For once, Leslie's long drive back to San Francisco on Highway 1 was a pleasant one Friday night.
The 8th grade girls made it look easy with a 31-9 win in Pacifica, ending Leslie's three game losing streak down the peninsula.
Jamie did a lot of the heavy lifting and had a double double. She scored a game high 13 points, and came away with 10 steals.
Defensively, the girls were on top of their game, suffocating the other team and causing turnover after turnover.
If it weren't for the missed lay-ups, this game could've gotten really ugly and the 8th grades could've easily hung a 50 on the scoreboard.
All six girls on the team scored.
Kelly had the second highest point total on the team and scored 5 points, while Rebecca, Lily and Fiona all chipped in with 4 points each. Victoria hit a free throw.
It was a good bounce back game after losing in the final seconds Tuesday night. Right off the tip, Jamie fed Kelly for a nice shot by the basket, and the girls never looked back.
Against a team that had the size advantage, the girls out-rebounded the other team 25-19. Although no official stat was kept with the number of field goal attempts, the girls easily took almost double the amount of shots the other team did, a direct contrast from Tuesday night.
31 points is the most the girls have ever scored in a regular season CYO game.
That made Leslie's trip up the highway a lot more pleasant.
.
Friday, February 28, 2014
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
8th grade girls lose in final seconds
The CYO preseason tournament has not treated the 8th grade girls kindly the last few years.
Jamie did hit a game-tying 3 pointer with just under 20 seconds to play, but they could not corral a rebound off a wide open lay-up, and the other team hit a point blank shot from right in front of the basket to win the game.
Final score, 18-16.
In six tournament games, the girls have lost three of them in the final seconds the last two years.
On a night where the other team wasn't at their sharpest, the 8th graders had their chance for a statement win, playing against the same team that knocked them out of the playoffs last season.
They were up 12-7 with a minute to go in the 3rd quarter, but two buckets by the other team quickly made it a one point game going into the fourth.
Plain and simple, the girls stopped scoring.
The game was theirs for the taking, but they couldn't generate any type of offense in the second half. A few times they had wide open looks at the basket, and each time they were unable to convert. The only points the girls had before Jamie's three at the end were free throws.
And collectively, they shot 5-of-13 from the line. Not once did a girl drain both free throws.
Rebounding has always been a problem for the undersized girls, but it was even harder as Lily picked up three fouls in the first half. She watched for almost two quarters from the sidelines when she could've helped her team grab some rebounds.
After blowing out NDV in the first round of the tournament, the girls head into their regular season opener with two straight losses, three if you count the rec league.
Yes, the girls are better than they were a year ago, but right now the difference between a win and a loss is one shot, one rebound, one turnover.
On the bright side, they did play their last ever tournament game.
Jamie did hit a game-tying 3 pointer with just under 20 seconds to play, but they could not corral a rebound off a wide open lay-up, and the other team hit a point blank shot from right in front of the basket to win the game.
Final score, 18-16.
In six tournament games, the girls have lost three of them in the final seconds the last two years.
On a night where the other team wasn't at their sharpest, the 8th graders had their chance for a statement win, playing against the same team that knocked them out of the playoffs last season.
They were up 12-7 with a minute to go in the 3rd quarter, but two buckets by the other team quickly made it a one point game going into the fourth.
Plain and simple, the girls stopped scoring.
The game was theirs for the taking, but they couldn't generate any type of offense in the second half. A few times they had wide open looks at the basket, and each time they were unable to convert. The only points the girls had before Jamie's three at the end were free throws.
And collectively, they shot 5-of-13 from the line. Not once did a girl drain both free throws.
Rebounding has always been a problem for the undersized girls, but it was even harder as Lily picked up three fouls in the first half. She watched for almost two quarters from the sidelines when she could've helped her team grab some rebounds.
After blowing out NDV in the first round of the tournament, the girls head into their regular season opener with two straight losses, three if you count the rec league.
Yes, the girls are better than they were a year ago, but right now the difference between a win and a loss is one shot, one rebound, one turnover.
On the bright side, they did play their last ever tournament game.
