.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011
HBO 24/7 - Rangers Flyers
This year's NHL Winter Classic will be played outdoors in Philadelphia between the Flyers and Rangers. For the second straight year, HBO will follow these two teams leading up to the big game on January 2nd.
Here's episode one if anybody is interested in viewing. Great stuff as they go behind the scenes, into the locker rooms and onto the ice for unprecedented access.
Here's episode one if anybody is interested in viewing. Great stuff as they go behind the scenes, into the locker rooms and onto the ice for unprecedented access.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Friday, December 23, 2011
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Media Pig Monday on a Wednesday
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| Cedric The Entertainer and I |
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| The Great Jerry Rice |
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| The Great Jack from Jack In The Box |
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| The Great Steve Young |
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| 49ers Warming Up |
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| Our reporter Kim Coyle interviewing a Pittsburgh reporter |
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| 49ers during warmups |
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| The 1st Blackout @ 5:19 p.m. |
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| The lights slowly coming back on |
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| Blackout in the 2nd Quarter |
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| Hot Dog and Nachos |
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| Cake that probably made my stomach hurt the next morning |
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| On the field towards the end of the game |
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| Stuart Scott |
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| Michael Crabtree and Big Ben |
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| Alex Smith being interviewed by ESPN |
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| Larry Grant |
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| David Akers |
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| Jim Harbaugh |
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| Kim shooting her standup after the game |
Monday, December 19, 2011
What's today?
Yes, it is December 19th. And Monday. But what else?
Yup, it's Bryan's birthday! Happy birthday!
-Emily
Yup, it's Bryan's birthday! Happy birthday!
-Emily
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Happy Birthday
Reracking saves me time. This was one of the very first birthday videos I recorded.
2 YEARS...WOW
2 YEARS...WOW
A football score win for the 6th grade
Three touchdowns will always beat two touchdowns.
The 6th grade won 21-14, thanks to some timely scoring, the same way they have won their previous two games.
At (3-0), they have yet to play a complete solid game.
There are times when they look really good. When Raymond can drive the entire court to either score or make a nice dish to a wide open teammate. Or when the Twins crash the boards on both ends of the court.
Then there are the other teams, when they like dribbling to the corner and throwing up wild shots, or when they can't seem to catch a ball.
For Saturday's game, there was more of the good with some of the bad.
As mentioned before, Raymond had a very strong second half as he was able to explode by the other team to either finish at the basket or pass it to an open teammate. He finished the game with a game high 10 points.
So far, so good record wise for the defending champions. They moved up divisions after taking home the title last year and have positioned themselves really nicely for a second straight post-season berth with three wins to begin the year.
Jason Z. hit his first field goal of the season, Grant chipped in with two points from the charity stripe, and twin Joseph scored four points. Twin Thomas added his one point also from the charity stripe, and Garrick had two points in the win.
The 6th grade won 21-14, thanks to some timely scoring, the same way they have won their previous two games.
At (3-0), they have yet to play a complete solid game.
There are times when they look really good. When Raymond can drive the entire court to either score or make a nice dish to a wide open teammate. Or when the Twins crash the boards on both ends of the court.
Then there are the other teams, when they like dribbling to the corner and throwing up wild shots, or when they can't seem to catch a ball.
For Saturday's game, there was more of the good with some of the bad.
As mentioned before, Raymond had a very strong second half as he was able to explode by the other team to either finish at the basket or pass it to an open teammate. He finished the game with a game high 10 points.
So far, so good record wise for the defending champions. They moved up divisions after taking home the title last year and have positioned themselves really nicely for a second straight post-season berth with three wins to begin the year.
Jason Z. hit his first field goal of the season, Grant chipped in with two points from the charity stripe, and twin Joseph scored four points. Twin Thomas added his one point also from the charity stripe, and Garrick had two points in the win.
St. Mary's 8th graders starting the season slow
In a division they probably don't belong in, the St. Mary's 8th graders do not have much margin of error. They can't afford to make mistakes, and they can't afford to miss easy shots. Unfortunately, they are doing both in their first three games of the season.
The 8th grade has lost three straight to start the year with back-to-back losses Friday and Saturday.
Both were double digit losses, but progress is being made at both ends of the court.
Friday night, they had their highest output of the season offensively as they scored 17 points. Saturday, they held the other team to only 20 points, their best defensive effort to date. Offense was the issue as they only scored 5 points.
This is a brand new team who is playing without Hartman for the first time this season. So without the point guard that has been with the team since 4th grade, they have had to adjust to Moises, a 7th grader from DeMarillac.
Moises has done a good job as he has scored in every game this season and is playing a grade higher.
However, others on the team are having trouble.
Previously in the lowest division, the current crop of 8th graders could afford to get away with their sloppiness and lack of fundamentals, but right now, they can't and the results show.
It's going to be a tough season if the 8th grade can't bring their game to another level.
The 8th grade has lost three straight to start the year with back-to-back losses Friday and Saturday.
Both were double digit losses, but progress is being made at both ends of the court.
Friday night, they had their highest output of the season offensively as they scored 17 points. Saturday, they held the other team to only 20 points, their best defensive effort to date. Offense was the issue as they only scored 5 points.
This is a brand new team who is playing without Hartman for the first time this season. So without the point guard that has been with the team since 4th grade, they have had to adjust to Moises, a 7th grader from DeMarillac.
Moises has done a good job as he has scored in every game this season and is playing a grade higher.
However, others on the team are having trouble.
Previously in the lowest division, the current crop of 8th graders could afford to get away with their sloppiness and lack of fundamentals, but right now, they can't and the results show.
It's going to be a tough season if the 8th grade can't bring their game to another level.
7th grade overcomes historic turnover count to win
Unofficially, the 7th grade might have had the most turnovers of any basketball game in recent memory.
They turned the ball over a total of 30 times according to the official scorekeeper (Emily) but still some how found a way to win their third game of the year 23-20.
In a rematch against a team they lost against last year, they were motivated from the start, and perhaps a little too over anxious.
They committed seven team fouls in the first quarter alone, which put the other team in the bonus almost immediately.
But the story of the game was their inability to take care of the ball. Traveling, back-court violations, getting picked, etc...
You name a way to lose the ball and the 7th grade probably did it on Saturday.
But in the end, it was still a victory.
They got the win thanks to a great 6-0 run to start the fourth quarter.
Down 17-16 to start the final seven minutes, the 7th graders blitzed the other team for a quick six.
Justin, who had a game high 12 points, ran the fast break beautifully, timing his passes to Brandon Khuu and Brandon Tom for easy lay-ups.
Later in the quarter, he also fed Brendan beautifully by the basket for an and-one. Brendan then converted the free throw.
From the line, there wasn't much improvement from their previous game as they collectively shot 3-for-11.
They took a 23-17 lead and just stopped scoring for the rest of the game mainly because they started to turn the ball over again.
Against a pretty quick defensive team, they put the ball in harms way one too many times. Lob passes were apparent and bringing the ball right in front of a team that just constantly swipes at the ball is a recipe for disaster.
Playing without Christian, the 7th grade (3-0) did a solid job on the boards, especially Daniel who is a rebounding machine.
Brandon Tom, forced to play post with the absence of Christian, held his own grabbing a few tough rebounds as well down in the block.
Still, the turnovers will be a point of emphasis going forward. Turning the ball over 30 times is astronomical in itself.
But perhaps this year's team is different and they find ways to win despite their shortcomings.
Winning three games to start the season is a good place to begin.
Daniel had his lowest scoring output of the season, and scored only 3 points.
They turned the ball over a total of 30 times according to the official scorekeeper (Emily) but still some how found a way to win their third game of the year 23-20.
In a rematch against a team they lost against last year, they were motivated from the start, and perhaps a little too over anxious.
They committed seven team fouls in the first quarter alone, which put the other team in the bonus almost immediately.
But the story of the game was their inability to take care of the ball. Traveling, back-court violations, getting picked, etc...
You name a way to lose the ball and the 7th grade probably did it on Saturday.
But in the end, it was still a victory.
They got the win thanks to a great 6-0 run to start the fourth quarter.
Down 17-16 to start the final seven minutes, the 7th graders blitzed the other team for a quick six.
Justin, who had a game high 12 points, ran the fast break beautifully, timing his passes to Brandon Khuu and Brandon Tom for easy lay-ups.
Later in the quarter, he also fed Brendan beautifully by the basket for an and-one. Brendan then converted the free throw.
From the line, there wasn't much improvement from their previous game as they collectively shot 3-for-11.
They took a 23-17 lead and just stopped scoring for the rest of the game mainly because they started to turn the ball over again.
Against a pretty quick defensive team, they put the ball in harms way one too many times. Lob passes were apparent and bringing the ball right in front of a team that just constantly swipes at the ball is a recipe for disaster.
Playing without Christian, the 7th grade (3-0) did a solid job on the boards, especially Daniel who is a rebounding machine.
Brandon Tom, forced to play post with the absence of Christian, held his own grabbing a few tough rebounds as well down in the block.
Still, the turnovers will be a point of emphasis going forward. Turning the ball over 30 times is astronomical in itself.
But perhaps this year's team is different and they find ways to win despite their shortcomings.
Winning three games to start the season is a good place to begin.
Daniel had his lowest scoring output of the season, and scored only 3 points.
Tough loss as the 3rd graders fall by two
By Justin Lee, written on his iPad
In maybe in one of the most brutal games of this season, the 3rd graders lost in a very low scoring game, 6-4. Calvin and Brenden scored 2 points apiece.
This was definitely a game the 3rd graders could have won, but they missed many wide open shots.
The game had many fouls, and this game had some questionable officiating. There was a lot of pushing, shoving, and elbowing.
The referee missed many of the calls, and called much of the calls on the 3rd graders.
The referee had much trouble especially on calling the full court press, which the 3rd grade does not allow. This game was full of bad officiating, but in the end, the 3rd grade lost.
The 3rd graders still need to learn the fundamentals.
In maybe in one of the most brutal games of this season, the 3rd graders lost in a very low scoring game, 6-4. Calvin and Brenden scored 2 points apiece.
This was definitely a game the 3rd graders could have won, but they missed many wide open shots.
The game had many fouls, and this game had some questionable officiating. There was a lot of pushing, shoving, and elbowing.
The referee missed many of the calls, and called much of the calls on the 3rd graders.
The referee had much trouble especially on calling the full court press, which the 3rd grade does not allow. This game was full of bad officiating, but in the end, the 3rd grade lost.
The 3rd graders still need to learn the fundamentals.
Huge night for the DeMarillac 8th graders
It turns out Pablo and Sebastian are pretty good on the basketball court too.
The duo that led the 7th/8th grade soccer team to a championship appearance both scored career highs in the blowout win by the DeMarillac 8th graders.
Pablo put up 17 points while Sebastian scored 10 points, giving the 8th graders a 47-10 blowout victory.
Sebastian had never scored until Friday night when the first shot he ever made in a CYO game was a 3 pointer. He added to his career night when he drained another three late in the game.
