks after sitting down with my family and talking about the pros and cons," Glapion explained.

So some lucky school and coach will be receiving a student-athlete who possesses what constitutes the bonafide package for succeeding short and long term on and off the court.

Hideki Matsui celebrates Japanese Heritage Day with his 2,500th professional hit

By Joe Stiglich

jstiglich@bayareanewsgroup.com
Posted: 04/03/2011 06:38:39 PM PDT
Updated: 04/03/2011 10:48:20 PM PDT

A's headlines

Oakland A's, who've fared poorly away from home in recent seasons, embark on first road trip of 2011
Oakland A's finally put it all together, beat Seattle Mariners 7-1 for first win of season

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Kurt Suzuki back in A's lineup despite sprained ankle

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Matsui hits milestone on Japanese Heritage Day

Japanese Heritage Day turned out to be a big hit at the Coliseum on Sunday, highlighted by Hideki Matsui's first official hit with the A's and the 2,500th of his professional career.

Matsui, hitless in seven at-bats in Oakland's first two games, led off the second inning with a double down the left-field line. Feeling frisky, he tagged up on Kurt Suzuki's subsequent fly out to right field but was gunned down by Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki at third.

Matsui admitted afterward he wanted to try something special for the crowd of 22,292, many of them Japanese fans who came out for the occasion.

"I know the strength of (Ichiro's) arm and usually I don't run in those situations," Matsui said through interpreter Roger Kahlon. "But knowing it was Japan Heritage Day, I took a chance, and unfortunately it didn't quite work out."

Manager Bob Geren thought it was a good aggressive play to make with one out.

"There aren't too many guys who would throw him out," Geren said. "Ichiro's one of the few who would, but even though he got behind the ball on the throw, he just got him by a couple of inches."

Even though a number of teammates lauded Matsui's 2,500th hit afterward, the veteran designated hitter wasn't terribly thrilled by it.

"I feel more relief just getting a hit as a member of the A's and getting our first win," he said. "I'm not focused on
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the combined 2,500 hits between the U.S. and Japan. I kind of feel the same way about the goal of 3,000 hits. I think I'd like to focus on one hit at a time and just see what happens."

The A's generated more than $65,000 for Japanese earthquake and tsunami relief through the Heritage Day event. The team donated $1 from every ticket sold, and amid other fundraising functions, raised more than $10,000 through a silent auction of game-worn jerseys by Matsui and Suzuki. Ichiro's netted $6,015 and Matsui's $4,555.

After hitting a single, triple and double earlier in the game, Coco Crisp admitted he was thinking cycle when he came to bat to lead off the eighth. He grounded out weakly to first base.

"I got a pitch up and I like pitches up, but I'm like Kit from 'A League Of Their Own' -- sometimes I get them and sometimes I don't," he said. "This was one where I didn't get it. But it definitely crosses your mind."

Mark Ellis has a 16-game hitting streak dating back to last season. He is hitting .387 (24-for-62) over that span.

Daric Barton dropped a foul pop in the first inning, his third error in three games. He made just 10 all last season, including three over his final 127 games

SF Chronicle Player of the year

Boys player of the year: Mitty's Aaron Gordon
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Mitch Stephens, Special to The Chronicle

Monday, April 4, 2011

At one end, in the WCAL championship game against Serra, Mitty's 6-foot-7, 215-pound sophomore Aaron Gordon blocked a shot off the backboard and secured the rebound.

He dribbled the length of the court, twice changing directions - first going behind his back to go left, then immediately spinning right to avoid two defenders.

Gordon was fouled as he approached the free-throw line, but he took one more dribble before floating 7 feet through the air and swishing a finger roll that didn't even count.

It didn't matter. The crowd groaned in amazement anyway. Gordon's coach, Tim Kennedy, and his teammates barely blinked.

"He does that sort of thing at practice every day, and he has for two seasons," Kennedy said. "We're almost spoiled how good he is."

The sequence might have bored the Monarchs, but it showed almost all of the vast skills that have made Gordon ESPN's No. 8 recruit nationally from the Class of 2013. It also demonstrated why he's The Chronicle's Player of the Year.

Gordon - the younger brother of two-time first-team All-Metro player Drew Gordon, who averaged 13 points and 10.5 rebounds per game at New Mexico this season - averaged 18.1 points, 13.2 rebounds and 4.5 blocks per game.

Among all the big-name Bay Area players up for the award - and there were many - Gordon was the only to lead his team to a state title. He is the first sophomore to earn WCAL Player of the Year honors and is the first to win The Chronicle's boys Player of the Year in recent memory.

He had 17 points and tied a state Division II championship-game record with 21 rebounds in a 53-50 win over Summit-Fontana. He had 17 rebounds in the NorCal finals and 15 points, 19 rebounds and eight blocks in the WCAL title win over Serra.

Beyond his long wingspan, big vertical jump and guard skills, what sets Gordon apart is his maturity and competitiveness. He shot 63 percent from the field and took perhaps 10 bad shots all season as Mitty finished 32-2 and No. 1 in The Chronicle's rankings.

"The main thing about Aaron is he just wants to win," Kennedy said. "He doesn't care if he scores two or 20, he just finds a way to win, whether by block or assist or rebound ... or dunk."

Regional players of the year

Contra Costa/Tri-Valley

Travis Pacos (De La Salle-Concord): The 6-foot-3 senior was the heart, soul and leading scorer of the overachieving Spartans (27-6), who surprisingly won the NorCal Division I championship. Pacos, who scored fewer than 20 total points as a junior, averaged more than 17 per game and led De La Salle to a 49-43 win over Castro Valley in the NorCal title game, scoring 13 of his team-high 19 points during an 18-0 run starting in the third quarter.
East Bay

Jabari Brown (Oakland): The 6-5 senior guard, an Oregon signee, averaged 24.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.2 steals per game for the Wildcats (20-9), who lost in the NorCal Division I semifinals. One of the nation's top 15 recruits, Brown was even better during the postseason, when he averaged just less than 30 points per game.
North Bay

Stuart Wesonga (San Marin-Novato): The powerful 6-7, 220-pound senior led San Marin to a historic season, claiming the school's first North Coast Section title in 43 years. The UC Irvine-bound forward averaged 21.5 points, 20.3 rebounds and 5.2 blocks per game. He had a combined 52 points, 55 rebounds and 11 blocks in NCS semifinal and championship-game wins.
San Francisco

Brenden Glapion (Washington): The 6-3 senior guard averaged 23.0 points per game, seventh most in the Bay Area, leading the Eagles to their first San Francisco Section title since 1982. Glapion scored 27 points in the Eagles' wild 75-72 win over Mission in the final, making 14 of 16 foul shots. He was a model of consistency, scoring at least 20 points in his final 13 games and in double digits in all 35 games (25 wins).