Girls Regular Season Schedules
Schedules as of April 10, 2014
4TH/5TH GRADE
Game 1 - Saturday, March 1, 10 a.m. @ St. Emydius
Game 2 - Sunday, March 9, 4 p.m. @ CYO Serramonte
Game 3 - Saturday March 15, 12 p.m. @ St. Emydius
Game 4 - Sunday, March 23, 1 p.m. @ St. Emydius
Game 5- Saturday, March 29, 12:45 p.m. @ Epiphany
Game 6 - Saturday, April 5, 11 a.m. @ Salesian
Game 7 - Saturday, April 12, 11 a.m. @ Mission Dolores
Game 8 - Friday, May 2, 8 p.m. @ Ben Franklin Gym
6TH/7TH GRADE
Game 1 - Friday, March 7, 6 p.m. @ SVDP
Game 2 - Saturday, March 8, 11 a.m. @St. Brendan
Game 3 - Saturday March 15, 2 p.m.. @ St. Emydius
Game 4 - Saturday, March 22, 12 p.m. @ Mission Dolores
Game 5- Saturday, March 29, 3 p.m. @ St. Emydius
Game 6 - Saturday, April 5, 2 p.m. @ St. Emydius
Game 7 - Friday, April 11, 6 p.m. @ St. Emydius
Game 8 - Friday, May 2, 6 p.m. @ Mission Dolores
8TH GRADE
Game 1 - Friday, February 28, 8 p.m. @ St. Peter Pacifica
Game 2 - Friday, March 8, 8 p.m. @ St. Emydius
Game 3 - Saturday March 15, 3 p.m.. @ St. Emydius
Game 4 - Sunday, March 23, 4 p.m. @ St. Emydius
Game 5- Sunday, March 30 4 p.m. @ CYO Serramonte
Game 6 - Saturday, April 5, 12 p.m. @ St. Thomas More
Game 7 - Sunday, April 13, 4 p.m. @ St. Emydius
Game 8 - Thursday, May 1, 8 p.m. @ Ben Franklin
Monday, February 24, 2014
6th/7th grade battles hard in defeat
It was by far the best showing of the tournament for the 6th/7th grade girls, and even in a 34-29 defeat, the girls who have played for a few years arguably never had a better offensive game.
After a pedestrian a combined 19 points in the first two games, the girls almost hit 30.
The main reason was they were able to hit their lay-ups.
Nobody exemplified that more than Cecilia, who scored for the first time in her two plus years of basketball. Even with two championships under her belt, she had never hit a shot during a game. After a short jumper in the 1st quarter, she went on to score six more and finished with 8 points.
Michaela led the team with 15 points, while Christine, Becky and Emily, who also scored the first two points of her career, all had two.
They were going up against a few girls who were twice their size, and the rebounding disparity became too great for the girls to overcome.
It also didn't help when Becky fouled out for the second straight game early in the 4th quarter.
Despite not being able to secure a win in the tournament, this final game showed what they are capable of doing this season in the post-Kaela era.
The girls trailed 21-13 early in the 3rd quarter but went on a 10-0 run to take a two point lead.
But after Becky exited the game, they gave up too many offensive rebounds and that proved to be the difference in the game.
After a pedestrian a combined 19 points in the first two games, the girls almost hit 30.
The main reason was they were able to hit their lay-ups.
Nobody exemplified that more than Cecilia, who scored for the first time in her two plus years of basketball. Even with two championships under her belt, she had never hit a shot during a game. After a short jumper in the 1st quarter, she went on to score six more and finished with 8 points.
Michaela led the team with 15 points, while Christine, Becky and Emily, who also scored the first two points of her career, all had two.
They were going up against a few girls who were twice their size, and the rebounding disparity became too great for the girls to overcome.
It also didn't help when Becky fouled out for the second straight game early in the 4th quarter.
Despite not being able to secure a win in the tournament, this final game showed what they are capable of doing this season in the post-Kaela era.
The girls trailed 21-13 early in the 3rd quarter but went on a 10-0 run to take a two point lead.
But after Becky exited the game, they gave up too many offensive rebounds and that proved to be the difference in the game.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
All-Star Sunday Results
Thank you to all the players, families and coaches who came out to All-Star Sunday. It was a fun event and hope everyone enjoyed themselves.
Here are the results.
All-Star Game
Bryan changed teams in the second half and spearheaded a come from behind victory for the team of Bryan, Michael, Audi, Bill, Edzon, Garrick and Alex.
That team was down 9 points in the final five minutes, but went on a furious 10-0 run to go ahead.
In the first half, Bryan played for the eventual losing team, which consisted of Raymond, Jason Ng, Amarit, Matthew, Ryan and Joseph.
Bryan named himself MVP after the game since he was the leading scorer with 19 points and three 3 pointers.
Young Stars Game
In the Young Stars Game, the team of Wilson, Brendan, Damon, Nathan and Darren defeated a team of Calvin, Nabiyou, Artus, Ethan and William.
Brendan had a game high of 12 points for the winners, while Nabiyou scored points 10 for the losing team.
3 Point Shootout
Jason Ng beat Michael in a tie-breaking round of the 3 point shootout by a score of 10-5.
Lay-Up Contest
Raymond is the first ever St. Mary's Lay-Up King, as he beat Ethan and Michael in the final round.
Boys Alumni Game
The team of Derek Kwong, Henry Deng, Tommy Lin, Justin Lee, Anthony Shem and Kevin Lee defeated the team of Miles Copeland, Jeremy Chuong, Gavin Chan, Brandon Lee, Justin Guo and Brett (Garrick) Lei 40-36.
Coach and Player 2 Ball
Henry and Eric from the 6th grade won the 2-Ball crown, beating Luke and Allen, and Garrick and Jamie in the final round.