The first half was actually a close contest as the boys only led 12-6 going into halftime.
Julio missed the first half and stepped in to start the third quarter, jump starting the stagnant offense. With Julio's presence inside, the team began a huge second half run where they outscored the opposition 35-4 in quarters three and four.
It was a good shooting night for the team, as they were cashing in on the lay-ups they were missing a week or two ago. Anthony and Santiago both scored 6 points, and Julio had 8 points.
The athleticism for the DeMarillac 8th graders is hard to match so when they are clicking and playing smart, they are a very tough team to beat.
Jesus made his regular season debut.
The duo that led the 7th/8th grade soccer team to a championship appearance both scored career highs in the blowout win by the DeMarillac 8th graders.
Pablo put up 17 points while Sebastian scored 10 points, giving the 8th graders a 47-10 blowout victory.
Sebastian had never scored until Friday night when the first shot he ever made in a CYO game was a 3 pointer. He added to his career night when he drained another three late in the game.
The first half was actually a close contest as the boys only led 12-6 going into halftime.
Julio missed the first half and stepped in to start the third quarter, jump starting the stagnant offense. With Julio's presence inside, the team began a huge second half run where they outscored the opposition 35-4 in quarters three and four.
It was a good shooting night for the team, as they were cashing in on the lay-ups they were missing a week or two ago. Anthony and Santiago both scored 6 points, and Julio had 8 points.
The athleticism for the DeMarillac 8th graders is hard to match so when they are clicking and playing smart, they are a very tough team to beat.
Jesus made his regular season debut.
Jonathan's season high sparks big second half
Leading 10-4, the 5th grade boys relaxed just a little bit and a few turnovers led to some easy baskets by the other team. Just like that their lead disappeared and it was only 10-8.
But in the last two minutes of the first half, the boys went on a scoring barrage, scoring in three straight possessions to make it 16-8 at halftime.
The 5th grade (3-0) was at their best throughout the third quarter, getting numerous steals, scoring in transition and nailing their jump shots.
By the end of three it was 28-12 and it was pretty much game over.
Jonathan had a season high 28 points, with his shots coming in all shapes and sizes. He was hitting his jumpers from the outside, making his lay-ups on both sides of the court, and getting by defenders easily in the half court set.
Michael and Jason H. were great leading the fast breaks and all Jonathan did was fill the lane. With great timing, Jonathan was able to get the ball in stride to make the easy lay-ups.
His most impressive shot came in the first half when he was driving to the hoop and he hooked in a shot with one hand.
Jason L., one of the rookies of the team, had a very strong game, grabbing some tough rebounds underneath. He even had a nice put-back for his first two points of the season.
Michael and Jason H. both scored 4 points in the win.
A bright spot for the team that will not show up on the scoresheet was the play of Allen, who was able to get in position for several shots on the night, but he could not get the bounce.
Defensively, Allen was strong and most impressive on a play in the second half when he read a pass, stepped into the passing lane to make the steal.
But in the last two minutes of the first half, the boys went on a scoring barrage, scoring in three straight possessions to make it 16-8 at halftime.
The 5th grade (3-0) was at their best throughout the third quarter, getting numerous steals, scoring in transition and nailing their jump shots.
By the end of three it was 28-12 and it was pretty much game over.
Jonathan had a season high 28 points, with his shots coming in all shapes and sizes. He was hitting his jumpers from the outside, making his lay-ups on both sides of the court, and getting by defenders easily in the half court set.
Michael and Jason H. were great leading the fast breaks and all Jonathan did was fill the lane. With great timing, Jonathan was able to get the ball in stride to make the easy lay-ups.
His most impressive shot came in the first half when he was driving to the hoop and he hooked in a shot with one hand.
Jason L., one of the rookies of the team, had a very strong game, grabbing some tough rebounds underneath. He even had a nice put-back for his first two points of the season.
Michael and Jason H. both scored 4 points in the win.
A bright spot for the team that will not show up on the scoresheet was the play of Allen, who was able to get in position for several shots on the night, but he could not get the bounce.
Defensively, Allen was strong and most impressive on a play in the second half when he read a pass, stepped into the passing lane to make the steal.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Quick Saturday results
The 3rd grade falls to (1-2) after losing a close one by a score of 6-4.
The 7th grade pulled out a 23-20 that featured 30 turnovers on the day. With the win they improve to (3-0).
The 6th grade, winners 21-14 and are now (3-0).
The 8th grade St. Mary's team is (0-3) following a 20-5 loss.
Full recaps later tonight.
The 7th grade pulled out a 23-20 that featured 30 turnovers on the day. With the win they improve to (3-0).
The 6th grade, winners 21-14 and are now (3-0).
The 8th grade St. Mary's team is (0-3) following a 20-5 loss.
Full recaps later tonight.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Quick Friday night results
Behind Jonathan's season high 28 points, the 5th grade won by a final score of 38-22.
Backed by Pablo's career high 17 points and Sebastian's career high 10 points, the DeMarillac 8th graders were victorious 47-10.
The 8th grade St. Mary's team got scoring from Moises, Jason and the Shem, but it wasn't enough as they were dealt their second straight loss.
Full recaps to come Saturday.
Backed by Pablo's career high 17 points and Sebastian's career high 10 points, the DeMarillac 8th graders were victorious 47-10.
The 8th grade St. Mary's team got scoring from Moises, Jason and the Shem, but it wasn't enough as they were dealt their second straight loss.
Full recaps to come Saturday.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
This Date in Blog History
Epic Video #3.
And for those of you wondering where Epic Video is, so am I? But it doesn't hurt to take a look back at one year ago today.
And for those of you wondering where Epic Video is, so am I? But it doesn't hurt to take a look back at one year ago today.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
A rerack of an old MMQ
Two weeks into the boys basketball season and record wise, I must say I am surprised at the collective success the teams have had, considering every team has either stayed in the same division or gone up one or a few.
With that being said, every team could be better and has room to improve. So instead of rehashing some of the mistakes and flaws covered in the game recaps, I am going to rerack a post (and add some notes to it as well) I put up back in 2009. What were you doing and where were you in April of 2009? Something to ponder.
So read through this carefully and hopefully this will lead to smoother sails for the rest of the season.
HOW TO WIN A CYO BASKETBALL GAME:
In basketball, more than any other sport, the ingredients to be a good team are basic, and you don’t even need a coach to tell you what they are.
Make your lay-ups. You’ve all seen and been in games where lay-ups are missed left and right. When you make your lay-ups, more often than not, you will win.
2011 note: Over the weekend, the 6th grade and DeMarillac had huge problems with this.
Make your free-throws. Do we expect everyone to make all their free-throws? Absolutely not. But is one out of two too much to ask for? Look back at all the games you have lost in the past and how many free-throws were missed.
2011 note: Over the weekend, the 6th grade and DeMarillac had huge problems with this. 6th grade was 2-for-14, 8th graders 2-for-12.
Don’t turn the ball over. Mistakes will always hurt you. When you throw the ball away, the other team gets a head start on their offense. It’s one less opportunity for you to score, and one more opportunity for them to score. It also throws off your rhythm as you are always on your heels.
When you can control the ball, you dictate the game and how the game is going to be played.
Make the other team play your style.
Basketball is such a mental game, and you need to be as strong mentally as you are physically. When you make a mistake, you can’t let it bother you. Learn from it, and do better the next time.
When refs aren't making calls, you need to do your best to play through it. And you can't let the little things get to you and have it lose your cool (See 8th grade DM game).
We have had games this year where we haven’t been able to do all three -- sometimes not even two of those, and still found ways to win. But when all three of those expectations are met, there isn’t a team out there that is unbeatable.
I guarantee that if your team is successful at those three things, 99 times out of 100, your team will be victorious.
There you go folks, easy, simple and basic. Nobody should ever lose another game again.
See ya pals...
With that being said, every team could be better and has room to improve. So instead of rehashing some of the mistakes and flaws covered in the game recaps, I am going to rerack a post (and add some notes to it as well) I put up back in 2009. What were you doing and where were you in April of 2009? Something to ponder.
So read through this carefully and hopefully this will lead to smoother sails for the rest of the season.
HOW TO WIN A CYO BASKETBALL GAME:
In basketball, more than any other sport, the ingredients to be a good team are basic, and you don’t even need a coach to tell you what they are.
Make your lay-ups. You’ve all seen and been in games where lay-ups are missed left and right. When you make your lay-ups, more often than not, you will win.
2011 note: Over the weekend, the 6th grade and DeMarillac had huge problems with this.
Make your free-throws. Do we expect everyone to make all their free-throws? Absolutely not. But is one out of two too much to ask for? Look back at all the games you have lost in the past and how many free-throws were missed.
2011 note: Over the weekend, the 6th grade and DeMarillac had huge problems with this. 6th grade was 2-for-14, 8th graders 2-for-12.
Don’t turn the ball over. Mistakes will always hurt you. When you throw the ball away, the other team gets a head start on their offense. It’s one less opportunity for you to score, and one more opportunity for them to score. It also throws off your rhythm as you are always on your heels.
When you can control the ball, you dictate the game and how the game is going to be played.
Make the other team play your style.
Basketball is such a mental game, and you need to be as strong mentally as you are physically. When you make a mistake, you can’t let it bother you. Learn from it, and do better the next time.
When refs aren't making calls, you need to do your best to play through it. And you can't let the little things get to you and have it lose your cool (See 8th grade DM game).
We have had games this year where we haven’t been able to do all three -- sometimes not even two of those, and still found ways to win. But when all three of those expectations are met, there isn’t a team out there that is unbeatable.
I guarantee that if your team is successful at those three things, 99 times out of 100, your team will be victorious.
There you go folks, easy, simple and basic. Nobody should ever lose another game again.
See ya pals...
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Saturday, December 10, 2011
DeMarillac 8th graders escape with a win in playoff rematch
The 8th Grade DeMarillac team nearly blew a 18-11 4th quarter lead, and held out for dear life for a 18-17 win.
With 19.9 seconds left in the game, the other team had a chance to go ahead with a field goal, but it was miss after miss after miss.
The 8th graders came away with the rebound and dribbled the ball down-court to end the game.
Pablo had a game high 9 points and Julio chipped in with 5 points.
The totals would've been higher individually and as a team had they converted on their lay-ups and free throws.
From the line, they shot a miserable 2-for-12.
They took an 8-3 lead into halftime and their goal was to stretch out their lead to double digits in the third. They got close by getting it up as to much as seven, but from that point forward, they stopped playing.
Tempers flared on several occasions and both teams got a little chippy. The referee had to warn both teams to stop play at the sound of the whistle.
There is definitely some bad blood that could've been lingering over from last season as this was the same team that eliminated them from the playoffs last season. Four of the boys are still holdovers from that team.
One of the newcomers Sebastian, did not get on the score-sheet, but was really good defensively and was a factor in the team's press. He and fellow rookie John Jett both had their share of steals. JJ had two points in the contest.
At (2-0), the ceiling for this team is so high, because they have to even scratch the surface as to what they are capable of doing. Their lay-ups are inconsistent at best and their fundamental skill set is still lacking, common for a team with more than half its roster being new.