Boys Basketball: SanFranPreps.com All-City Team

Boys Basketball: SanFranPreps.com All-City Team
Sunday, April 3, 2011 | 24 Comments



SanFranPreps.com Player of the Year Johnny Mrlik (top center) and firhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifst team selections (clockwise from top right) Joshua Fox, Aaron Anderson, Brendan Glapion, Noah Springwater and Taylor Johns. (Photos by AJ Canaria, Devin Chen, Christian Chew, Doug Ko and Eric Luis. Illustration by Josh Jalil)

By Jeremy Balan

Brenden Glapion, Johnny Mrlik and Noah Springwater really have a lot in common.

All three are left-handed guards, stone-cold scorers, senior leaders and candidates for City Player of the Year.

While Glapion averaged 23 points per game to lead Washington to its first Academic Athletic Association title in 29 years, and Springwater wrapped up a four-year varsity career as University’s top scorer in school history en route to three consecutive Bay Counties League West titles, no player carried his team quite like Mrlik this season.

He averaged 18.4 points per game on the season for St. Ignatius, and led the West Catholic Athletic League in scoring with more than 17 points per game in league. He led the WCAL in made three-pointers and free-throw percentage and set a league record for free throws made in a season.

Mrlik also had a distinct sense for the dramatic, with big showings in the Bruce-Mahoney game against Sacred Heart Cathedral and a shocking upset over eventual Division II state champion Mitty (one of just two losses for the Monarchs on the year).

That’s why he’s the SanFranPreps.com boys basketball Player of the Year.

Mrlik may have edged out a deep group of guards for Player of the Year, but the first team is loaded with talent and athleticism.

Glapion was Washington’s leading scorer all season, and Columbia-bound Springwater (the City’s only Division I recruit this season) dominated the stat sheet, averaging 18 points, eight rebounds, five assists, five steals and two blocks per game.

Bucking the trend of solid guard play were Sacred Heart Cathedral junior forwards Taylor Johns and Joshua Fox, who led the Irish to a Central Coast Section title on the strength of their frontcourt play and imposing defense.

The pair could impact the momentum of a game with a thundering dunk just as much as a highlight-reel block.

Aaron Anderson, Riordan’s top scorer and rebounder, was also a lockdown defender. In a down year for the Crusaders, it’s hard to find another player who gave more effort on the floor, even when it meant playing against rival St. Ignatius with a debilitating sickness.

While the entire All-City team is ruled by mostly seniors, the favorites for next year’s Player of the Year are on our second team.

Johns and Fox should factor into the discussion, but just as it did this year, the fact that they play on the same team hurts their chances. But Marshall’s Theoatis Hill and St. Ignatius’ Stephen Domingo (both second team) will likely have to carry the load for their respective teams.

Domingo’s still-developing game should mature nicely, and Hill has already proven that he can carry the load, averaging a city-high 24.7 points per game this year, to go along with nearly 13 rebounds per game.

Our selection for Coach of the Year, like Player of the year, was also a three-horse race.

Randal Bessolo led University to a second consecutive NorCal title game and Lincoln’s Matt Jackson took over the reins of the program after the sudden death of coach Mike Gragnani, coaching both the Lincoln varsity and junior varsity programs, but our nod goes to Mission coach Arnold Zelaya.

Along with the pitfalls that can accompany coaching at any public school in San Francisco, and after winning the AAA championship last year, Zelaya led an almost entirely new lineup back to the league championship game.

Additional reporting by Bonta Hill

SanFranPreps.com Player of the Year
Johnny Mrlik, senior guard, St. Ignatius

Coach of the Year
Arnold Zelaya, Mission

First Team
Aaron Anderson, senior guard, Riordan
Joshua Fox, junior forward, Sacred Heart Cathedral
Brenden Glapion, senior guard, Washington
Taylor Johns, junior forward, Sacred Heart Cathedral
Noah Springwater, senior guard, University

Boys Basketball: Glapion named AAA Player of the Year

Boys Basketball: Glapion named AAA Player of the Year, All-AAA teams announced
Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Selections made by Academic Athletic Association coaches, not SanFranPreps.com staff.


Washington senior guard Brenden Glapion takes the ball up the court against Piedmont Hills on Dec. 12 at Overfelt High School. (Photo by AJ Canaria)

Academic Athletic Association Player of the Year: Brenden Glapion, senior guard, Washington

First Team
Gione Edwards, junior forward, Mission
Theoatis Hill, junior forward, Marshall
Jeremy Jetton, senior guard, Washington
Antoine Porter, sophomore guard, Mission
Ricco Price, senior forward, Lowell

Second Team
Jonathan Burnoski, junior guard, Balboa
Ronnie Campbell, senior guard, Wallenberg
Terence Ching, junior guard, Burton
Kevork Demirjian, senior center, Lincoln
LeVander Moore, senior forward, Washington
Chris Young, junior guard, Lincoln

Honorable Mention
Aaron Brown, senior forward, Wallenberg
Casey Chow, senior guard, Lowell
Jeffrey Hua, senior guard, Galileo
Sharif Jenkins, junior guard, O’Connell
Thomas Kroner, senior center, Lowell
David Li, senior forward, Wallenberg
Damonta McForland, junior forward, ISA
Christian Pulusian, senior forward, Balboa
Jaleel Stancil, senior guard, Mission
Artrix Thomas, junior guard, Lincoln
Darius Webb, senior center, Jordan

Taft High basketball gets old-school coaching lift from Yutaka Shimizu

 

Taft High basketball gets old-school coaching lift from Yutaka Shimizu
If Taft High wins its third City Division I title Saturday against Westchester, it will be due in part to the quiet counsel of assistant coach Yutaka Shimizu, an institution in Los Angeles high school basketball.
By Eric Sondheimer

March 4, 2011

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Woodland Hills Taft Coach Derrick Taylor was in Louisville, Ky., four years ago coaching the West team in the McDonald's All-American game when he walked into a room for breakfast with assistant coach Yutaka Shimizu.