Coaches Knockout
For the second straight year, Leslie wins the Coaches Knockout, outlasting her fellow 7th grade coaches Luke and Andrew in the final three.
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Girls Day 2 Tournament Wrap
The 6th/7th grade girls missed way too many lay-ups and shots by the basket in the 4th quarter, and ended up losing 12-11 in a very winnable game.
They play their third game of the tournament Monday night.
In rec league play, the 7th/8th grade girls were outscored 28-6 in quarters two through four and lost 37-9.
The 8th grade fell 39-19 in round two of their tournament. Jamie did hit a 3 pointer in the loss.
They play their third game of the tournament Monday night.
In rec league play, the 7th/8th grade girls were outscored 28-6 in quarters two through four and lost 37-9.
The 8th grade fell 39-19 in round two of their tournament. Jamie did hit a 3 pointer in the loss.
Friday, February 21, 2014
Girls Tournament Wrap Day 1: 8th grade wins big over NDV
The 8th grade girls had their highest output in team history in a 35-16 victory over NDV in round 1 of the CYO Pre-Season Tournament. They will play in the winners bracket Saturday night at 6 p.m.
On the other hand, the 7th grade girls kicked off the post-Kaela era with a 15-8 loss. They will play Saturday morning at 11 a.m.
Both games are at St. Emydius.
On the other hand, the 7th grade girls kicked off the post-Kaela era with a 15-8 loss. They will play Saturday morning at 11 a.m.
Both games are at St. Emydius.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Shoulda, woulda, coulda
A look at the final results from the boys basketball season...Could you have won the championship? For most of you, probably...
CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES
4th Grade: SAIC beats St. Stephen by 3 points
5th Grade: St. Brendan over OLPH by 2 points
7th Grade: St. Peter Pacifica beats Mission Dolores by 17 points
7th/8th Grade: Brandeis over Cathedral by 9 points
8th Grade: Star of the Sea wins over Brandeis by 13 points
Read it and weep, cause that's what I'm doing as we speak...
CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES
4th Grade: SAIC beats St. Stephen by 3 points
5th Grade: St. Brendan over OLPH by 2 points
7th Grade: St. Peter Pacifica beats Mission Dolores by 17 points
7th/8th Grade: Brandeis over Cathedral by 9 points
8th Grade: Star of the Sea wins over Brandeis by 13 points
Read it and weep, cause that's what I'm doing as we speak...
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
All-Star Sunday Preview
• 12:30 p.m. – Young Stars Game
• 1:15 p.m. – Boys Alumni Game
• 2 p.m. – 3 Point Shootout
• 2:30 p.m. – Shooting Stars Competition
• 3 p.m. Lay-Up Contest
• 3:15 p.m. – Coach/Player 2-Ball
• 3:45 p.m. – Coaches Knockout
• 4 p.m. – All-Star Game
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Raymond and Matthew win by two
Raymond and Matthew were on the same team for the CYO Achievement Game, and they won 41-39 when the other team missed a half court shot at the buzzer.
Both St. Mary's representatives played close to two quarters and Raymond had the only bucket with a jumper in the fourth. Matthew went 0-for-2 from the free throw line in the first half.
Monday, February 17, 2014
Girls Tournament Schedule
6th/7th Grade Girls
Fri, Feb 21 @ St. Emydius 7 p.m. ***CHANGE***
Sat, Feb 22 @ St. Emydius 10 a.m. or 11 a.m.
Mon, Feb 24 @ St. Emydius or Epiphany, time to be determined
8th Grade Girls
Fri, Feb 21 @ Epiphany 6:15 p.m.
Sat, Feb 22 @ 6 p.m. or 8 p.m. (CYO Serramonte or Emydius)
Tue, Feb 25 @ Emydius 5 pm. to 8 p.m.
Fri, Feb 21 @ St. Emydius 7 p.m. ***CHANGE***
Sat, Feb 22 @ St. Emydius 10 a.m. or 11 a.m.
Mon, Feb 24 @ St. Emydius or Epiphany, time to be determined
8th Grade Girls
Fri, Feb 21 @ Epiphany 6:15 p.m.
Sat, Feb 22 @ 6 p.m. or 8 p.m. (CYO Serramonte or Emydius)
Tue, Feb 25 @ Emydius 5 pm. to 8 p.m.
Happy Birthday Tiff Ye
I make fun of her a lot but she is a very big help...We wish Tiff Ye a very happy birthday with a video...
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Missed lay-ups hurt 7th/8th grade in rec league
The 7th/8th grade were better with their lay-ups as the game progressed but in the end, their missed chances by the basket proved to be their undoing in a 29-21 loss.
It was a rather impressive display for the most part after falling behind double digits in the first half. They were able to lock down on defense for pretty much the entire second half.
At one point in the 4th quarter, the deficit was only five points, but the girls could get no closer.
Their record in league play is (2-2).