They're going to need to get the basics of using the backboard on lay-ups, dribbling with the opposite hand, being in the right position so they don't get called for fouls.
Those little things can be worked on, so even after two wins, the need for improvement is glaring.
Santiago rounded out the scoring with a put-back in the third quarter.
With 19.9 seconds left in the game, the other team had a chance to go ahead with a field goal, but it was miss after miss after miss.
The 8th graders came away with the rebound and dribbled the ball down-court to end the game.
Pablo had a game high 9 points and Julio chipped in with 5 points.
The totals would've been higher individually and as a team had they converted on their lay-ups and free throws.
From the line, they shot a miserable 2-for-12.
They took an 8-3 lead into halftime and their goal was to stretch out their lead to double digits in the third. They got close by getting it up as to much as seven, but from that point forward, they stopped playing.
Tempers flared on several occasions and both teams got a little chippy. The referee had to warn both teams to stop play at the sound of the whistle.
There is definitely some bad blood that could've been lingering over from last season as this was the same team that eliminated them from the playoffs last season. Four of the boys are still holdovers from that team.
One of the newcomers Sebastian, did not get on the score-sheet, but was really good defensively and was a factor in the team's press. He and fellow rookie John Jett both had their share of steals. JJ had two points in the contest.
At (2-0), the ceiling for this team is so high, because they have to even scratch the surface as to what they are capable of doing. Their lay-ups are inconsistent at best and their fundamental skill set is still lacking, common for a team with more than half its roster being new.
They're going to need to get the basics of using the backboard on lay-ups, dribbling with the opposite hand, being in the right position so they don't get called for fouls.
Those little things can be worked on, so even after two wins, the need for improvement is glaring.
Santiago rounded out the scoring with a put-back in the third quarter.
6th grade hangs on for win
At halftime the 6th grade trailed 5-4, they were 0-for-8 from the free throw line, and Raymond already had 3 fouls.
A few minutes into the third, Raymond picked up his fourth foul, his second on an offensive charging call, and it didn't look good for the 6th graders.
But from that point forward, they took charge, surged ahead and hung on to win 16-9.
In the standings, they are (2-0), a great start to their title defense. But the way they have won the games has left a lot to be desired.
Game number two was an improvement from game one, as the boys were able to score some key points in the fourth to extend a 9-6 lead after three.
Ryan and Grant both hit jump shots, while Jason Ng split his free throws to seal the victory.
Playing without the Twins, their post players had to step up and Garrick did so in a big way. He was able to grab tons of rebounds down low, and blocked a few shots on the defensive end.
On offense, he made two really awkward looking jumpers, but the bottom line is that his shots went in the basket.
Raymond was better with his layups and had a game high 7 points, but he almost couldn't complete the game because of foul trouble.
It wasn't just Raymond as the 6th grade simply does not move their feet enough and rely on swiping at the ball instead of getting good body position.
Jason Z., Garrick and Grant had three fouls while Ryan and Raymond both ended the game with four fouls.
The other team was shooting bonus free throws before the third quarter came to an end.
As for the 6th graders, they were abysmal from the foul line, and shot 2-for-14.
Jason Z. made his regular season debut after missing the first game last week.
A few minutes into the third, Raymond picked up his fourth foul, his second on an offensive charging call, and it didn't look good for the 6th graders.
But from that point forward, they took charge, surged ahead and hung on to win 16-9.
In the standings, they are (2-0), a great start to their title defense. But the way they have won the games has left a lot to be desired.
Game number two was an improvement from game one, as the boys were able to score some key points in the fourth to extend a 9-6 lead after three.
Ryan and Grant both hit jump shots, while Jason Ng split his free throws to seal the victory.
Playing without the Twins, their post players had to step up and Garrick did so in a big way. He was able to grab tons of rebounds down low, and blocked a few shots on the defensive end.
On offense, he made two really awkward looking jumpers, but the bottom line is that his shots went in the basket.
Raymond was better with his layups and had a game high 7 points, but he almost couldn't complete the game because of foul trouble.
It wasn't just Raymond as the 6th grade simply does not move their feet enough and rely on swiping at the ball instead of getting good body position.
Jason Z., Garrick and Grant had three fouls while Ryan and Raymond both ended the game with four fouls.
The other team was shooting bonus free throws before the third quarter came to an end.
As for the 6th graders, they were abysmal from the foul line, and shot 2-for-14.
Jason Z. made his regular season debut after missing the first game last week.
5th grade pulls away in second half
Jonathan scored a regular season high 16 points, as the 5th grade improved to (2-0) on the season with a 23-11 victory.
The 5th grade only led by two at halftime, but stretched their lead out with an inspired second half.
From the free throw line, Jonathan didn't have his best day, but his execution on the fast breaks led to the bulk of his points.
Jason H. had his second strong game in a row and was a presence down in the post. He scored 4 points, and was able to grab many of the rebounds down low, as well as blocking several shots.
Michael added 3 points to round out the scoring.
The 5th grade only led by two at halftime, but stretched their lead out with an inspired second half.
From the free throw line, Jonathan didn't have his best day, but his execution on the fast breaks led to the bulk of his points.
Jason H. had his second strong game in a row and was a presence down in the post. He scored 4 points, and was able to grab many of the rebounds down low, as well as blocking several shots.
Michael added 3 points to round out the scoring.
7th grade game picks up win in forfeit
The math was simple. One team had 8 players, the other had 4.
The team with 4, had to forfeit.
The 7th grade was the recipient of a win this afternoon via forfeit and are now (2-0) on the season.
The team with 4, had to forfeit.
The 7th grade was the recipient of a win this afternoon via forfeit and are now (2-0) on the season.
8th graders fall in debut
The St. Mary's 8th grade team lost their first game of the season earlier this afternoon.
Moises and Anthony S. supplied the scoring in the losing cause.
Moises and Anthony S. supplied the scoring in the losing cause.
Quick Saturday results
The 6th grade improves to (2-0) with a 16-9 win.
The 7th grade wins by forfeit and are now also (2-0).
The St. Mary's 8th grade team loses in their season opener and are (0-1).
The 5th grade, winners 23-11, start the year (2-0).
The DeMarillac 8th graders play later today.
The 7th grade wins by forfeit and are now also (2-0).
The St. Mary's 8th grade team loses in their season opener and are (0-1).
The 5th grade, winners 23-11, start the year (2-0).
The DeMarillac 8th graders play later today.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Win number one for the 3rd graders
The 3rd graders are in the win column.
After a scoreless first half, the 3rd graders played their best half of the season, scoring 8 points, winning their first game ever in team history.
Brendan and Nathan both had 4 points each, but the story of the game was really their defense. They were aggressive and able to limit the quality shots by the other team.
It was a soccer like first half with both teams getting few shots to the rim and no points to show for their efforts.
Brendan got the team on the board when he put in a rebound a minute into the third. The other team responded right away with two points of their own.
Nathan, probably our tallest 3rd grader in years, was a big presence in the middle and scored the next two points to give the 3rd grade the lead for good.
Midway through the fourth, Brendan hit a nice mid-range jumper and then Nathan had another basket by the hoop to finish the scoring.
Aggressive play by the team's defense made it difficult for the other team to get into any sort of rhythm on offense.
Darren, one of the twins, read a pass in the second half, stepped in front and made a beautiful steal.
After going winless in the tournament, and losing their first game by only four last week, it was only a matter of time before the team broke through with a win, and tonight was the night.
After a scoreless first half, the 3rd graders played their best half of the season, scoring 8 points, winning their first game ever in team history.
Brendan and Nathan both had 4 points each, but the story of the game was really their defense. They were aggressive and able to limit the quality shots by the other team.
It was a soccer like first half with both teams getting few shots to the rim and no points to show for their efforts.
Brendan got the team on the board when he put in a rebound a minute into the third. The other team responded right away with two points of their own.
Nathan, probably our tallest 3rd grader in years, was a big presence in the middle and scored the next two points to give the 3rd grade the lead for good.
Midway through the fourth, Brendan hit a nice mid-range jumper and then Nathan had another basket by the hoop to finish the scoring.
Aggressive play by the team's defense made it difficult for the other team to get into any sort of rhythm on offense.
Darren, one of the twins, read a pass in the second half, stepped in front and made a beautiful steal.
After going winless in the tournament, and losing their first game by only four last week, it was only a matter of time before the team broke through with a win, and tonight was the night.
Warriors release Jeremy Lin
Press Release from the Warriors:
WARRIORS WAIVE JEREMY LIN
OAKLAND, Calif. – The Golden State Warriors have waived guard Jeremy Lin, the team announced today.
Lin, 23, appeared in 29 games for the Warriors as a rookie last season, averaging 2.6 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists per contest. Additionally, he appeared in 20 games for the Reno Bighorns of the NBA Development League in 2010-11, averaging 18.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. The 6’3’’ guard was originally signed by the Warriors as a free agent on July 21, 2010, after going undrafted in the 2010 NBA Draft out of Harvard.
WARRIORS WAIVE JEREMY LIN
OAKLAND, Calif. – The Golden State Warriors have waived guard Jeremy Lin, the team announced today.
Lin, 23, appeared in 29 games for the Warriors as a rookie last season, averaging 2.6 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists per contest. Additionally, he appeared in 20 games for the Reno Bighorns of the NBA Development League in 2010-11, averaging 18.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. The 6’3’’ guard was originally signed by the Warriors as a free agent on July 21, 2010, after going undrafted in the 2010 NBA Draft out of Harvard.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
8th grade team previews
For the second straight year we will have two 8th grade teams representing St. Mary's, and for the first time, one team will be represented by players from DeMarillac.
The common thread between the two teams is that both will have to get used to playing with new teammates.
In addition to the four players last season, there are up to four new faces for the DM 8th graders.
The St. Mary's 8th graders welcome two 7th graders from DM, 8th grader Kenny. They will also be playing for the first time without Hartman.
Both teams are going to be challenge, with the DM 8th graders in division 8-6, the St. Mary's 8th grade won't be too far behind in division 8-7.
The DeMarillac team has already played one game and came away with a win, even though they looked pretty rusty and disorganized. The good news is that they still came away with a win.
Ronnie has decided to return to the bench after a one year hiatus and will look to get the most out of this athletic and talented bunch. Whether they can come together as a team in these short few months remains to be seen.
Julio looks to be a real force in the paint, and Pablo, the reigning Rookie of the Year, will be the leaders on this team.
As for the St. Mary's team, it'll be a lot different as there is no clear cut leader. Jason has the size and talent to be a solid player, but he'll need to step up his game in actual games in order for the team to compete. He has the size, and needs to play like a big man.
Brett/Garrick is also poised to do better in his final year at St. Mary's. Year by year he has shown bits of improvement, but he has yet to break through to that next level.
They'll be helped by Moises, the 7th grader from DeMarillac who takes over for Hartman at the point guard position. Already in a few games, he has showed off a pretty good outside shot.