Suddenly, a familiar voice spoke up.

"Coach Shimizu."

It was John Wooden.

"That's when you know you're the man, when the ultimate coach calls you over," Taylor said.

For 52 years, Shimizu has been coaching basketball, mostly at the high school level in Los Angeles. He has made it through 11 U.S. presidents, though don't ask him to name them.

"Heck no, I wouldn't be able to answer that," said Shimizu, who declined to reveal his age.

He never won a City title at Hamilton, where he was head coach from 1959-81, or at Granada Hills Kennedy, where he was head coach from 1982-99. He made it to the championship game when his best player, Sidney Wicks, was a sophomore in 1965. But since joining Taft as a volunteer assistant in 2003, he has helped the Toreadors win two City Division I titles, and a third could come on Saturday, when the Toreadors face Westchester in a 1 p.m. final at USC's Galen Center.

"He's my man," Taylor said. "It's more than coincidence when he came on we took off."

He serves as Taylor's Yoda, using his wisdom and experience to make observations and suggestions.

"He showed me how to structure practice and how to move on," Taylor said.

Shimizu has been coaching for so long that last week, he faced one of his ex-Hamilton players, James Paleno, who has been the longtime coach at Palisades and who bought a used car from Shimizu years ago.

Just as the car still works, so does Shimizu.

"I'll keep going as long as I can, as long as my health holds out and somebody wants my help," he said.

To say that Shimizu is old school would be an understatement.

He doesn't use a computer and he has no understanding of text messages.

"The only thing I use is an adding machine," he said.

Said Paleno: "Why should he need a computer? He has everything in his brain."

Teaching fundamentals and getting his players ready for games through practice are what he believes in.

Former North Hollywood Coach Steve Miller tells the story of a Hamilton game he officiated in the 1970s. The score was tied, and a Hamilton player called a timeout with 15 seconds left after a rebound.

"I walked over," Miller said, "looked at Shimizu and he's standing there and turns to his captain, 'Why did you call timeout? I don't want a timeout. I don't know what to tell you. You guys go make up a play.' I went over to him, 'Why don't you make the play?' He says, 'I wouldn't know what to say and they wouldn't listen to me.' The kid gets the ball, dribbles down, seven seconds left, drives and scores. Hamilton wins. I go, 'Great call, coach.' He says, 'I had nothing to do with it.' "

A player stepped up with leadership to win the game. That's what Shimizu wanted.

Shimizu stays in the background these days. He hasn't blown a whistle during practice in years. It's buried in a holder in his car. He sits quietly during games near the Taft bench, watching and letting Taylor do his thing.

"His style is a little different than mine," he said, referring to Taylor's sometimes fiery demeanor. "He's the head coach, I'm the assistant. Whatever he decides, that's what we do. He's very knowledgeable about the game, and to me, he likes to be offensive-oriented and gets along with the kids very well."

If anyone brought together a group of former Hamilton players and someone yelled out, "41," all would know what it means — the signal to full-court press. Ex-players don't forget what they learned under Shimizu.

"He's a phenomenal person," Paleno said.

Santa Teresa marches past Washington-S.F.

Santa Teresa marches past Washington-S.F.
By Alex Pavlovic
apavlovic@mercurynews.com
Posted: 03/08/2011 10:38:56 PM PST
Updated: 03/08/2011 10:57:58 PM PST
As it turns out, Santa Teresa's impressive run through the Central Coast Section playoffs was just a taste of things to come.

Playing in their first ever CIF regionals game, the Saints marched right past Washington (San Francisco) and into the Division I second round Tuesday night at Santa Teresa. Trevor Priest did the heavy lifting on both ends, leading Santa Teresa to a 70-60 victory that wasn't nearly as close as the final score.

Priest scored 20 points and for much of the night completely shut down Brenden Glapion, who came in averaging over 23 points per game. Glapion, an AAU teammate of Priest and Saints' guard Denzel Copeland, was held to 17 points, five of which came in the final minute after Santa Teresa coach Mitch Priest pulled his starters.

A picture of intensity during games, Mitch finally cracked a smile afterward when asked about his son.

"You know I'm his worst critic "... but he played a good game tonight," Mitch said of Trevor. "A lot of his athleticism is starting to show."

Trevor Priest showed off that athleticism with two stunning sequences in the second half. In the first minute of the fourth quarter, he made an acrobatic layup on one end and sprinted back on defense for a chase-down block after the Eagles (25-10) tried to get their transition game going.

With the Saints' offense stalling late, Priest jumped a passing lane for a steal and completed a tough old-fashioned three-point play on the other end.
Not that Santa Teresa (23-7) needed any more points by then.
The Saints ran off a 21-4 run to close the first quarter and led by 20 at the half.
"Being here for our last home game, we wanted to give our fans a show and get off to a great start," Copeland said.

Copeland finished with eight points, and like the rest of the Saints, he consistently found Spencer Koopman open in the corner. The Saints' sharpshooter hit four 3-pointers and finished with 16 points. Santa Teresa hit eight 3's and got big all-around contributions from Daniel Gunter and Chris Shaw, who scored seven points apiece.

The sixth-seeded Saints travel to Sacramento on Thursday for a 7 p.m. matchup with No. 3 seed Sheldon (23-7).

"We hear they're real tough but we'll take this as far as we can," Daniel Karnes said. "We're setting school history every time we take the court."

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Here is another blog that I found
http://www.coach41.com/
CIF NorCal State Division I Boys Basketball Playoff: Washington (SF) vs. Santa Teresa (San Jose)
I was working in Santa Clara today and realized that the Washington High Eagles boys basketball team would be playing in San Jose tonight against Santa Teresa at 7 PM in a CIF State Playoff game. Since I was in the area (sort of, it was estimated to be some 19 miles + 30 minutes away), I decided to head over to the game. Some thoughts......