It was a rather impressive display for the most part after falling behind double digits in the first half. They were able to lock down on defense for pretty much the entire second half.
At one point in the 4th quarter, the deficit was only five points, but the girls could get no closer.
Their record in league play is (2-2).
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Thursday, February 13, 2014
All-Star Sunday Voting
For the first time, we will let you decide who starts for All-Star Sunday. The annual event is next Sunday, February 23 at NDV.
VOTING IS NOW CLOSED!
The leading vote getters are assured a spot in the game. Only 12 players in the 6th through 8th grade will get the honor of playing in the All-Star Game.
Results to come Wednesday...I hope.
VOTING IS NOW CLOSED!
The leading vote getters are assured a spot in the game. Only 12 players in the 6th through 8th grade will get the honor of playing in the All-Star Game.
Results to come Wednesday...I hope.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
6th grade boys shutdown NDV, win the championship
.JPG) |
| The 6th grade won the championship Wednesday night. |
The cliche "defense wins championships" was proven Wednesday night at Epiphany as the 6th grade boys pulled off an improbable win, taking the title 15-9 over NDV.
Their previous two meetings were completely one-sided with the 6th grade boys losing by a combined score of 44-16. The last regular season meeting was an NDV drubbing, 20-3.
But despite that, their coaches Henry Deng and Larry Wong were confident that they had what it took to stop the undefeated number one team in the division.
Placing emphasis on defense, they were able to completely slow down the NDV offense, most notably their best player #3. From watching film and drilling it into the boys at practice over the last few days, the 6th graders came out prepared and ready to go.
Amarit had a team high 6 points to lead the way offensively and Bill controlled the paint again with several blocked shots, 4 points and some crucial rebounds down the stretch.
After trailing 2-0 to start the game, the boys tied it with a nice move by Bill to the basket. And then an Amarit shot by the basket put the 6th grade on top, and they held onto that lead until the end of the game.
It was a nice total team effort, and even though they didn't score much, defensively everybody stayed in their position and forced NDV to take bad shots or turn the ball over. Offensively, they also took care of the ball and limited their errant passes and giveaways.
Eric, who split free throws in the 2nd half, has become a really dependable point guard and a pest for other teams when he plays defense at the top of the key.
Dustin subbed back in during the 2nd quarter and instantly hit a shot, even though it looked awkward.
Kyle, who was held scoreless, was extremely vocal on the defensive end calling out signals to the rest of the team.
And Ethan hit two clutch free free throws on a 1-in-1 giving the 6th grade a much needed cushion and clinched the championship.
So a team that wasn't even .500 (3-5) during the regular season, found its way to a championship. They worked hard, executed and caught a few breaks along the way, but there is a small part of luck that comes with winning any title.
Twice, NDV had golden opportunities to turn the momentum in their favor. Both times, they were unable to execute. It was 8-3 in the final seconds of the 1st half, but an NDV player missed a wide open lay-up underneath the basket.
With 1:30 to go in the game, NDV just hit a basket to trim the lead to four. Eric then slipped and lost the ball in the backcourt, and yet again, NDV was unable to make a wide open lay-up.
The difference between the winning and losing may have come down to a handful of players and it was the 6th that grade that scored when it needed to, and made stops when it came down to crunch time.
Following their win over NDV, the 6th grade beat every team in their five team division on their way to the championship. They avenged their losses against both St. Anne's and NDV.
And as all of the players piled out of Epiphany wearing their first place t-shirts, they all echoed the same sentiment, that they in no way shape or form could've expected anything like this when the season began.
Larry wins 8th title: Larry Wong, who returned to the bench to coach the 6th grade along with Henry Deng, won his eight title as a basketball coach. It is Henry's first as a coach after winning two as a player back in the 2000s.
Game Notes: Annie, Sharon and Emily represented the girls of the 6th grade class and were in attendance. Also among the celebrities were Mr. Ryan, Mr. Lee, Leslie, Raymond, Garrick, Derek and Jamie...This marks the third time a St. Mary's team has had a big post-season upset win at Epiphany. Marissa's team did it when they were in 6th grade (2009) and the infamous Red Team did the same in 2010.
Monday, February 10, 2014
BREAKING NEWS: 6th grade championship game rescheduled for Wednesday
The 6th grade championship has been rescheduled for this Wednesday night at 7:15 p.m. It will be played at Epiphany.
BREAKING NEWS: 6th grade championship game for tonight canceled
The 6th grade championship game for tonight has been canceled. It will be rescheduled for a later date to be determined.
CYO Serramonte has been shut down for the night.
CYO Serramonte has been shut down for the night.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Girls pick up rec league win
The 7th/8th grade girls won their second rec league game, 18-14.
They are now (2-1) in league play.
They are now (2-1) in league play.
5th grade ousted from the playoffs
The 5th grade boys made a late surge but came up short in their playoff game Saturday, falling 13-10.
They were able to score five points in the final six minutes, but went scoreless in the 3rd quarter.