The key for both of these teams is how fast they can get up to game speed, and how quickly they can learn the game.
Both teams have some talent, but whether it can come together when they need it to is another story.
The two teams both play this Saturday and we'll know a lot more about them after that.
The common thread between the two teams is that both will have to get used to playing with new teammates.
In addition to the four players last season, there are up to four new faces for the DM 8th graders.
The St. Mary's 8th graders welcome two 7th graders from DM, 8th grader Kenny. They will also be playing for the first time without Hartman.
Both teams are going to be challenge, with the DM 8th graders in division 8-6, the St. Mary's 8th grade won't be too far behind in division 8-7.
The DeMarillac team has already played one game and came away with a win, even though they looked pretty rusty and disorganized. The good news is that they still came away with a win.
Ronnie has decided to return to the bench after a one year hiatus and will look to get the most out of this athletic and talented bunch. Whether they can come together as a team in these short few months remains to be seen.
Julio looks to be a real force in the paint, and Pablo, the reigning Rookie of the Year, will be the leaders on this team.
As for the St. Mary's team, it'll be a lot different as there is no clear cut leader. Jason has the size and talent to be a solid player, but he'll need to step up his game in actual games in order for the team to compete. He has the size, and needs to play like a big man.
Brett/Garrick is also poised to do better in his final year at St. Mary's. Year by year he has shown bits of improvement, but he has yet to break through to that next level.
They'll be helped by Moises, the 7th grader from DeMarillac who takes over for Hartman at the point guard position. Already in a few games, he has showed off a pretty good outside shot.
The key for both of these teams is how fast they can get up to game speed, and how quickly they can learn the game.
Both teams have some talent, but whether it can come together when they need it to is another story.
The two teams both play this Saturday and we'll know a lot more about them after that.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
RAW Video on a Tuesday
Even though WWE RAW is on a Monday, we have RAW videos on a Tuesday...Hmmm...
Monday, December 5, 2011
The return of Monday morning quarterback
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| Who dat? Post your comments below. |
Monday Morning Quarterback
One who criticizes or passes judgment from a position of hindsight
____________________________________________________________________
And of course, what was good.
So in other words, the good, the bad and the ugly...
Why don't we start with the good as we give out our first Gameballs of the year? If there was Epic Video and I had a sound effect, I'd play it, but I don't.
It'll be a two man race for the GB for two players on the same team, Justin and Daniel from the 7th grade.
If points matter most to you, then Daniel should get the nod on his scored a career high 15 points in the victory.
But if you are a believer in assists, then Justin should get your nod because he dished out a lot of them on Friday night setting up his teammates, leading to points. Hecka assists some might even say.
Daniel looked a lot like his brother Tommy (insert Gavin joke here) the other night as he made a 3 pointer for the first time. Daniel is usually a player who scores down low, but if he can get his perimeter game going too, he'll be even more dangerous. He was fierce on the boards and is one of the top rebounders in the school even though he is not the biggest of players.
Justin has been known to score, score and score, but this year he has really developed a part of his game a true point guard needs to have, his passing. Justin's head is up during the fast breaks and he is finding his teammates in good positions to score. A good player can score, but a great player can make his teammates better. Justin is heading in that direction.
So who do you vote for? The poll is up, voting ends Friday afternoon.
Moving onto some of the other teams, we will start with the 6th grade and their game Saturday morning in Half Moon Bay.
Lay-ups, lay-ups, and lay-ups. If you watch the RAW video that will come on Tuesday, my goodness, this game should've been a double digit win.
Part of the problem is that some of the players still don't shoot correctly and they need to start doing so. At the 6th grade level, you got to have some strength where you aren't pushing the ball with both hands. And for Pete's (or whichever name you please) sake, please leave the ground when you take a shot. This is something that needs to be worked on in practice, over and over and over, some come game time, you don't make the same mistake.
The 5th grade has fire power, they can score. So it's good to see them win a game more based on their defense than their offense. It shows that if need be, they can lock down a team.
It was also a positive sign to see both of the Jasons grab some tough rebounds inside.
Jonathan, despite scoring only 7 points, still had himself a really stellar game on the defensive end.
The last team we look at today in the return of MMQ is the DeMarillac 8th grade team. They won their last game on athleticism but that can only last for so long.
It is apparent that some of them have not been playing for that long and still lack the game experience for basketball. It can be developed with time, but they will need to start working harder in practice and focusing.
They have a chip on their shoulders because of their given talent, but that can only go so far. They'll need to hone their skills, listen to their coaches, and play smart basketball if they want to contend this year.
So winning a game where a lot of stuff went wrong is always a good thing.
And there is it, the bottom line for any team.
If you won the game and you didn't play at your best, how good could you be when you are at your best?
See ya pals.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Highlights for 12/2/11-12/3/11
Be sure to explore the blog with all new links all over the place including a separate post for each game story as well as the boys basketball team previews on the side.
And enjoy the highlights from this weekend's games.
And enjoy the highlights from this weekend's games.
Defense solid as 5th grade picks up the win
Perhaps it was the rock hard ball or the low ceiling, but for whatever reason, the 5th grade's offense today was not clicking on all cylinders.
Their defense however was right on point.
Unveiling a new man to man defense, the 5th graders limited the other team to single digits in a 17-6 win to start the regular season.
The other team was forced into some really difficult shots and the 5th graders feasted on the opponent's turnovers.
Rebounding, which had been something the team has emphasized over the last week was not perfect, but definitely an improvement from the last two games of the tournament.
Offensively, Jonathan didn't have his usual big game and was held to only 7 points, which was still a game high. He missed two usual gimmes right off the bat and that continued throughout the game.
A lot of his shots, like many of the shots everyone took, looked like they were going in the basket. It seemed the rims were a bit stiff or perhaps the ball was inflated a little too much as many of the shots rimmed in and out throughout the game.
Even though Jonathan wasn't scoring as consistently as he did in other games, he did a great job on the defensive end moving his feet and shadowing the other team's point guards the entire afternoon.
The nicest play of the game came late in the fourth when Jonathan fed Michael on a fast break, who then easily took it in for a lay-up.
Jason H. had his most impressive performance of the season, scoring 6 points, including some nice coast to coast drives off his own rebounds. Inside, he was pretty solid and was able to grab some tough boards.
The 5th grade led 9-2 at halftime.
Their defense however was right on point.
Unveiling a new man to man defense, the 5th graders limited the other team to single digits in a 17-6 win to start the regular season.
The other team was forced into some really difficult shots and the 5th graders feasted on the opponent's turnovers.
Rebounding, which had been something the team has emphasized over the last week was not perfect, but definitely an improvement from the last two games of the tournament.
Offensively, Jonathan didn't have his usual big game and was held to only 7 points, which was still a game high. He missed two usual gimmes right off the bat and that continued throughout the game.
A lot of his shots, like many of the shots everyone took, looked like they were going in the basket. It seemed the rims were a bit stiff or perhaps the ball was inflated a little too much as many of the shots rimmed in and out throughout the game.
Even though Jonathan wasn't scoring as consistently as he did in other games, he did a great job on the defensive end moving his feet and shadowing the other team's point guards the entire afternoon.
The nicest play of the game came late in the fourth when Jonathan fed Michael on a fast break, who then easily took it in for a lay-up.
Jason H. had his most impressive performance of the season, scoring 6 points, including some nice coast to coast drives off his own rebounds. Inside, he was pretty solid and was able to grab some tough boards.
The 5th grade led 9-2 at halftime.
6th grade manages to pull out sloppy win
It took a 3 pointer from Joseph to tie the game and a Grant jump shot with less than two minutes to go for the 6th grade boys to salvage a sloppy season opener this morning in Half Moon Bay. They won 21-19.
The boys missed plenty of easy shots, most notably around the basket, which made the game as tense as it was.
Raymond had a team high 10 points, but left just as many points out there. He had a tough time for whatever reason this morning cashing in on his looks by the basket.
The same could be said for Grant who had his share of drives to the basket, but he made the most important shot count late in the game.
Off of a missed free throw, the 6th grade got their own rebound. Raymond, with his back to the basket, bounced a pass to Grant who banked in a jumper right inside the elbow of the free throw line.
From that point on, the 6th graders played some scrappy defense and got a few lucky bounces as the other team was unable to get the equalizer.
The game was back and forth for pretty much the entire game with the 6th grade trailing by two at the end of the second and third quarters.
Down three points midway through the fourth, Joseph chased down a ball outside of the arc and was left wide open for a 3 pointer which he drained - the first three ball of his career.
In the second half, 6th graders are allowed to press and the boys took advantage of it the more they did it.
In the third, they couldn't get any steals off of the press, but in the fourth, it was an entirely different story.
The pressure in the back-court was too much for the other team to handle and that led to some scores for the 6th grade.
Garrick, one of three players to wear the jersey #22, had two points in the first quarter.
Raymond and Thomas both also had jersey number #22. Raymond put tape over his jersey to become #21 and Garrick did the same and became #11.
Thomas left the game in the third quarter with a bruised shoulder and Jason Ng was dinged up and has a bruise on his thigh.
The boys missed plenty of easy shots, most notably around the basket, which made the game as tense as it was.
Raymond had a team high 10 points, but left just as many points out there. He had a tough time for whatever reason this morning cashing in on his looks by the basket.
The same could be said for Grant who had his share of drives to the basket, but he made the most important shot count late in the game.
Off of a missed free throw, the 6th grade got their own rebound. Raymond, with his back to the basket, bounced a pass to Grant who banked in a jumper right inside the elbow of the free throw line.
From that point on, the 6th graders played some scrappy defense and got a few lucky bounces as the other team was unable to get the equalizer.
The game was back and forth for pretty much the entire game with the 6th grade trailing by two at the end of the second and third quarters.
Down three points midway through the fourth, Joseph chased down a ball outside of the arc and was left wide open for a 3 pointer which he drained - the first three ball of his career.
In the second half, 6th graders are allowed to press and the boys took advantage of it the more they did it.
In the third, they couldn't get any steals off of the press, but in the fourth, it was an entirely different story.
The pressure in the back-court was too much for the other team to handle and that led to some scores for the 6th grade.
Garrick, one of three players to wear the jersey #22, had two points in the first quarter.
Raymond and Thomas both also had jersey number #22. Raymond put tape over his jersey to become #21 and Garrick did the same and became #11.
Thomas left the game in the third quarter with a bruised shoulder and Jason Ng was dinged up and has a bruise on his thigh.
Daniel and Justin lead the way in 7th grade romp
The 7th grade boys missed their share of lay-ups, yet still won convincingly 33-14 in game one of the regular season.
Daniel is the early front-runner for most improved player as he scored a career high 15 points for the 7th grade.
Many of his baskets came via the fast break off of some great passing by Justin. Justin is seeing the court like he never did before and is not only contributing by scoring, but making his teammates better -- signs of a true point guard.
Defensively they were quick and because of that, the boys were able to get out on the fast break.
The Brandons, Tom, 6 points and Khuu, 4 points chipped in offensively and Aaron added a jumper from the wing in the second quarter as well.