The drive to Santa Teresa High School took about 40 minutes as I ran into rush hour traffic. As I pulled into the school's parking lot, I was surprised to see a lot of cars already there. As I walked to the gym, I saw a short line out the door. It was then I knew I would be walking into hostile territory.

The environment was crazy. Both sides of the gym were packed with fans (the majority of them Santa Teresa). There was a student cheering section as well as cheerleaders. The entire gym was loud, especially since Santa Teresa played well and eventually beat Washington 70-60. I don't know if Santa Teresa is like this every game they play, but it was definitely a boost to their team and hostile to the visiting Washington team.

The Santa Teresa team deserves some credit too. I haven't watched a ton of varsity basketball games this year but Santa Teresa was one of the better teams I have seen. Santa Teresa shot the lights out from three point land, had great fundamentals, played hard defense and crashed the boards. In my opinion, Santa Teresa was probably the best team Washington had seen in recent weeks. I don't think Washington had seen such a balanced team in a while and that proved frustrating. Washington's defense couldn't lay back as Santa Teresa would hit the three's. If Washington played tight, Santa Teresa was able to blow by the defenders.

The Washington team wasn't bad though. While I am not a graduate of Washington, I had officiated one of their games during this past season and knew the coach personally. After winning the San Francisco AAA championship against Mission last week (first championship since 1982), I was curious how Washington would do in the bright lights of the CIF State Playoffs.

Some of the things I had noticed during the AAA championship game came to light against Santa Teresa. Washington and Mission both thrive on up tempo games as evidenced by the 75-72 final score in the championship. I thought it was interesting that Washington didn't hit a lot of outside jumpers. Most of their shots were put backs or layups.

This proved to be a key against Santa Teresa. With Santa Teresa hitting their shots, Washington was forced to play half court and had trouble generating offense. They went through a cold streak from halfway through the first quarter into the second quarter and allowed Santa Teresa to pull away to a 20 point lead. Washington never really challenged after that.

While it was a tough night for Washington, they should keep their heads high for making a great effort. Good luck to Santa Teresa as they travel to Sacramento for their next game.

Washington pulls away late against Lowell in AAA semis

Washington senior Brenden Glapion drives past a Lowell defender on Wednesday at Kezar Pavilion. (Photo by Devin Chen)

Boys Basketball: Washington pulls away late against Lowell in AAA semis
Thursday, March 3, 2011



By Bonta Hill

Washington High School advanced to the Academic Athletic Association championship game for the first time since 1986 with a 60-48 win over rival Lowell in the AAA semifinals on Wednesday at Kezar Pavilion.

Washington guard Brenden Glapion had a game-high 22 points (14 coming from the free throw line), Jeremy Jetton had 12, and Levander Moore chipped in nine points and 14 rebounds, lifting the Eagles one step closer to claiming their first AAA championship since 1982.

Washington senior forward LeVander Moore rises up for a contested shot in the lane against Lowell on Wednesday at Kezar Pavilion. (Photo by Devin Chen)

After watching his team struggle with Lowell’s slow-down style in the first half, which ended with Washington forward Kenneth Lui receiving a technical foul, head coach Jolinko Lassiter wrote one word on the board inside the locker room — composure.

The Eagles responded coming out of the locker room, going on a 13-4 run sparked by two Jonathon Lowe jumpers, and Glapion’s fast break layup off a steal put Washington up 39-32 with 4:18 left in the third quarter.

Washington outscored the Cardinals 20-6 in the third, taking advantage of the absence of Lowell’s leading scorer Ricco Price, who was mired in foul trouble. The Eagles also forced six turnovers in the quarter.

“[In] the first half, we were all over the place. We were fast breaking against four Lowell defenders and we’d turn it over,” Lassiter said. “But we came out [and] we made our run. It was 16 minutes left in the season and the guys really stepped up and responded.”

For Lowell, the end of their season certainly can’t be blamed on a lack of effort. The Cardinals flustered Washington in the first 24 minutes, making the Eagles play at their pace, diving and scrapping for loose balls that had the Lowell student section in a frenzy.

The Cardinals jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the game’s opening four minutes, but after Washington ended the first quarter on a 15-5 run, Lowell hung on without Price, who picked up two fouls in the opening frame.

Point guard Byran Robinson, who had a team-high 15 points, fueled the Cardinals with six points in the second frame, including his three-point play midway through the quarter that gave Lowell a 22-21, before going into the break leading 28-26.

“Even though we were kind of in control in the first quarter, it still was a little too fast paced for us. But I was really proud of the effort that we gave in the first half,” said Lowell head coach Robert Ray. “[In] the third quarter, the wheels kind of fell apart. Not having the senior leadership on the floor with Ricco getting in foul trouble, it caught up with us.”

Still, Lowell had its chances in the final quarter to get back in the contest. Down 46-38 with just over five minutes left, Lowell guard Casey Chow’s wide open three-point attempt to cut their deficit to five was just off the mark.

“[If] a couple of those shots drop, we get our momentum back and it’s a different ballgame. But credit Washington for doing what they do. We knew what they were going to do and we still couldn’t stop it,” Ray said. “It’s a down locker room, but not a sad one because we’re pretty proud of our effort. We’ll be back.”

Awaiting Washington is a rubber match with Mission, which beat Wallenberg 69-66 in the second semifinal to set up the showdown between the top two teams in the AAA.

Both teams won on each other’s home court in the regular season, with the Eagles winning the first meeting 89-66 back on Jan. 18, then Mission evened the score on Feb. 22 with a 77-66 win.

“It’s a great achievement for the school [to be in the AAA final],” Lassiter said. “It’s a great accomplishment, but we still have one more game.”

Scoring Leaders

Washington
Brenden Glapion – 22
Jeremy Jetton – 12
Levander Moore – 9
Johnny Fu – 7
Jonathon Lowe – 5

Lowell
Byran Robinson – 15
Thomas Kroner – 12
Ricco Price – 10
Max Pollard – 4
Three players tied with 2 points

All time Nikkei Baller Wally Yonamine

Wally Yonamine, Nisei baseball and football pioneer, dead at 85
The two-sport star for the 49ers and Tokyo Giants, passed away Monday in Honolulu.