This was definitely a winnable game as the other team didn't amount much offense, hitting only two shots in the second half, a basket in each quarter. But the 5th grade just could not hit their shots.
Brendan left the game late in the third with a lower body injury and did not return, as he watched the most important quarter of the season from the sidelines.
Calvin hit a bucket late for two of his 5 points to cut the deficit to three, but the boys never got closer.
Free throws were a killer as well, as they went 2-8 from the line. Calvin even had two technical foul shots late in the game but was unable to convert. He hit the first one but crossed the line, and the ref waved off the bucket.
Physically, the 5th grade just can't match up with most teams. They don't have any true post players and their tallest player Nathan doesn't play like a true center.
In order for them to beat teams that have a height advantage, they need to get running on the fast break for easy buckets. They did none of that in the first three quarters and struggled to score in the half court. The boys were relegated to outside shots, which did not foul.
Offensive rebounds were pretty non-existent and they were one and done on most of their trips down the court.
Darren scored 3 points while Brendan added two before leaving the game.
They were able to score five points in the final six minutes, but went scoreless in the 3rd quarter.
This was definitely a winnable game as the other team didn't amount much offense, hitting only two shots in the second half, a basket in each quarter. But the 5th grade just could not hit their shots.
Brendan left the game late in the third with a lower body injury and did not return, as he watched the most important quarter of the season from the sidelines.
Calvin hit a bucket late for two of his 5 points to cut the deficit to three, but the boys never got closer.
Free throws were a killer as well, as they went 2-8 from the line. Calvin even had two technical foul shots late in the game but was unable to convert. He hit the first one but crossed the line, and the ref waved off the bucket.
Physically, the 5th grade just can't match up with most teams. They don't have any true post players and their tallest player Nathan doesn't play like a true center.
In order for them to beat teams that have a height advantage, they need to get running on the fast break for easy buckets. They did none of that in the first three quarters and struggled to score in the half court. The boys were relegated to outside shots, which did not foul.
Offensive rebounds were pretty non-existent and they were one and done on most of their trips down the court.
Darren scored 3 points while Brendan added two before leaving the game.
Friday, February 7, 2014
7th grade comes up short in playoffs
 |
| The 7th grade season came to an abrupt end Friday night. |
The 7th grade boys left everything they had out on the court, but fell short of making it back to the championship for the third straight year, as they lost 56-50 in the playoffs.
Holding a 50-49 lead with under 50 seconds to go, the other team banked in a wide open three pointer which put the 7th grade behind 52-50.
Then right off the inbounds, they threw the ball away right to the other team, who was then fouled and sent to the line.
After splitting the free throws, the 7th grade trailed by three, as Jason Lei worked his way to the free throw line. He missed both shots and it forced St. Mary's to foul.
Again, the other team made one out of two making it 54-50. Jonathan threw up a desperation three which hit off back iron and the other team sealed it with a lay-up in the final seconds.
After a few minutes into the second half, it didn't look like this game was going to be close, as the 7th grade was trailing 33-24 midway through the 3rd quarter.
But then Jonathan caught fire. And like his sister Marissa did back in 2011, he hit three straight 3 pointers to tie the game. The 7th grade fed off that momentum and closed out the third on a 19-4 run, which put them up 43-37 heading into the final quarter.
However they had to play the fourth without Michael, who questionably fouled out of the game in the final seconds of the third. The St. Mary's book had only four fouls for Michael, but the other team, which served as the home book, had five. Right or wrong, the 7th graders were without their point guard for the biggest seven minutes of the season.
For the first few minutes of the quarter, it looked promising. Justin had two incredible plays and hit two huge shots, and Jonathan hit a mid-range jumper with about 5 1/2 left to go making it 47-39. He finished with 24 points.
Then they stopped scoring, and the other team did.
Defensively, it was probably their poorest performance of the season. Their man to man defense didn't work at all as each player was decisively beaten off the dribble and to spots on the court.
Out of the 56 points they gave up, only 5 of those points came from outside the key. And it was some bad luck because the big shot of the game was banked in from near the three point land. The player who made the shot completely missed the rim in a similar attempt in quarter two.
But the story was the lack of defense. Off of made shots, the other team somehow took the ball and did a full court lay-up going untouched. It was mind boggling how many easy shots the other team had.
The 7th grade full court pressed the entire game in an effort to create turnovers, but running from line to line over and over at a furious pace took its toll.
In division three, the top teams also have a lot of size and strength down low. And besides Jason Lei, nobody on the team is a true forward who can consistently grab rebounds.
In the first half alone, the boys were absolutely dominated on the boards as the other team got so many second chance shots. Besides a handful of Jason Lei offensive rebounds, the 7th grade didn't get more than one shot per possession.
Free throws down the stretch will also be something they'll kick themselves for in the off-season. In the last two minutes of the game, they shot 1-for-7 from the stripe, with one miss coming on the front end of a one-in-one that would've at the time given the 7th grade a lead. They were 9-24 for the game on free throws.