On the score-sheet, you won't see Brendan, but he grabbed at least 10 rebounds in the game and made some real good outlet passes that started fast breaks.
It was good to see this team have players that can contribute when they aren't scoring the points.
The passing, defense and rebounding was solid and that was more important than the 7th grade's ability to score points. If they can consistently get the effort on the defensive end, the scoring will come a lot more easier like it did tonight.
From the get go, the 7th grade dominated the game, racing out to a 12-0 lead after the first quarter.
Minutes into the third, the score was 29-7 and the rest of the game was a formality.
Even without playing the entire 4th quarter, Daniel still finished with his career high of 15.
Brandon T. got some action as point guard for a good portion of the final quarter with Justin on the bench. Brandon was able to execute two real nice moves to the basket for four of his six points on the night.
James and Christian made their regular season CYO debuts.
Daniel is the early front-runner for most improved player as he scored a career high 15 points for the 7th grade.
Many of his baskets came via the fast break off of some great passing by Justin. Justin is seeing the court like he never did before and is not only contributing by scoring, but making his teammates better -- signs of a true point guard.
Defensively they were quick and because of that, the boys were able to get out on the fast break.
The Brandons, Tom, 6 points and Khuu, 4 points chipped in offensively and Aaron added a jumper from the wing in the second quarter as well.
On the score-sheet, you won't see Brendan, but he grabbed at least 10 rebounds in the game and made some real good outlet passes that started fast breaks.
It was good to see this team have players that can contribute when they aren't scoring the points.
The passing, defense and rebounding was solid and that was more important than the 7th grade's ability to score points. If they can consistently get the effort on the defensive end, the scoring will come a lot more easier like it did tonight.
From the get go, the 7th grade dominated the game, racing out to a 12-0 lead after the first quarter.
Minutes into the third, the score was 29-7 and the rest of the game was a formality.
Even without playing the entire 4th quarter, Daniel still finished with his career high of 15.
Brandon T. got some action as point guard for a good portion of the final quarter with Justin on the bench. Brandon was able to execute two real nice moves to the basket for four of his six points on the night.
James and Christian made their regular season CYO debuts.
DeMarillac 8th graders, with only five, hang on to win
In their first regular season game as a stand alone team, the DeMarillac 8th grade team won 21-12, despite dressing only five players, and finishing the game with only four.
The entire team pretty much got into foul trouble and they were lucky that only Julio fouled out with less than two minutes to go in the game.
Pablo led the way with a game high 10 points in a very sloppy game.
Both teams looked very rusty and the inexperience of the 8th graders showed. They took a lot of ill-advised shots and just didn't look exactly comfortable out there in their first game.
Julio had 8 points. Anthony 2 points and Jon Jett a free throw.
The entire team pretty much got into foul trouble and they were lucky that only Julio fouled out with less than two minutes to go in the game.
Pablo led the way with a game high 10 points in a very sloppy game.
Both teams looked very rusty and the inexperience of the 8th graders showed. They took a lot of ill-advised shots and just didn't look exactly comfortable out there in their first game.
Julio had 8 points. Anthony 2 points and Jon Jett a free throw.
Friday, December 2, 2011
3rd grade close, but not enough
By Justin Lee
On a thrilling night at NDV, the 3rd graders played their first regular season game, but ultimately lost 12-8.
Brendan scored 4 points. Both Nathan and Calvin scored 2.
This was a hard-fought game, where the 3rd graders played pretty good. But this game was winnable.
The 3rd graders lacked many simple things, like rules, positioning, and fundamentals.
This team has much potential in ball handlers and shooter in Calvin and Brendan, and a big man in Nathan, but they need to learn the fundamentals of the game.
You can see that they have made progress and that this team is getting better with each game. But its they still need to learn one thing - fundamentals.
On a thrilling night at NDV, the 3rd graders played their first regular season game, but ultimately lost 12-8.
Brendan scored 4 points. Both Nathan and Calvin scored 2.
This was a hard-fought game, where the 3rd graders played pretty good. But this game was winnable.
The 3rd graders lacked many simple things, like rules, positioning, and fundamentals.
This team has much potential in ball handlers and shooter in Calvin and Brendan, and a big man in Nathan, but they need to learn the fundamentals of the game.
You can see that they have made progress and that this team is getting better with each game. But its they still need to learn one thing - fundamentals.
6th grade boys basketball preview
The lone St. Mary's team to win a championship, the 6th grade, will begin their title defense Saturday morning in Half Moon Bay.
Like all championship and most playoff teams from the year before, the 6th grade will ascend a division where the competition will be better than the teams they faced last year.
Most of the games they played weren't close, but they weren't blowouts either. But all their games had one common theme, they won.
But that was then, and this is not then - this is now.
With a new head coach in place, the expectations of success are remain the same.
John Wang says his expectations are high and making the playoffs is the first goal.
To do so, they are going to have to really improve on both ends of the court. Their last two tournament games were perfect examples of how they are going to need to elevate their level of play.
They will be without Willard, one of the team's top scorer's from last season. So someone on the team is going to have to step up to make up for the lost points.
At the helm is Raymond who has been the most consistent scorer since 3rd grade.
This team can score on the fast break a lot easier than in the half court so they will need to generate some turnovers instead of playing station to station.
The twins, Joseph and Thomas, with a year of experience under their belts should be even better than last year, as both are good players down low on defense.
Offensively they'll need to shoot the ball better not only inside but from outside. This is not a very good shooting team so their ability to get lay-ups and control the rebounds is very important.
"We have the talent and size to win games," John said. "So the team needs to play smarter and more organized. That will be my main responsibility."
Like all championship and most playoff teams from the year before, the 6th grade will ascend a division where the competition will be better than the teams they faced last year.
Most of the games they played weren't close, but they weren't blowouts either. But all their games had one common theme, they won.
But that was then, and this is not then - this is now.
With a new head coach in place, the expectations of success are remain the same.
John Wang says his expectations are high and making the playoffs is the first goal.
To do so, they are going to have to really improve on both ends of the court. Their last two tournament games were perfect examples of how they are going to need to elevate their level of play.
They will be without Willard, one of the team's top scorer's from last season. So someone on the team is going to have to step up to make up for the lost points.
At the helm is Raymond who has been the most consistent scorer since 3rd grade.
This team can score on the fast break a lot easier than in the half court so they will need to generate some turnovers instead of playing station to station.
The twins, Joseph and Thomas, with a year of experience under their belts should be even better than last year, as both are good players down low on defense.
Offensively they'll need to shoot the ball better not only inside but from outside. This is not a very good shooting team so their ability to get lay-ups and control the rebounds is very important.
"We have the talent and size to win games," John said. "So the team needs to play smarter and more organized. That will be my main responsibility."
6th grade boys basketball preview
The lone St. Mary's team to win a championship, the 6th grade, will begin their title defense Saturday morning in Half Moon Bay.
Like all championship and most playoff teams from the year before, the 6th grade will ascend a division where the competition will be better than the teams they faced last year.
Most of the games they played weren't close, but they weren't blowouts either. But all their games had one common theme, they won.
But that was then, and this is not then - this is now.
With a new head coach in place, the expectations of success are remain the same.
John Wang says his expectations are high and making the playoffs is the first goal.
To do so, they are going to have to really improve on both ends of the court. Their last two tournament games were perfect examples of how they are going to need to elevate their level of play.
They will be without Willard, one of the team's top scorer's from last season. So someone on the team is going to have to step up to make up for the lost points.
At the helm is Raymond who has been the most consistent scorer since 3rd grade.
This team can score on the fast break a lot easier than in the half court so they will need to generate some turnovers instead of playing station to station.
The twins, Joseph and Thomas, with a year of experience under their belts should be even better than last year, as both are good players down low on defense.
Offensively they'll need to shoot the ball better not only inside but from outside. This is not a very good shooting team so their ability to get lay-ups and control the rebounds is very important.
"We have the talent and size to win games," John said. "So the team needs to play smarter and more organized. That will be my main responsibility."
Like all championship and most playoff teams from the year before, the 6th grade will ascend a division where the competition will be better than the teams they faced last year.
Most of the games they played weren't close, but they weren't blowouts either. But all their games had one common theme, they won.
But that was then, and this is not then - this is now.
With a new head coach in place, the expectations of success are remain the same.
John Wang says his expectations are high and making the playoffs is the first goal.
To do so, they are going to have to really improve on both ends of the court. Their last two tournament games were perfect examples of how they are going to need to elevate their level of play.
They will be without Willard, one of the team's top scorer's from last season. So someone on the team is going to have to step up to make up for the lost points.
At the helm is Raymond who has been the most consistent scorer since 3rd grade.
This team can score on the fast break a lot easier than in the half court so they will need to generate some turnovers instead of playing station to station.
The twins, Joseph and Thomas, with a year of experience under their belts should be even better than last year, as both are good players down low on defense.
Offensively they'll need to shoot the ball better not only inside but from outside. This is not a very good shooting team so their ability to get lay-ups and control the rebounds is very important.
"We have the talent and size to win games," John said. "So the team needs to play smarter and more organized. That will be my main responsibility."
Thursday, December 1, 2011
3rd grade boys basketball preview
For the first time in three years, St. Mary's will have a 3rd grade boys basketball team.
Some of the more familiar names, Calvin, Ethan, the twins Damon and Darren are on the team.
As expected there is a learning curve and head coach Randy Stonebarger, Kaela's father, is more focused on getting the basics down, and the winning can come later.
"My expectations this year for the 3rd grade basketball team is for them to learn the fundamentals of basketball and enjoy playing the game," Randy said.
With that being said, nobody would mind if they could learn sooner rather than later.
"I also want them to be competitive and hopefully that could lead the team to the playoffs," he added.
They did not record a win in the tournament, but those three games were great experience for the upcoming season.
Where most teams are playing for the first time this weekend, Friday night's game will be game number four for most of the boys.
Brendan, brother of Justin in 5th grade, has already emerged as a shooter, leading the team in scoring in all three games of the tournament.
"Brendan shows a lot of aggressiveness in the court and is not afraid to shoot," Randy said.
With a lot of 3rd grade teams, the kids simply aren't strong enough to get off good shots. Brendan doesn't have that problem.
As the season goes on, the St. Mary's Athletics universe will be introduced to more of the new names as they embark on the beginning of what hopes to be a long and successful playing career.
Justin Lee, class of 2011 graduate, is the 3rd grade's assistant coach.
Some of the more familiar names, Calvin, Ethan, the twins Damon and Darren are on the team.
As expected there is a learning curve and head coach Randy Stonebarger, Kaela's father, is more focused on getting the basics down, and the winning can come later.
"My expectations this year for the 3rd grade basketball team is for them to learn the fundamentals of basketball and enjoy playing the game," Randy said.
With that being said, nobody would mind if they could learn sooner rather than later.
"I also want them to be competitive and hopefully that could lead the team to the playoffs," he added.
They did not record a win in the tournament, but those three games were great experience for the upcoming season.