Wally Yonamine is safe at home with a hard slide, as Nankai Hawks catcher Keizo Tsutsui is sent flying in Game 1 of the 1951 Japan Series. (From the Yonamine Collection, courtesy Robert K. Fitts)

By MIKEY HIRANO CULROSS
Rafu Sports Editor

During pregame festivities for Japanese American Community Night at Dodger Stadium in 2004, Wally Yonamine was the quietest and least assuming of all the sports luminaries and community leaders being recognized on the field.

As his name was announced and echoed throughout Chavez Ravine on that balmy April evening, the demure, silver haired player from a bygone era softly smiled and lifted the baseball he held in his left hand toward the crowd.

“I’m so happy to see all the Japanese players who are doing so well,” Yonamine said before the game, referring to the four Japan-born players who were involved in that night’s matchup between the Dodgers and New York Mets. It was a typical sentiment for the man whose inner determination and athletic talent led him from plantation obscurity to international fame.

A true pioneer of sport on both sides of the Pacific, Yonamine has died from complications of prostate cancer. His family reported that the 85-year-old passed away at a Honolulu retirement on Monday night.


Yonamine threw the ceremonial first pitch on April 28, 2004, during the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Japanese American Community Night. (MIKEY HIRANO CULROSS/Rafu Shimpo)

Born Wallace Kaname Yonamine in Olowahu on the island of Maui in June of 1925, the Nisei son of immigrant farm workers first tried football during his prewar childhood, practicing on the beach with a can of corn wrapped in newspaper.

Although some Hawaiian residents of Japanese descent were uprooted and interned after the United States entered World War II, Yonamine was allowed to continue at school, and when his family moved to Oahu, his athletic abilities sparkled.

During his senior year in 1944, Yonamine starred at halfback at Farrington High School, leading his team to an undefeated season and the championship.

“Wally was a symbol and an inspiration for many people, a symbol of the underdog,” Robert K. Fitts, author of “Wally Yonamine: The Man Who Changed Japanese Baseball,” told the Rafu on Tuesday. “In those days, there was still this kind of rivalry between Okinawans and Japanese, and since he had an Okinawan father and Japanese mother, both sides kind of claimed him when he began to do well in high school football.”

Fitts said that Yonamine was already the best player in Hawaii and set to take a scholarship to Ohio State, when the San Francisco 49ers came calling. The young man, barely into his 20s, signed a two-year contract and headed to the City by the Bay, taking along with him the hopes of all of Hawaii.

“It was only a year ofter the war had ended,” Fitts explained, “and here he comes, when rebuilding begins, a Japanese player on this all-white team in a sport that personified the typical ‘American’ college experience. Just being there, he became a symbol for all Japanese Americans.”

A 30-year 49ers season ticket holder, Hats Aizawa said he was among a group of Nisei that attended nearly all of Yonamine’s games in San Francisco.

“He made us proud that we were Japanese,” Aizawa was quoted as remembering.

Despite his celebrity, Yonamine faced the same paranoid hysteria and racism that befell an entire postwar generation of Asian Americans. Fitts said Yonamine fought against the discrimination through his superb play and by keeping his poise in public.

His ability to keep off-field pressures at bay and excel in the game has led many to refer to Yonamine as the “Japanese Jackie Robinson,” making his professional sports debut in 1947, the same year as the Dodgers’ star.

After a solid rookie season, Yonamine suffered a wrist fracture during training camp the following year, effectively ending his season. He returned to Hawaii, still a young man, and took up his other favorite sport, baseball.

After stints with the Asahi team on Oahu and the Salt Lake City minor league affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, the left-handed infielder was recommended to the Yomiuri Giants in Japan’s Central League.

“I think he would have dramatically altered the course of baseball history if he decided to stay in the U.S. and become the first Japanese American player in Major League Baseball,” wrote Gary Otake, co-curator of the exhibit “Diamonds in the Rough: Japanese Americans in Baseball.”



Yonamine, as a rookie with the San Franciso 49ers in a 1947 publicity photo. (From the Yonamine Collection, courtesy Robert K. Fitts)

As it was, Yonamine became the first American to play professional sports in Japan following the war. Though he had the talent and skills to play in Japan, Yonamine soon discovered an old foe: his new Japanese teammates viewed him as an outsider, arrogant in his manner and “American” style of play.

“As a foreigner he paid his harsh dues on and off the field, but…he helped to pioneer the way for future American players,” Kerry Yo Nakagawa, cited in his book, “Through a Diamond:100 years of Japanese Americans in Baseball.”

The suspicions of his new mates quickly subsided when Yonamine excelled on the field for the Giants. He hit a scorching .354 as the speedy rookie leadoff batter in 1951, stole 28 bases and led the Giants to the Japan Series. As Yomiuri’s center fielder, he was a sensation and went on to a 12-year career in Japan, which included the 1957 MVP award, three batting titles and seven All-Star appearances.

Once his playing days had ended, he remained in the coaching and managerial ranks, the highlight of which was guiding the lowly 1974 Chunichi Dragons to their first Japanese Series title, ending the nine-year streak of the Giants.

For his playing and pioneering, Yonamine was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994, the first foreigner to receive such an honor.

In 2006, the 49ers announced the creation the creation of the Unity Award, named after former players and pioneers Yonamine and Joe “The Jet” Perry. Each year, the team honors a current 49ers player, a Bay Area youth football coach and a local company that have demonstrated, as Perry and Yonamine did, an exceptional commitment to promoting unity with their team and in their community.

In his later years, Yonamine and his wife, Jane, opened pearl and jewelry stores in Tokyo and California, and spent much of their time working for charitable causes. Fitts explained that during the 1990, Yonamine worked to promote Hawaii tourism, donated time and money to the American Cancer Society and helped to establish sports programs for underprivileged kids in his home state.

“He realized that he came of a poor plantation life and that sports was a way out for him,” Fitts said. “Once he became a star, he felt it only right to help other people.”









Wally Yonamine dies - 49er, Japanese baseballer

Staff and News Services

Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Wally Yonamine had 19 carries for 74 yards for the 1947 4...

Onetime 49ers running back Wally Kaname Yonamine, the first American to play professional baseball in Japan after World War II, died Monday after a bout with prostate cancer. He was 85.