Towards the end of the game, they just looked tired and didn't have much left in the gas tank. They laid it all out there, but once again came up a few buckets short.
It's another tough pill to swallow for a team that has come so close three straight years to winning it all. Unfortunately, they've come up short each time and it may only get tougher as they're slated to once again move up another division.
Good game, good effort. And here's hoping that the tough last few seasons are setting up for a storybook ending in their 8th grade year.
Game Notes: In his first year with the team, Spencer made some big steps and scored 4 big points in the game...Jason Lei scored 17 points...Michael was hampered with foul trouble and picked up three fouls in the 1st quarter and never got into a rhythm offensively...Among the celebrities at the game were Brandon Khuu, Edwena and Kaela.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
6th grade pulls off upset, going to the championship
***UPDATE: Highlights below***
The 6th grade boys pulled off an upset Thursday night, beating St. Anne 21-19 in a playoff thriller.
In their previous two meetings, the 6th graders were in the losing end both times, with their last meeting a 28-17 loss.
It was a great start for the boys as Dustin got the ball rolling with a putback layup a minute into the game. Scoring early gave the team confidence and the offense started to click.
Even though they trailed 5-4 heading into the 2nd quarter, the 6th grade played a controlled game and took care of the ball for the most part. They were definitely the aggressor, finding themselves in the bonus in both the first and second half.
Their prettiest play of the evening came when all five players on offense touched the ball. It was great ball movement that ended with a Bill lay-up by the basket. The big man had a game high 9 points.
They outscored St. Anne 7-0 in the 2nd quarter and took an 11-5 lead into halftime.
With the full court press in effect, the 6th grade showed discipline and did not let the pressure rattle them. Even when pressed, they were able to score points. Amarit had a nice drive to the basket using his right hand to score two of his 3 points.
Eric, who scored 7 points, played the best game of his young career and did the majority of ball handling duties for the 6th grade. He was able to use the crossover and was aggressive in taking the ball to the rim.
Midway through the season, Eric was handed the point guard duties and has done a real good job. He was strong with the ball and kept the offense under control down the stretch.
One thing they'll need to avoid in the championship is foul trouble. Bill committed his fourth foul late in the 3rd quarter and it was dicey throughout the final six minutes. They cannot afford to have "The Mailman" on the bench.
Free throws will also need to be better as there were plenty of more misses than makes. However, Eric managed to hit a few down the stretch, which proved to be the difference maker.
With 3.7 seconds left on the clock, the other team had a chance to tie the game or even win it. Of a full court baseball pass, the ball was kicked around before a St. Anne's player took a shot over Bill just inside the three point line.
The ball never hit the rim and the 6th grade jumped up to celebrate their first playoff win and a berth in the championship game Monday night.
Coaches Henry and The Great Larry Wong, who came out of retirement to coach. Both have done a strong job on a team that is made up of three rookies and three second year players.
The 6th grade boys pulled off an upset Thursday night, beating St. Anne 21-19 in a playoff thriller.
In their previous two meetings, the 6th graders were in the losing end both times, with their last meeting a 28-17 loss.
It was a great start for the boys as Dustin got the ball rolling with a putback layup a minute into the game. Scoring early gave the team confidence and the offense started to click.
Even though they trailed 5-4 heading into the 2nd quarter, the 6th grade played a controlled game and took care of the ball for the most part. They were definitely the aggressor, finding themselves in the bonus in both the first and second half.
Their prettiest play of the evening came when all five players on offense touched the ball. It was great ball movement that ended with a Bill lay-up by the basket. The big man had a game high 9 points.
They outscored St. Anne 7-0 in the 2nd quarter and took an 11-5 lead into halftime.
With the full court press in effect, the 6th grade showed discipline and did not let the pressure rattle them. Even when pressed, they were able to score points. Amarit had a nice drive to the basket using his right hand to score two of his 3 points.
Eric, who scored 7 points, played the best game of his young career and did the majority of ball handling duties for the 6th grade. He was able to use the crossover and was aggressive in taking the ball to the rim.
Midway through the season, Eric was handed the point guard duties and has done a real good job. He was strong with the ball and kept the offense under control down the stretch.
One thing they'll need to avoid in the championship is foul trouble. Bill committed his fourth foul late in the 3rd quarter and it was dicey throughout the final six minutes. They cannot afford to have "The Mailman" on the bench.
Free throws will also need to be better as there were plenty of more misses than makes. However, Eric managed to hit a few down the stretch, which proved to be the difference maker.
With 3.7 seconds left on the clock, the other team had a chance to tie the game or even win it. Of a full court baseball pass, the ball was kicked around before a St. Anne's player took a shot over Bill just inside the three point line.
The ball never hit the rim and the 6th grade jumped up to celebrate their first playoff win and a berth in the championship game Monday night.