Where most teams are playing for the first time this weekend, Friday night's game will be game number four for most of the boys.
Brendan, brother of Justin in 5th grade, has already emerged as a shooter, leading the team in scoring in all three games of the tournament.
"Brendan shows a lot of aggressiveness in the court and is not afraid to shoot," Randy said.
With a lot of 3rd grade teams, the kids simply aren't strong enough to get off good shots. Brendan doesn't have that problem.
As the season goes on, the St. Mary's Athletics universe will be introduced to more of the new names as they embark on the beginning of what hopes to be a long and successful playing career.
Justin Lee, class of 2011 graduate, is the 3rd grade's assistant coach.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
7th grade boys basketball team preview
For the last three seasons, the 7th grade boys have ended the year (4-4). For two straight seasons, they've been eliminated in the playoffs.
So the question mark that surrounds them is will this year be any different.
The most notable difference or similarity is that they will have a new head coach for the fifth straight year. In the coaching carousel, James Chiu has assumed the position of head coach, and perhaps a coach with a winning track record could be the one to get this team over the hump.
"I have high expectations for this team," James said. "They have the potential to make it far in this division, but they need to focus and work as a team to accomplish anything."
There's the word, potential, which has dangled over them every year from 3rd grade until now. They've always had the talent and have shown glimpses of putting it together, but never on a consistent basis.
Their best win as a team came in the first regular season game a year ago when they rallied from a 8 point deficit to win the game.
But then there are the hiccups, losing to teams that didn't even make the playoffs.
Which team will show up?
As James points out, it all starts with practice. The boys are a little bit more mature now, but still tend to goof around during practice. The fooling around, the bickering, the who gets to be first in line, all needs to be stopped if they want to seriously contend.
On the court so far, Justin has shown great ability finding his open teammates. His passing as a point guard in the last few years needed work, and it looks so far so good as he and Daniel have connected several times already this year.
Daniel is not the biggest 7th grader by any measure, but he rebounds like he is the biggest 7th grader. He's tough and is willing to pay the price down low to get the ball. He is going to get numerous opportunities around the hoop, and he'll need to finish.
Team chemistry will also be tested as they welcome two new players to the team, Christian and James, Gavy's little brother.
Christian had his breakout game in the final game of the tournament scoring 12 points and looks to be a huge addition to the squad. But he'll need seasoning and experience to limit his mistakes.
"He needs some more work in areas like his body control for shots and positioning on defense, but that will come through proper practice and hard work," James said.
Working together as a team is more important for this team than others because of the individual talents each player has. If they can, they are definitely going to be a dangerous team in their division.
"I expect the team to play their best at every game," said assistant coach Clarissa Lee, who is now in her third year with the team.
"They all must want to win it and they need to communicate as a team better in order to have a successful season."
So the question mark that surrounds them is will this year be any different.
The most notable difference or similarity is that they will have a new head coach for the fifth straight year. In the coaching carousel, James Chiu has assumed the position of head coach, and perhaps a coach with a winning track record could be the one to get this team over the hump.
"I have high expectations for this team," James said. "They have the potential to make it far in this division, but they need to focus and work as a team to accomplish anything."
There's the word, potential, which has dangled over them every year from 3rd grade until now. They've always had the talent and have shown glimpses of putting it together, but never on a consistent basis.
Their best win as a team came in the first regular season game a year ago when they rallied from a 8 point deficit to win the game.
But then there are the hiccups, losing to teams that didn't even make the playoffs.
Which team will show up?
As James points out, it all starts with practice. The boys are a little bit more mature now, but still tend to goof around during practice. The fooling around, the bickering, the who gets to be first in line, all needs to be stopped if they want to seriously contend.
On the court so far, Justin has shown great ability finding his open teammates. His passing as a point guard in the last few years needed work, and it looks so far so good as he and Daniel have connected several times already this year.
Daniel is not the biggest 7th grader by any measure, but he rebounds like he is the biggest 7th grader. He's tough and is willing to pay the price down low to get the ball. He is going to get numerous opportunities around the hoop, and he'll need to finish.
Team chemistry will also be tested as they welcome two new players to the team, Christian and James, Gavy's little brother.
Christian had his breakout game in the final game of the tournament scoring 12 points and looks to be a huge addition to the squad. But he'll need seasoning and experience to limit his mistakes.
"He needs some more work in areas like his body control for shots and positioning on defense, but that will come through proper practice and hard work," James said.
Working together as a team is more important for this team than others because of the individual talents each player has. If they can, they are definitely going to be a dangerous team in their division.
"I expect the team to play their best at every game," said assistant coach Clarissa Lee, who is now in her third year with the team.
"They all must want to win it and they need to communicate as a team better in order to have a successful season."
5th grade boys basketball season preview
It's rare, even in a small school like St. Mary's, that the best shooter from grades 3-8 is in 5th grade.
That shooter is Jonathan.
As most people know, Jonathan is arguably the best shooter in the sports program. Give him an open shot and more often than not he'll knock it down. From the free throw line, he's as good as it gets.
But for the 5th grade boys to return to the playoffs, they'll need a better team effort as well as a more well rounded game from Jonathan.
In their heartbreaking sudden death overtime loss in February, Jonathan scored 22 of the team's 26 points and didn't get much help from his supporting cast on the offensive end.
This year already appears to be different.
At the top of the list is the improvement of Ryan, who took only three games to sink his first shot of the year. The way he caught the ball, shot it, and made it, it looked like he had been doing that for years.
"From what many people have told me, Ryan has made strides in his game from last season to this season," said first year head coach Leslie Truong.
A season ago, the team had only five players, and nobody had a chance to breathe. This year, there's a little more flexibility with seven players on the team, three new.
Allen, Jason L. and Michael are the newest additions.
Michael has already opened some eyes with his quickness, but he will need to develop a little more in the ball handling department to round out his game.
"This kid is fast," Leslie said of Michael. "If he is in a good ready position on defense, he is very capable of getting a steal and beating everyone down the court for a fast break layup."
In the back-court, the 5th grade looks pretty strong. But the games will probably be won in the trenches, and that's where the team needs to play better the most.
Rebounding was a huge issue last year and will continue to be this year. In their two tournament losses, they were unable to box out and grab rebounds. Without that, they can't transition into the fast break as easily.
They are definitely not the biggest team, as Jonathan actually plays down in the post on the 2-3 defense. But size only goes so far when it comes to rebounding.
"Even though other teams may be taller than us, it is not impossible to utilize effective post moves against those taller teams," Leslie said.
After making the playoffs, the 5th graders move up a division, so it will be a challenge, even with the talented players they have, to get back to the post-season, and a shot to go further than the year before.
"I want this team this year to be at the very least playoff contenders since they made it to the playoffs last year," Leslie said.
"To set the bar even higher, I want us to aim for the championship."
Jason H. and Justin, returning from last year, round out the seven man team.
That shooter is Jonathan.
As most people know, Jonathan is arguably the best shooter in the sports program. Give him an open shot and more often than not he'll knock it down. From the free throw line, he's as good as it gets.
But for the 5th grade boys to return to the playoffs, they'll need a better team effort as well as a more well rounded game from Jonathan.
In their heartbreaking sudden death overtime loss in February, Jonathan scored 22 of the team's 26 points and didn't get much help from his supporting cast on the offensive end.
This year already appears to be different.
At the top of the list is the improvement of Ryan, who took only three games to sink his first shot of the year. The way he caught the ball, shot it, and made it, it looked like he had been doing that for years.
"From what many people have told me, Ryan has made strides in his game from last season to this season," said first year head coach Leslie Truong.
A season ago, the team had only five players, and nobody had a chance to breathe. This year, there's a little more flexibility with seven players on the team, three new.
Allen, Jason L. and Michael are the newest additions.
Michael has already opened some eyes with his quickness, but he will need to develop a little more in the ball handling department to round out his game.
"This kid is fast," Leslie said of Michael. "If he is in a good ready position on defense, he is very capable of getting a steal and beating everyone down the court for a fast break layup."
In the back-court, the 5th grade looks pretty strong. But the games will probably be won in the trenches, and that's where the team needs to play better the most.
Rebounding was a huge issue last year and will continue to be this year. In their two tournament losses, they were unable to box out and grab rebounds. Without that, they can't transition into the fast break as easily.
They are definitely not the biggest team, as Jonathan actually plays down in the post on the 2-3 defense. But size only goes so far when it comes to rebounding.
"Even though other teams may be taller than us, it is not impossible to utilize effective post moves against those taller teams," Leslie said.
After making the playoffs, the 5th graders move up a division, so it will be a challenge, even with the talented players they have, to get back to the post-season, and a shot to go further than the year before.
"I want this team this year to be at the very least playoff contenders since they made it to the playoffs last year," Leslie said.
"To set the bar even higher, I want us to aim for the championship."
Jason H. and Justin, returning from last year, round out the seven man team.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
BREAKING NEWS: Boys basketball schedules released
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| 3RD GRADE |
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| 5TH GRADE |
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| 6TH GRADE |
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| 7TH GRADE |
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| 8TH GRADE DEMARILLAC |
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| 8TH GRADE ST. MARY'S |
CLICK THE IMAGES TO ENLARGE THE SCHEDULE.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Media Pig Monday
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| The 49ers helmet being inflated before the game |
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| The view from the press box |
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| Lunch time |
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| Halftime Snack Time |
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| David Akers warming up to kick. |
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| Cardinals defensive linemen Darnell Dockett. |
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| The 49ers press conference room as we await Jim Harbaugh |
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| Everybody's gone. |
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Boys Tournament Video Wrap
Be sure to read the game stories below as well as our Happy Birthday for November 26th.
Tournament Wrap: 7th grade falls in OT thriller, other teams finish out tourney
In the most thrilling game of the early boys basketball season, the 7th grade boys forced overtime against a team that won the championship last year, but fell short 45-39 in overtime in the final round of the CYO Preseason Tournament.
The team got an unexpected shot in the arm from rookie Christian, a 7th grader from DeMarillac, who tied for the game high with 12 points.
Having never played a game before last Sunday, Christian has slowly acclimated himself to the game of basketball and his breakout game came in the 7th grade's latest game.
He was able to utilize his best two strengths, size and speed, which helped him lead a furious second half comeback.
On the boards, he was able to pick up points by the basket, and his long arms were able to get him several steals that led to fast breaks.
With the 7th grade trailing 29-27 early in the fourth, Christian was able to chase down a rebound with his long arms, and take it coast to coast to tie the game with a lay-up.
Then again, with less than 30 seconds left in the game and the 7th grade down 36-34, Justin found Christian in the paint who then turned around and scooped a shot into the basket. That shot tied the game once again and forced overtime.
The game might not have even gone to overtime if the 7th grade would've shot better from the free throw line. They missed their first 13 chances from the line and went an atrocious 20% (4-for-20) for the game.
There was also a lane violation early in the game that cost the boys a point.
Daniel actually got to a rebound with about five seconds to go in the game, threw an outlet down court to Christian, whose desperate heave from just inside the three-point arc fell short.