"Most people remember him for his accomplishments on the diamond, but our family, we have a great deal of respect for him for what he's done off the diamond," his son Paul Yonamine said. "One hell of a guy."

He became the first Asian American to play professional football when he lined up for the 49ers for the 1947 season, rushing 19 times for 74 yards.

The outfielder was known as the "Nisei Jackie Robinson" for breaking into Japanese baseball and building ties between the countries in a highly sensitive period after World War II.

Facing a language barrier, Mr. Yonamine was sometimes met with hostility, including rock throwing, for being an American and for his aggressive style of play.

Travis Ishikawa wasnt the only JA to get a full 2010 world series share, Taira Uematsu , SF Giants,

San Francisco Giants bullpen catcher and jack-of-all-trades Taira Uematsu at spring training at Scottsdale Stadium in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011. (Dan Honda/Staff) ( Dan Honda )










San Francisco Giants' support staff reaps rewards of winning season
By Andrew Baggarly
Click on the link to read full article

For some, the World Series share is a reward for perseverance.

Taira Uematsu lived on fast-food salaries, first as an intern at Triple-A Fresno in 2006 and then as the Grizzlies' bullpen catcher a year later. He was promoted to the Giants' traveling party in '08 when right-hander Keiichi Yabu needed a translator.

Yabu didn't crack the team the following season. The Giants needed to make cuts to their support staff budget. But Uematsu made himself indispensable by doing the work of three people, and Bochy went to the mat to keep the quiet man whom clubhouse assistant Rob Dean calls, "the Japanese Swiss Army knife."

"It's more a case of what doesn't he do," Bochy said.

Uematsu arrives at Scottsdale Stadium at 5 a.m., fills water buckets and delivers them to the back fields in a golf cart. Then he starts making ice packs and assists Dave Groeschner while setting up the training room.

He catches in the bullpen, throws batting practice and plays long toss with rehabbing players. After practice, he helps stretch players and breaks everything down again. By the time he gets in a quick workout, it's after 7 p.m.

"I just wanted a job and to work," said Uematsu, who plans to keep his share in the bank for now. "I am so appreciative to the players. For me, this is more than my dream."

Glapion puts on a show in Washington's win over Lincoln

Boys Basketball: Glapion puts on a show in Washington’s win over Lincoln
Thursday, February 17, 2011

By Bonta Hill

On a night where Lincoln High School dedicated its home court to former head coach Rick Boyle, a senior guard from Washington crashed the ceremony and had one of his best performances of the season.

Brenden Glapion strengthened his case for Academic Athletic Association player of the year, setting the tone with 10 first-quarter points, and finished with a game-high 30, to go along with five assists, helping the Eagles win 68-60 in Academic Athletic Association play on Wednesday.


Washington senior guard Brenden Glapion goes up for a layup against Lincoln on Wednesday at Lincoln High School. (Photo by Devin Chen)

“[I tried] to do whatever I could do to win,” Glapion said. “I was just trying to be aggressive at the start of the game and carry that momentum throughout the rest of the game.”

With the win, the Eagles (21-8, 13-1) remain in a first-place tie with Mission the AAA’s Lang Division with two games remaining before the playoffs.

Lincoln (17-12, 10-4) couldn’t climb out of a 16-point second-half deficit, committing 25 turnovers and giving up 14 offensive rebounds to the Eagles.

“We just didn’t take care of the ball, and that led to easy fast break points for them,” said Lincoln interim head coach Matt Jackson. “We just have to come out and be ready, not come out and play from behind.”

Washington took advantage of Lincoln’s miscues early and often. After Mustangs guard Chris Young tied the game at 13-13 early in the second quarter, the Eagles answered with a 15-4 run, mostly off layups, capitalizing in the Mustangs’ sloppiness.

Later, with the Eagles commanding a 41-29 lead with 4:45 left in the third quarter, Glapion sank a smooth baseline jumper, followed immediately by a Jeremy Jetton layup, putting Washington up 45-29.

“We did a much better job on [Glapion] the first time we played, and made everything difficult,” Jackson said. “We didn’t come out with the same intensity, especially on the defensive end. We were way too quiet. We need to be disruptive and we weren’t disruptive tonight, and that allowed [Glapion] to have a big night.”

Lincoln would get aggressive immediately after, and on three consecutive offensive possessions, Young would penetrate and draw fouls from the Washington defenders. Young, who finished with a team-high 20 points, spearheaded a 10-0 run that cut the lead to 45-39.

Glapion had an answer though, getting behind the Lincoln defense for a layup to break the Eagles brief scoring drought.

The Eagles also had solid contributions from Jetton, who had 18 points, and LeVander Moore, who chipped in nine points with 15 rebounds, but this night belonged to Glapion.

With Lincoln down 53-46 with just under three minutes remaining, Glapion calmly dribbled between his legs and dropped a three-pointer from the left wing over Mustang center Kevork Demirjian to give the Eagles a 10-point lead with 2:58 left in the contest.

“This is a game our guys wanted. Lincoln gave us our first loss, but we knew if we could play well we would be in good shape,” said Washington head coach Jolinko Lassiter. “Brenden played great tonight, he answered virtually every run they made.”

Washington then went 12-of-17 from the free throw line down the stretch to seal the victory.

A showdown against Mission on February 22 awaits Washington, a game that could determine the regular-season Lang champion, but the Eagles are not looking past Friday’s date with Marshall.

“Marshall is a good team and they always play us tough,” Lassiter said. “We’re going to have to be ready to play well against Marshall and we can’t focus on Mission until after the Marshall game.”

Scoring Leaders

Washington
Branden Glapion – 30
Jeremy Jetton – 18
LeVander Moore – 10
Galen Hall – 3
Three players tied with 2 points

Lincoln
Chris Young – 20
Kevork Demirjian – 19
Tre Thomas – 10
Remfel Ganal – 4
Nick Young – 3

Boys Basketball: Washington’s inside presence too much for Lowell

Boys Basketball: Washington’s inside presence too much for Lowell
Saturday, January 22, 2011
By Ernest Stone

While Washington’s go-to scorers are clearly senior guards Jeremy Jetton and Brenden Glaipon, fellow seniors LeVander Moore and Galen Hall are beginning to lay claim as a dynamic duo in their own right.