Coaches Henry and The Great Larry Wong, who came out of retirement to coach. Both have done a strong job on a team that is made up of three rookies and three second year players.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Playoff Preview and Highlights
I sat at my computer desk at 4:30 a.m. in the morning feeling like a baffoon. The highlights crashed and didn't save...So, I sat and re-did them until about 6 a.m. in the morning so be nice little children and watch the highlights...TELL A FRIEND even. And if you have no friends, well, welcome to the club.
ALSO, 6TH GRADE GAME IS AT 6 P.M.!!!
ALSO, 6TH GRADE GAME IS AT 6 P.M.!!!
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Post-Season Schedule
BREAKING NEWS: Here is the playoff and championship schedule:
PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Thursday, February 6
6th Grade vs St. Anne @ CYO Serramonte
Time: 6 p.m.
Friday, February 7
7th Grade vs St. Peter Pacifica @ CYO Serramonte
Time: 8 p.m.
Saturday, February 8
5th Grade vs St. Brendan @ St. Stephen
Time: 1 p.m.
CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
Monday, February 10
6th Grade Championship @ CYO Serramonte
Time: 6:15 p.m.
Wednesday, February 12
7th Grade Championship @ St. Emydius
Time: 5 p.m.
Sunday, February 16
5th Grade Championship @ CYO Serramonte
Time: 2:30 p.m.
PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Thursday, February 6
6th Grade vs St. Anne @ CYO Serramonte
Time: 6 p.m.
Friday, February 7
7th Grade vs St. Peter Pacifica @ CYO Serramonte
Time: 8 p.m.
5th Grade vs St. Brendan @ St. Stephen
Time: 1 p.m.
CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
Monday, February 10
6th Grade Championship @ CYO Serramonte
Time: 6:15 p.m.
Wednesday, February 12
7th Grade Championship @ St. Emydius
Time: 5 p.m.
5th Grade Championship @ CYO Serramonte
Time: 2:30 p.m.
Monday, February 3, 2014
I hurt myself today...
I believe the title of this blogpost contains lyrics from a Johnny Cash song.
I can also guarantee you that 1% of you even know who that is.
So if you graciously visited the blog a few weeks ago or followed along for a few years, you will recall the last time I played a little basketball I got sent to the floor and hurt my ankle. That was three years ago.
You think I would've learned my lesson.
Some of you may also know I've been running in the last year or so. Not just light jogs, but a good three miles minimum on most weeks and I sweat like there is no tomorrow. I would like to think I am in decent shape, but that's relatively speaking.
So Sunday at NDV, one of the girls said we should scrimmage and it would've been an even 4-on-4. And for those of you who have played for me know that rarely do I ever get involved with the action -- I just like to stand back and bark.
But I said let's give it a go. So I took two of the 6th grade girls and one of the 7th grade twins on my team to play against the other four 7th and 8th grade girls.
My team got spanked.
I think we lost 30-14 or something like that.
I tried pretty hard, especially on defense. I took no mercy on them and blocked several shots.
Late in the game, I went all out and jumped long and hard towards a ball Kelly was shooting.
So I got a piece of the ball and sent it flying, but because I went "HAM" I also landed awkwardly on the side of my ankle, the same one I rolled a few years back.
Call me Stephen Curry. Yes, I just compared myself to Steph Curry.
In all likelihood, my sesamoid bone gave out again, and this time I felt my knee buckle a little bit. I hit the ground hard and so did everybody else, except they were literally ROFL while I was down and out and in pain.
I sat there on the gym floor for about five minutes, hoping the pain would go away as sweat came pouring down my face. I managed to play a little bit more after but I was far from my 100% the rest of the way.
So at age 62, I feel extremely old and sad that my body can't even hold up against fragile little 7th and 8th graders in a pick up game.
However, hopefully all will heal and I'll have a blockbuster announcement coming in the next week.
I can also guarantee you that 1% of you even know who that is.
So if you graciously visited the blog a few weeks ago or followed along for a few years, you will recall the last time I played a little basketball I got sent to the floor and hurt my ankle. That was three years ago.
You think I would've learned my lesson.
Some of you may also know I've been running in the last year or so. Not just light jogs, but a good three miles minimum on most weeks and I sweat like there is no tomorrow. I would like to think I am in decent shape, but that's relatively speaking.
So Sunday at NDV, one of the girls said we should scrimmage and it would've been an even 4-on-4. And for those of you who have played for me know that rarely do I ever get involved with the action -- I just like to stand back and bark.
But I said let's give it a go. So I took two of the 6th grade girls and one of the 7th grade twins on my team to play against the other four 7th and 8th grade girls.
My team got spanked.
I think we lost 30-14 or something like that.
I tried pretty hard, especially on defense. I took no mercy on them and blocked several shots.
Late in the game, I went all out and jumped long and hard towards a ball Kelly was shooting.
So I got a piece of the ball and sent it flying, but because I went "HAM" I also landed awkwardly on the side of my ankle, the same one I rolled a few years back.