In the extra quarter, the other team took advantage of a tired squad, that did everything they could to get back into the game, and closed out the 7th grade boys.
It was a bad start for the team, as they were a step slow on defense. They dug themselves an early hole and trailed by as much as 12 before halftime.
The comeback came in the second half as they were able to get some good secondary scoring from the Brandons. Brandon Khuu had two nice mid-range jump shots in the third and Brandon Tom, who was celebrating his 12th birthday, chipped in with 5 points.
It's going to take a team effort for the 7th grade to get back to the playoffs for a third straight year this season, as they will have a healthy 8 players to start the season.
Both Justin and Daniel have developed their games, as they both now not only have the ability to score, but they both have been really good passing the ball to open teammates. The last two games of the tournament were prime examples of that.
Despite only scoring 6 points, Daniel was able to set up many good looks for his teammates.
This game was a definite positive going into the season as they were able to go toe to toe with a really solid team. Barring some missed lay-ups and the aforementioned mistakes, they could've pulled off an upset.
It's going to be some fun basketball to watch this year as the 7th graders have shown their ability to score. They averaged 42.5 points in their last two games.
8th grade salvages final game
Both 8th grade teams combined to play in the final game of the tournament, and they were able to come away with a win.
The St. Mary's 8th grade team was able to keep pace in the first two quarters and trailed only 6-4 at halftime.
From there the DeMarillac 8th graders, representing St. Mary's took charge, and ran away with the game.
In the end, it was a 29-8 win.
Moises, a 7th grader playing with the 8th grade St. Mary's team scored 4 points in the first half, including a buzzer beating shot late in the first quarter.
Kenny, a new player for St. Mary's made his debut and was able to get some tough rebounds by the basket. Unfortunately, he was unable to put them back in for points.
On the DeMarillac side, Julio and Pablo led the way. Their athleticism helped them on many fast breaks and they were both able to cash in on the easy lay-ups in the second half. Pablo had a game high 10 points, Julio had 8 points.
John Jett scored 4 points and Anthony added 3 for the 8th grade DM team.
6th grade drops last two tourney games
After a blazing start in game one of the tournament, the defending champion 6th grade boys have lost their last two games.
Today's contest was much closer than their game Wednesday night but they both yielded the same result.
Raymond's team high 9 points was not enough as the 6th graders fell 18-13 in a hard fought and physical game.
Many of the players on the team came away bruised and battered against a very rough and rugged team. Several of the players left the game battered and bruised, but none of the bumps and scrapes appear to be serious.
Sometimes a game like this could toughen up a team like the 6th grade who are going to face some stiff competition this season.
Being able to endure games against teams who may be a little more physical than others will help them out as the season progresses.
Jason Ng and Joseph both scored two points in the loss. They had several good looks by the basket but their coach Justin Khuu said that they were unable to convert on them.
Rebounds lacking for the 5th grade
The 5th grade is going to be able to put up points, but are they going to be able to stop them.
In today's 28-23 loss, they were outrebounded decisively for the second straight game. For them to bring their game to the next level, they are going to have to play tougher inside.
The other team jumped on all the loose balls by the basket, and the lack of boxing out by the 5th grade. Their second chance points were the story of the game. For whatever reason, the 5th grade has trouble getting rebounds.
They are not that small of a team as Jason H. and newcomer Jason L. both are good sized 5th graders. But rebounding is not all about size, as a lot of it is having inside position. Today, they didn't.
Offensively, Ryan scored his first two points of the year on a jumper in the fourth quarter and Jason L. scored his first points of the year with an And-1 in the fourth.
3rd grade concludes tourney with a 3 spot
The 3rd grade wrapped up the first three games in their career with a 10-3 loss Saturday morning.
Brendan scored 2 points and Nathan had a point in the loss.
The team got an unexpected shot in the arm from rookie Christian, a 7th grader from DeMarillac, who tied for the game high with 12 points.
Having never played a game before last Sunday, Christian has slowly acclimated himself to the game of basketball and his breakout game came in the 7th grade's latest game.
He was able to utilize his best two strengths, size and speed, which helped him lead a furious second half comeback.
On the boards, he was able to pick up points by the basket, and his long arms were able to get him several steals that led to fast breaks.
With the 7th grade trailing 29-27 early in the fourth, Christian was able to chase down a rebound with his long arms, and take it coast to coast to tie the game with a lay-up.
Then again, with less than 30 seconds left in the game and the 7th grade down 36-34, Justin found Christian in the paint who then turned around and scooped a shot into the basket. That shot tied the game once again and forced overtime.
The game might not have even gone to overtime if the 7th grade would've shot better from the free throw line. They missed their first 13 chances from the line and went an atrocious 20% (4-for-20) for the game.
There was also a lane violation early in the game that cost the boys a point.
Daniel actually got to a rebound with about five seconds to go in the game, threw an outlet down court to Christian, whose desperate heave from just inside the three-point arc fell short.
In the extra quarter, the other team took advantage of a tired squad, that did everything they could to get back into the game, and closed out the 7th grade boys.
It was a bad start for the team, as they were a step slow on defense. They dug themselves an early hole and trailed by as much as 12 before halftime.
The comeback came in the second half as they were able to get some good secondary scoring from the Brandons. Brandon Khuu had two nice mid-range jump shots in the third and Brandon Tom, who was celebrating his 12th birthday, chipped in with 5 points.
It's going to take a team effort for the 7th grade to get back to the playoffs for a third straight year this season, as they will have a healthy 8 players to start the season.
Both Justin and Daniel have developed their games, as they both now not only have the ability to score, but they both have been really good passing the ball to open teammates. The last two games of the tournament were prime examples of that.
Despite only scoring 6 points, Daniel was able to set up many good looks for his teammates.
This game was a definite positive going into the season as they were able to go toe to toe with a really solid team. Barring some missed lay-ups and the aforementioned mistakes, they could've pulled off an upset.
It's going to be some fun basketball to watch this year as the 7th graders have shown their ability to score. They averaged 42.5 points in their last two games.
8th grade salvages final game
Both 8th grade teams combined to play in the final game of the tournament, and they were able to come away with a win.
The St. Mary's 8th grade team was able to keep pace in the first two quarters and trailed only 6-4 at halftime.
From there the DeMarillac 8th graders, representing St. Mary's took charge, and ran away with the game.
In the end, it was a 29-8 win.
Moises, a 7th grader playing with the 8th grade St. Mary's team scored 4 points in the first half, including a buzzer beating shot late in the first quarter.
Kenny, a new player for St. Mary's made his debut and was able to get some tough rebounds by the basket. Unfortunately, he was unable to put them back in for points.
On the DeMarillac side, Julio and Pablo led the way. Their athleticism helped them on many fast breaks and they were both able to cash in on the easy lay-ups in the second half. Pablo had a game high 10 points, Julio had 8 points.
John Jett scored 4 points and Anthony added 3 for the 8th grade DM team.
6th grade drops last two tourney games
After a blazing start in game one of the tournament, the defending champion 6th grade boys have lost their last two games.
Today's contest was much closer than their game Wednesday night but they both yielded the same result.
Raymond's team high 9 points was not enough as the 6th graders fell 18-13 in a hard fought and physical game.
Many of the players on the team came away bruised and battered against a very rough and rugged team. Several of the players left the game battered and bruised, but none of the bumps and scrapes appear to be serious.
Sometimes a game like this could toughen up a team like the 6th grade who are going to face some stiff competition this season.
Being able to endure games against teams who may be a little more physical than others will help them out as the season progresses.
Jason Ng and Joseph both scored two points in the loss. They had several good looks by the basket but their coach Justin Khuu said that they were unable to convert on them.
Rebounds lacking for the 5th grade
The 5th grade is going to be able to put up points, but are they going to be able to stop them.
In today's 28-23 loss, they were outrebounded decisively for the second straight game. For them to bring their game to the next level, they are going to have to play tougher inside.
The other team jumped on all the loose balls by the basket, and the lack of boxing out by the 5th grade. Their second chance points were the story of the game. For whatever reason, the 5th grade has trouble getting rebounds.
They are not that small of a team as Jason H. and newcomer Jason L. both are good sized 5th graders. But rebounding is not all about size, as a lot of it is having inside position. Today, they didn't.
Offensively, Ryan scored his first two points of the year on a jumper in the fourth quarter and Jason L. scored his first points of the year with an And-1 in the fourth.
3rd grade concludes tourney with a 3 spot
The 3rd grade wrapped up the first three games in their career with a 10-3 loss Saturday morning.
Brendan scored 2 points and Nathan had a point in the loss.
Friday, November 25, 2011
2nd Round RAW Videos
Tons of stuff on the blog this week, make sure you take a look at all the posts including the volleyball and soccer post mortems as well as my Thanksgiving list. Hope everyone had a well Black Friday, and dropped bills at the stores.
DeMarillac 8th graders play first tournament game
The 8th grade DeMarillac team started off slow but made a small push at the end of a 36-18 loss in round two of the CYO Preseason Tournament.
Pablo hit two 3-pointers and had a team high 8 points in the loss.
Both 8th grade teams will conclude the tournament tomorrow afternoon with a 1 p.m. tip-off.
NOTE: BOTH 8TH GRADE TEAMS WILL PLAY TOMORROW
Pablo hit two 3-pointers and had a team high 8 points in the loss.
Both 8th grade teams will conclude the tournament tomorrow afternoon with a 1 p.m. tip-off.
NOTE: BOTH 8TH GRADE TEAMS WILL PLAY TOMORROW
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Happy Thanksgiving
Times to give thanks to...
- All our dedicated coaches who take the time out of their busy schedules to coach our teams.
- All the wonderful parents who are willing to let you play, transport you to practice and games, and continuously support our program.
- Our alumni who still support athletics here at St. Mary's even when they graduate.
- All the graduates who came to the soccer and volleyball playoff and championship games. I'm going to list each and every one of them, and I bet you I will forget someone. But nonetheless, here we go:
- Vinette, Jamie, Michelle, Olivia, Tiffy, Emily, Melinda, Tiff Ye, Derek, Elliot, Tommy, Kelvin, Marissa, Jeremy, Gavins, Justin, Miles, Catharine, Serina, Timmy.
- The students who weren't playing in the games but still came out anyways. And let's list them too...Ryan, Victoria, Fiona, Kaela, Edwena, Justin, Brandon, Aaron, Raymond, Colleen, Daniel, Isabella, Brendan.
- The only members of our faculty to show up at any game this season, Mr. B and Mr. Ryan. Mrs. Mayfield counts too, but Isabella is her daughter...
- Hunter, Brendan, Daniel and Brandon K. - the only boys to join soccer in the 7th grade this year.
- Sabrina, the last girl standing from St. Mary's on the 8th grade volleyball team.
- Cynthia and Isabella, the lone 7th graders who joined volleyball.
- Hartman, the only 8th grade boy to ever play soccer.
- All the players from DeMarillac who have been playing with us the last few years.
- My 65 followers on Twitter.
- All the students who continue to have great school spirit and try their best at everything they do.