While Moore and Hall combined for just eight points on Friday night at Kezar Pavilion, they combined for 30 rebounds and five blocks, dominating the interior and leading the Eagles to a 53-49 league win over rival Lowell in Academic Athletic Association play.


Washington senior forward LeVander Moor rises up for a contested shot in the lane against Lowell on Friday at Kezar Pavilion. (Photo by Devin Chen)
“Everybody on our team plays big and fast,” said Moore, who finished with seven points and 18 rebounds. “We are extremely athletic and it’s an identity we’ve had all year.”

Early on, Lowell’s (13-6, 5-1) execution of its motion offense neutralized the Eagles’ physical advantages.

Five Lowell players scored in the first half, while Glaipon shouldered most the load for the Eagles, with 10 of their 26 first-half points.

“I thought we matched up very well,” said Lowell head coach Robert Ray. “They have some talented players and we slowed them down. I mean, 53-49 is the type of score we would like to play to every time.”

Unfortunately for Ray’s squad, Moore and Hall’s ability to clean up the glass allowed Washington (13-8, 5-1) to capitalize on several second-chance opportunities. The multiple opportunities greatly benefited Jetton, who finished the game strong with 10 second-half points.

Although Lowell continued to counter Washington’s man-to-man offense with its balanced passing schemes, Cardinals senior Casey Chow managed to take over with three three-point shots in the third quarter to put Lowell ahead for the first time since the first frame.

But the additional threat of Kenneth Lui, who scored eight points off the Washington bench, along with the Eagles’ dominant rebounding, proved to be too much, as the Eagles built a lead that they would cling on to for the remainder of the third quarter and through the end of the game.

“As is what happens a lot of times, you expend all this energy to get back in the game, and once you are there, you take a step back,” Ray said. “Against Washington, you can’t take that step back, and we found that out tonight.”

Lowell’s loss to Washington is just its first defeat in AAA play this season.

With their four-point win following a 23-point blowout of Mission earlier this week, the Eagles have proven they can win in a variety of ways. Next week, Washington will look to register a complete effort against Galileo on the road.

“Our role players stepped up today, and that’s always a welcome sign,” said Washington head coach Jolinko Lassiter. “Our guys always do a great job of playing to their strengths, and I don’t see anything changing.”

Scoring Leaders

Washington
Jeremy Jetton – 16
Brenden Glapion – 14
Kenneth Lui – 8
LeVander Moore – 7
Austin Hedani – 3

Lowell
Casey Chow – 12
Jorell Cacatian – 10
Jackson Miao – 8
Ricco Price – 7
Avery Nicastro-Aikman – 4

Washington bounces back to rout Mission on the road

Boys Basketball: Washington bounces back to rout Mission on the road
Wednesday, January 19, 2011

By Bonta Hill

Going into its Academic Athletic Association Lang Division contest against Mission High School, Washington was looking to put together a complete game, something that its has struggled to do this season.

That all changed Tuesday, as the visiting Eagles made a huge statement by dismantling the Bears 89-66 on their home floor.

Washington seniors Jeremy Jetton (left) and LeVander Moore (right) trap Mission forward Alec Tatum in the key on Tuesday at the Mission High School. (Photo by Eric Soracco)

Brenden Glapion had a game-high 29 points, Jeremy Jetton had another solid all-around game with 28 points, five rebounds and five assists, but it was the play of center LeVander Moore that set the tone for Washington (12-8, 3-1). Moore was the unsung hero, as his double-double (13 points and 20 rebounds) included seven rebounds on the offensive end, to go along with four steals, which helped the Eagles lead throughout the contest against the defending AAA champions.

While Washington has been prone to blow double-digit leads this season, head coach Jolinko Lassiter reminded his team at halftime to finish strong.

“Every time you can get a division win, especially a big road win like this, we had to earn it coming off a tough loss to [Lincoln],” Lassiter said. “It’s been an Achilles heel of ours to give up leads, but the guys played well tonight and we put together a full 32 minutes for once.”

For Mission (9-9, 2-1), the game was a huge letdown. The Bears were sloppy all night, finishing with 21 turnovers, and struggled from the field shooting just over 33 percent in the game, including 22 percent in the first half that led to a 40-25 Washington lead.

“We were not very good tonight,” said Mission head coach Arnold Zelaya. “It’s kind of been up anddown all year, and this was definitely a down. To be honest, we played like garbage.”

While Mission struggled on offense, Washington had no trouble breaking the Bears vaunted full-court pressure defense.

Moore’s dominance on the glass led to many fast breaks as Jetton and Glapion leaked out for several easy layups.
“I just wanted to give it my all, [because] last Friday [against Lincoln] I didn’t give it my all and I felt I slacked off,” said Moore, who was in foul trouble throughout the contest. “I needed to get myself going today, to set the tone and by my rebounding, I wanted to get everybody pumped, get us in the game, and get us running.”

For the game, Washington shot 58 percent from the floor and led by as many as 26 points in the second half.

The one negative for the Eagles was the 17 turnovers they committed.

“Everybody played as a team, everyone worked together,” Glapion said. “The last two days of practice, everyone was working hard. That just carried onto the court today.”

Antoine Porter led the Bears with 20 points and tried to ignite Mission with 12 second quarter points, but the Bears failed to make any significant dent in the Washington lead.

“I told our team all week that LeVander is tough, and our team knew we had to keep him off the boards,” Zelaya said. “It was real sloppy all along. From shot-selection to shot percentage, it was bad all the way around.”

Scoring Leaders

Washington
Brenden Glapion – 29
Jeremy Jetton -28
LeVander Moore – 13
Kenneth Lui – 6
Galen Hall – 3

Mission
Antoine Porter – 20
Gione Edwards – 10
Miles Prescott – 9
Travis Price-Moku – 8
Shaquille Fisher – 6

Boys Basketball: Washington holds off Marshall comeback in overtime

Boys Basketball: Washington holds off Marshall comeback in overtime
Friday, January 14, 2011



Washington senior guard Brenden Glapion (center) tries to break through two Marshall defenders on Thursday at Marshall High School. (Photo by Devin Chen)

By Jeremy Balan

After blowing a 22-point second-quarter lead, visiting Washington High School escaped with a 77-70 Academic Athletic Association overtime road win over Marshall on Thursday.