Call me Stephen Curry. Yes, I just compared myself to Steph Curry.
In all likelihood, my sesamoid bone gave out again, and this time I felt my knee buckle a little bit. I hit the ground hard and so did everybody else, except they were literally ROFL while I was down and out and in pain.
I sat there on the gym floor for about five minutes, hoping the pain would go away as sweat came pouring down my face. I managed to play a little bit more after but I was far from my 100% the rest of the way.
So at age 62, I feel extremely old and sad that my body can't even hold up against fragile little 7th and 8th graders in a pick up game.
However, hopefully all will heal and I'll have a blockbuster announcement coming in the next week.
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Great win by 7th grade to wrap up regular season
The 7th grade got revenge for one of their two losses this season with a resounding 44-32 victory.
Jason Lei had a game high 19 points, while Jonathan hit two 3 pointers for 16 points.
Leslie praised Jason Hou and his play, as he scored a season high of 5 points, while Michael hit a three for his only bucket.
Justin added a free throw.
They wrap up the season (6-2) as they await their playoff opponent which has yet to be determined.
Jason Lei had a game high 19 points, while Jonathan hit two 3 pointers for 16 points.
Leslie praised Jason Hou and his play, as he scored a season high of 5 points, while Michael hit a three for his only bucket.
Justin added a free throw.
They wrap up the season (6-2) as they await their playoff opponent which has yet to be determined.
8th graders see careers come to an end
The slim playoff hope for the 8th grade boys were dashed Saturday afternoon, as they lost their final game of the regular season 37-30.
Again, the class of 2014 played a pretty good game, putting up a good fight against a team that had lost only once during the regular season.
But there were so many turnovers which led to easy baskets by the other team and the hole was too much for them to climb out of to pull of the upset.
Little basic things like boxing out on a free throw, making lay-ups or challenging a shot were lacking and it cost them in the end. Had they won, they would've been able to force a tie-breaker game which would've taken place either Monday or Tuesday.
Unfortunately, they wrap up their last season at St. Mary's with a (3-5) record and fail to make the playoffs for the first time in three years.
Overall, it wasn't too shabby. This team had its flaws but were able to walk away from their basketball careers at St. Mary's with a championship, two title game appearances and three playoff berths. They were also the first basketball team at the school to win a CYO preseason tournament.
Again, the class of 2014 played a pretty good game, putting up a good fight against a team that had lost only once during the regular season.
But there were so many turnovers which led to easy baskets by the other team and the hole was too much for them to climb out of to pull of the upset.
Little basic things like boxing out on a free throw, making lay-ups or challenging a shot were lacking and it cost them in the end. Had they won, they would've been able to force a tie-breaker game which would've taken place either Monday or Tuesday.
Unfortunately, they wrap up their last season at St. Mary's with a (3-5) record and fail to make the playoffs for the first time in three years.
Overall, it wasn't too shabby. This team had its flaws but were able to walk away from their basketball careers at St. Mary's with a championship, two title game appearances and three playoff berths. They were also the first basketball team at the school to win a CYO preseason tournament.
5th grade boys prep for playoffs with a win
The 5th grade boys finished the season with a 12-7 win Saturday morning, as they'll take a (6-2) record into the post-season.
Keith hit a shot for the first time in his young career, which gave the boys some energy for the rest of the game.
They had to do it without Calvin who left the game in the 2nd quarter with an upper body injury. He did not return to the game but was able to practice Sunday and should be fine for the playoffs.
At (6-2), the 5th graders hold the number two seed in the division and will play St. Brendan, a team that beat them during the season.
Keith hit a shot for the first time in his young career, which gave the boys some energy for the rest of the game.
They had to do it without Calvin who left the game in the 2nd quarter with an upper body injury. He did not return to the game but was able to practice Sunday and should be fine for the playoffs.
At (6-2), the 5th graders hold the number two seed in the division and will play St. Brendan, a team that beat them during the season.
6th graders flat in finale
It was not a good way to go into the playoffs for the 6th grade boys.
They played arguably their worst game of the season and lost 20-3 Saturday morning.
From beginning to end the boys were flat and the cliche thing to say would be they were half asleep and never woke up for the 10 a.m. tip.
Amarit hit the only field goal of the game and Eric a free throw to account for the scoring.
Even with a (3-5) record, they will be playoff bound and will face a challenge no matter who they face in the playoffs. They are a combined (0-4) against the top two teams in the division and will need to upset one of them to advance to the finals.
Bill was held scoreless.
They played arguably their worst game of the season and lost 20-3 Saturday morning.
From beginning to end the boys were flat and the cliche thing to say would be they were half asleep and never woke up for the 10 a.m. tip.
Amarit hit the only field goal of the game and Eric a free throw to account for the scoring.
Even with a (3-5) record, they will be playoff bound and will face a challenge no matter who they face in the playoffs. They are a combined (0-4) against the top two teams in the division and will need to upset one of them to advance to the finals.
Bill was held scoreless.
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