- Anybody who supports St. Mary's Athletics and has made it what it is today.
- And most importantly, I am thankful for you...YUP!
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
7th grade bounces back, 5th and 6th grade lose in tourney action
Six of the seven players on the 7th grade basketball team got on the scoresheet as they had their most lopsided win in team history,winning 49-6 in round two of the CYO Preseason Tournament.
Justin, 16 points, and Daniel 15 points, combined for 31 of the team's 49 points as both of them were on fire in the first half. Justin hit several jumpers from the outside and connected on some nice drives to the hoop, while Daniel just cleaned up everything down low.
After being held scoreless in the first half, Brendan scored 6 alone in the fourth quarter.
James and Christian, both newcomers to the team, scored for the first time in St. Mary's uniforms.
The game was never in question as they opened up a 31-3 lead at halftime. The game was well in hand so Justin and Daniel got to spend the fourth quarter resting on the bench.
Granted the other team wasn't much competition but the way the team scored was impressive.
Justin was great running the fast break, distributing it to his teammates when he needed to, and taking the show when given the opportunity.
Defensively, it felt like they had a steal on almost every defensive possession.
They play next in the Consolation Championship.
The 5th and 6th grade teams came off big wins in round one, but were both dealt losses in round two.
Up against a much tougher and physical team, the 5th grade answered the challenge for three quarters, but ran out of gas towards the end in a 28-12 loss.
They will play for the third place championship Saturday morning.
It was a close game for three quarters, as they trailed by only four points at halftime - it would've been only two if not for a buzzer beating shot. It was 18-10 after three.
The other team had a center who was a good head and a half taller than the 5th grade's tallest player so rebounds were hard to come by the entire night.
Jonathan had a team high 8 points before leaving after three quarters due to a jammed thumb. He is listed as day to day.
The 5th grade had a chance to pull off an upset as defensively they were pretty good on the outside. It's when the ball was shot it became a problem. Their post players had a difficult time rebounding all night.
Offensively, they couldn't generate as much as they did the other night, as this team was quick and got back on defense a lot quicker. They were relegated to outside shots for most of the night and were limited on fast breaks.
They didn't to themselves any favors as they were frequently trapped in a corner or turning the ball over early in the game.
But nonetheless it was a good challenge for this team, as they will need to play at a high level all season.
Saturday morning, the 5th grade plays for third place in the tournament.
Jonathan made a three pointer after the buzzer sounded in the third when he hit the ground and hurt his thumb.
The 6th grade was held scoreless until a Jason Z. free throw late in the third got them on the board.
But it was way too little, way too late as they were dealt a 24-4 loss.
In a game very similar to the 5th grade, the 6th grade was unable to get out on the fast break because the other team was bigger in size.
Defensively, they weren't generating turnovers and had trouble getting rebounds to fuel their offense.
Also up against a pretty good team, the 6th graders played a little tentative and didn't have the confidence they had in game one, which usually happens against a physically bigger team.
On offense, they were facing a man to man defensive, and nobody was able to beat their man.
Defensively, rebounds were hard to get and the team was constantly out of position, leading to an inflated foul count.
They will also play for third place Saturday morning.
Raymond had 3 points in the fourth quarter.
Justin, 16 points, and Daniel 15 points, combined for 31 of the team's 49 points as both of them were on fire in the first half. Justin hit several jumpers from the outside and connected on some nice drives to the hoop, while Daniel just cleaned up everything down low.
After being held scoreless in the first half, Brendan scored 6 alone in the fourth quarter.
James and Christian, both newcomers to the team, scored for the first time in St. Mary's uniforms.
The game was never in question as they opened up a 31-3 lead at halftime. The game was well in hand so Justin and Daniel got to spend the fourth quarter resting on the bench.
Granted the other team wasn't much competition but the way the team scored was impressive.
Justin was great running the fast break, distributing it to his teammates when he needed to, and taking the show when given the opportunity.
Defensively, it felt like they had a steal on almost every defensive possession.
They play next in the Consolation Championship.
The 5th and 6th grade teams came off big wins in round one, but were both dealt losses in round two.
Up against a much tougher and physical team, the 5th grade answered the challenge for three quarters, but ran out of gas towards the end in a 28-12 loss.
They will play for the third place championship Saturday morning.
It was a close game for three quarters, as they trailed by only four points at halftime - it would've been only two if not for a buzzer beating shot. It was 18-10 after three.
The other team had a center who was a good head and a half taller than the 5th grade's tallest player so rebounds were hard to come by the entire night.
Jonathan had a team high 8 points before leaving after three quarters due to a jammed thumb. He is listed as day to day.
The 5th grade had a chance to pull off an upset as defensively they were pretty good on the outside. It's when the ball was shot it became a problem. Their post players had a difficult time rebounding all night.
Offensively, they couldn't generate as much as they did the other night, as this team was quick and got back on defense a lot quicker. They were relegated to outside shots for most of the night and were limited on fast breaks.
They didn't to themselves any favors as they were frequently trapped in a corner or turning the ball over early in the game.
But nonetheless it was a good challenge for this team, as they will need to play at a high level all season.
Saturday morning, the 5th grade plays for third place in the tournament.
Jonathan made a three pointer after the buzzer sounded in the third when he hit the ground and hurt his thumb.
The 6th grade was held scoreless until a Jason Z. free throw late in the third got them on the board.
But it was way too little, way too late as they were dealt a 24-4 loss.
In a game very similar to the 5th grade, the 6th grade was unable to get out on the fast break because the other team was bigger in size.
Defensively, they weren't generating turnovers and had trouble getting rebounds to fuel their offense.
Also up against a pretty good team, the 6th graders played a little tentative and didn't have the confidence they had in game one, which usually happens against a physically bigger team.
On offense, they were facing a man to man defensive, and nobody was able to beat their man.
Defensively, rebounds were hard to get and the team was constantly out of position, leading to an inflated foul count.
They will also play for third place Saturday morning.
Raymond had 3 points in the fourth quarter.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Volleyball and Soccer post-mortems
It's been a few days since the dust has cleared from the soccer and volleyball championships, and it's a good time (or only time before we really get into boys basketball and forget about soccer and volleyball) for us to reflect on the good, bad and even ugly of our two championship games.
First of all, for both teams to get there honestly is a remarkable accomplishment. Both teams had the same dynamics, with players from the 7th grade playing in the 8th grade, the first time the players on the team played together as a team, players on the team that had never played before, and a team of strangers who never met each other until early in September.
For even one of those reasons, they were battling uphill the entire year. And yet, they were both oh so close from taking the ultimate prize.
Second of all, (since there was a first of all) to win a championship takes a lot more than just skill. It also takes a little bit of luck. In both of these games, luck just simply wasn't on the St. Mary's side.
In the volleyball championship, they were leading 23-21 and Aileen had a spike set up nicely. The ball just hit the top of the net. A few inches higher, that ball goes over, and we have championship point.
A ball on set point was right on the edge of in or out, and the lines-person as well as the referee both ruled it in. I zoomed it in 800% on my video editing system and it looked to just graze the line. But nonetheless, a break that didn't go the girls' way.
The other team also had a few balls that just barely touched the net and fell over, huge points in such a tight contest.
Sabrina had a serve late in the third set that just landed out.
Maybe it just wasn't meant to be.
Moving onto the soccer field, the team played down a man for most of the second quarter, and in return, the other team scored three goals. Eloy, the team's leading scorer was out for portions of the fourth quarter, also not good.
The team had three to four dynamic scoring chances and could not capitalize.
Up against a super fast team, the turf surface worked to the disadvantage of the team. They clearly weren't as fast so playing on a soccer field with real grass would've slowed the other team down.
A lot of calls were not made as the other team was definitely the aggressor.
But when you lose 7-1, can you really point to those factors?
What could the teams have done better?
The girls went away from the bump, set and spike. This was the same thing that happened to the 8th grade girls in their championship in 2009 (Marissa, Emily, Melinda, Tiff Ye and friends…).
When a team is confident and in a rhythm, they feel like they can spike (hit) the ball. When it's a close game, players tend to get nervous and play conservative and just bump the ball over the net, hoping the other team makes a mistake.
That's exactly what happened, and more often than not towards the end, we were the ones that made the mistake.
If you watch the footage, the other team was just solid in passing and bumping. Rarely did they spike or tip. The points that they were earned were off of mistakes that the 7th/8th grade girls committed.
One thing that I preach constantly in any sport, is that you don't look at the scoreboard. You play every point like it's the last one. I can guarantee some of the girls looked at the scoreboard and panic set in.
As for soccer, there really wasn't an answer to the other team. It makes you wonder how they even tied the first time they played.
The other team was faster, quicker, stronger and wanted it more.
The 7th/8th graders also lacked depth. After Pablo, Sebastian and Eloy, there were no goal scorers on the team. They needed some extra firepower and in a championship game, they couldn't get it.
The other team got goals from different players. All year, we got goals from the same three.
If that was the case, and we were expecting goals from only the big three, the mid-field and defense had to be at their best, and they weren't.
One thing you can point to, and Sebastian made this point very clear in his interview after the game, was that they did not practice hard enough and went into the game perhaps a little too over-confident.
Their practices were not the best if you ever watched them. They goofed around too much, and this was from top to bottom. The work ethic in practice was a factor in the game.
Hopefully, lesson learned there.
Finally, they had to have thicker skin. They were being physically pushed around by the other team and they let it affect their game. If the ref isn't going to call anything, you have to have the mental strength and determination to play through it.
I cut this out from the interviews I did, but each player mentioned that the ref didn't make certain calls.
Yes, that could be true. But in the end, there's nothing you can do about bad calls, and you need to make the plays that are needed in the game, so bad calls don't affect the outcome.
Now if you have made it this far in the post mortem, do me a favor and click one of the cool, interesting or funny buttons at the bottom just so I know how many of you were able to follow this long.
I can't stress that even though I am pointing out what they could've done better, I couldn't be more proud of the two teams.
Volleyball and soccer are two sports where we have had a lot of trouble with fielding competitive teams since we have not had it in existence for very long. Did it help we had some athletic talent from the players at DeMarillac? Yes.
But without the St. Mary's players who played before, there would be no team either.
Cynthia and Isabella were very good this year, and so was Sabrina, who was the only girl who decided to join and stick with volleyball in her class.
Hartman remained the only boy in his class to ever play soccer. He took two real hard balls to the face that we caught on camera, and both times he got back up and kept going.
Getting to these championship games was for all the players who suffered through the struggles of bad seasons when you couldn't wait for it to end because you didn't want to lose anymore. But we're not there anymore. That was then - this is now.
We were well represented and I can only hope that this year is the turning point.
Next year, I hope all the players who have played continued and this could possibly be a motivating factor for those who are scared, or parents who don't want their kids to play, to go out and try volleyball or soccer.
From here on out, we should believe we can compete in soccer, volleyball and any sport for that matter. All it takes is showing up, and the rest of it will come.
Thank you to everybody, coaches, parents, players, friends and loyal supporters for making this the best volleyball and soccer season we've ever had.
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