The Eagles (11-7, 3-0) carried a 47-29 lead into the half and withstood a second-half rally by the Phoenix (7-9, 2-2) in front of a standing-room-only crowd.

Marshall junior forward Theoatis Hill rises up for a rebound against Washington on Thursday at Marshall High School. (Photo by Devin Chen)

Washington pulled off the win, but at the end of regulation the Phoenix looked to be keyed for the upset.

Down 66-64 with nine seconds remaining, Marshall senior guard Travalle Johnson took the ball up the court, slipped and lost the ball. Marshall forward Theoatis Hill went to the floor and wrestled the ball away from a Washington defender, then, while still on the floor, he found a streaking Johnson, who hit a floating runner in the key at the buzzer to send the game to overtime.

As exciting as the finish in regulation was, the gym quickly deflated in the overtime period on an ending to the game that was equally anticlimactic and unfortunate. With just under three minutes remaining in overtime and Marshall trailing 71-68, junior Arthur Captain was the fourth Marshall player to foul out of the game, forcing the Phoenix to finish with only four players.

Washington simply wound down the clock and added six more points on free throws and the undermanned Phoenix wouldn’t threaten again.

“We’ve been playing with five or six guys the majority of the season, so tonight we had a luxury with eight, but ended up with four at the end,” said Marshall head coach Dezebee Miles. “All I can say is that I have a great bunch of guys and all we can do is keep pushing forward and do the best we can.”

Washington standout senior guard Brenden Glapion led all scorers with 33 points, but it was an all-around performance from fellow senior guard Jeremy Jetton that may have been the difference.

Jetton added 25 points, but after forward LeVander Moore dealt with foul trouble early, he took over the responsibilities of guarding Hill, who may be the most dynamic scorer in the AAA.

Hill came into the game averaging more than 23 points per game, and finished above his average with 25 points, but the undersized Jetton held him to 7-of-25 shooting from the floor.

“It was his decision [to guard Hill],” said Washington head coach Jolinko Lassiter. “Once LeVander came out of the game, Jeremy took over and did a great job on him. We know [Hill] will get his, but we did a good job of making it difficult on him.”

Lassiter wasn’t happy about letting the Phoenix back into the game, but knows Marshall is one of the toughest places to win in the AAA.

“Marshall is just one of those teams that always plays well against us,” Lassiter said. “Today, we knew they were going to make their run, but it was good to go out in overtime, stay composed and win the game.”

Scoring Leaders

Washington
Brenden Glapion – 33
Jeremy Jetton – 25
Galen Hall – 6
Johnny Fu – 5
LeVander Moore – 4

Marshall
Theoatis Hill – 25
Travalle Johnson – 24
Arthur Captain – 9
Mark Alexander – 5
Malik Ngumezi – 4

Boys Basketball: Lincoln remains undefeated in AAA with win over Washington

Boys Basketball: Lincoln remains undefeated in AAA with win over Washington
Saturday, January 15, 2011

Lincoln senior center Kevork Demirjian rises up for a jump shot against Washington on Friday night at Washington High School. (Photo by Devin Chen)

By Jeremy Balan

In the game that was supposed to be played on the day of Mike Gragnani’s funeral, the Mustangs honored their late head coach with yet another win, this time against what may be the best team in the Academic Athletic Association.

The visiting Mustangs stunned Washington with a 60-54 win on Friday, to remain undefeated in AAA play and since Gragnani’s death.

Washington senior Jeremy Jetton goes up for a long-range jump shot against Lincoln on Friday at Washington High School. (Photo by Devin Chen)

“Mike just preached intensity to these guys and for them to still have it and show it on the court and play the type of basketball he wanted, means a lot,” said Lincoln interim head coach Matt Jackson. “It really shows the impact he had on them. Our hats off to a great teacher, and there’s a big hole in our hearts, but we’re going to keep fighting for him, one game at a time.”

Lincoln was led in scoring by junior guard Chris Young, who had a game-high 19 points on a combination of sleek three-point shooting and hard drives to the basket, but it was a dynamic performance from senior Kevork Demirjian that may have been the difference.

The 6-foot-5 center had a season-high 18 points and attacked the Washington defense inside early, but when the Eagles went to a zone to combat his size, Demirjian’s midrange game flourished and he scored eight points in a crucial third quarter. The Mustangs extended a 31-30 halftime lead to 51-38 after the third.

“I really love it when the midrange game is open, because that’s a big part of my game,” Demirjian said. “If it’s open, I’m going to hit it. We just made some adjustments.”

The Mustangs offense was efficient in the third quarter, but stumbled in the fourth, as frequent turnovers allowed the Eagles to stay within striking distance. But even though the opportunities were there, the Eagles could not put together a significant rally, to the dismay of a Washington crowd that appeared to be ready to explode.

Senior guard Jeremy Jetton led Washington with a game-high 25 points, but it was a frustrating night of uncharacteristically bad shooting from fellow senior Brenden Glapion that hampered the Eagles throughout.

“Everyone else picked up the slack,” said Washington head coach Jolinko Lassiter. “We’re more than just one guy and Jeremy played a great game tonight, just unbelievable.”

Glapion still had 16 points, but the Mustangs held him to just 6-of-23 shooting from the floor.

“We made it hard for Glapion,” Jackson said. “I’m sure he got his points, but nothing for him came easy. We wanted to focus on him and make sure one guy didn’t beat us. We just played great team defense.”

The win puts Lincoln into a first-place tie in the AAA’s loaded Lang Division with defending champion Mission, but when talking to the Mustangs, the focus is still on honoring Gragnani.

“It’s what coach Mike would have wanted us to do and we’re going to do everything in our power to keep his legacy alive,” Demirjian said. “It’s been tough, but we’re trying to play hard for him and stay positive in everything we do.”

Scoring Leaders

Lincoln
Chris Young – 19
Kevork Demirjian – 18
Artrix Thomas – 14
Ares Brown – 7
Nick Young – 33 3

Washington
Jeremy Jetton – 25
Brenden Glapion – 16
Johnny Fu – 7
Galen Hall – 4
LeVander Moore – 2