7th grade comes back in playoff preview, 4th grade wins BIG, 5th/6th grade playoff hopes shattered

In what could be a playoff preview, the 7th grade came back in the 4th quarter for a 44-37 win, and improved their record to (6-1) on the season. That puts them in a 1st place tie at the moment.

After jumping out to a quick start, they once again had a let down quarter in the second. They turned the ball over and were unable to break the press and the 7th grade was trailing come half-time. In the third, they didn't play much better and they found themselves down five points after three.

But a near flawless 4th quarter, which featured made lay-ups, clutch free throws and strong defense propelled them to victory. If they play like they did in the fourth, there won't be any time in the division that can beat them.

4th grade wrecks opposition
Everyone was waiting for the break-out game, and today, they finally got it.

The 4th grade played a remarkable game this afternoon, featuring teamwork and passing. Up 24-0 at halftime just seemed to motivate the 4th graders even more, and they blew out their opponent 36-4.

From day one, everyone knew this team had the potential and yet they had only won one game up to this point. Today, they finally put it all together, were aggressive and forced the play. The end result, one of the most lopsided victories of the season for any St. Mary's team.

They still have a small chance at the playoffs at (2-4), but will need to win out, and need a few other teams to lose.

Emstance contributed to this report.

5th/6th grade out of gas

The 5th/6th grade had too many turnovers, missed lay-ups and free throws to overcome as they lost their do-or-die game earlier today. They were down 8 points at halftime but came storming back in the third. But the offense shut down in the 4th when they needed it the most, and they fell 24-14. At (2-5), their playoff hopes have diminished.

Despite the record, their on-court performance this season has been the biggest turnaround of any St. Mary's team. The more they play, the better this team will get. It's the little things like grabbing a loose ball, free-throws and lay-ups, which need fine tuning. They play next Saturday in their season finale, against the team they beat in game one.

3rd grade results
The 3rd graders played another close game, only to fall short--this time 8-5. They have one game remaining on the year.

6th grade

Late this afternoon, the 6th grade played a .500 team, (3-3). The 6th grade missed their first two lay-ups in the first ten seconds of the game, and it was a sign of things to come, as they poorly on both the offensive and defensive ends. The final score, 31-13.

Normally, we wouldn't even print a final score that lopsided--especially when we are on the losing end. But this team should not have lost to this team by 18 points. This team is a lot better than today's game indicated.

You do learn a lot more from winning than losing, as this was a good wake up call for the team.

Hopefully they can regroup and get it together for next weekend, where they will be playing a back-to-back. They will need at least one win to assure themselves a playoff berth.

3rd grade results/Saturday Preview

The 3rd grade played a pretty good game, but lost 16-5 earlier tonight. They seem to be running some plays and passing the ball to each other, a stark contrast to even a week or two ago. It was a positive game and a step forward despite another loss. They have two games left on the season.

Saturday Preview

3rd Grade – 9 a.m. @ St. Emydius
5th/6th Grade – 10 a.m. @ CYO Serramonte
7th Grade – 12 p.m. @ St. Emydius
4th Grade – 12:30 p.m. @ Epiphany
6th Grade – 5 p.m. @ Mission Dolores

Mission Dolores
Address: Mission Dolores (16th and Church)

Epiphany
Address: 827 Vienna Street

St. Emydius
Address: 255 Jules Ave

CYO Serramonte
Address: 699 Serramonte Del Ray Blvd

Thursday Update

Happy Thursday Folks.

Tomorrow night at 5:30, catch the 3rd grade at Star of the Sea. That's the only St. Mary's game on the schedule for Friday night.

Last day for the Warriors game is tomorrow. Please get them in to me. If you lost the form, just use a piece of paper. It's fine.

Nothing to watch tonight. Turn on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. as St. Mary's, the college, plays Gonzaga. This is arguably the biggest game in years for the Gaels. Or...the Sharks play tonight at 7:30 on CSN-Bay Area.

Practice schedule for Cameron House next week:

Tuesday, Feb 3 - 3rd/4th grade girls, 6th grade girls, 7th grade girls, 4th grade boys
Wednesday, Feb 4 - 6th grade boys, 8th grade boys, 8th grade girls
Thursday, Feb 5 - 7th grade boys, 5th/6th grade boys, 3rd grade boys

And finally, a very good video that the greatness that is James sent me. Check it out:

Sunday Practice Schedule and Other Notes

Here is the Sunday NDV Practice Schedule for Super Bowl Sunday! This is the last full Sunday practice for the boys, so please bare with the cluttering of teams and the unstableness of times. Come next week, we should have a better idea of what the girls schedule is going forward.

3rd Grade - 12:15 p.m. - 2 p.m.
6th Grade Girls - 12:15 p.m. - 2 p.m.
8th Grade Girls - 1:45 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
3rd/4th Grade Girls - 2:15 p.m. - 4 p.m.
5th/6th - 3:45 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
6th Grade - 3:45 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
8th Grade - 5:15 p.m. - 7 p.m.
4th Grade- 5:45 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
7th Grade Girls - 5:45 - 7:30 p.m.
7th Grade - 6:45 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Science Fair
I had a fantastic time looking and judging the projects for the annual Science Fair. Congratulations to those who placed and took home honorable mentions. Thank you for all your hard work there.

Warriors Game Forms
Warriors forms are due on Friday at the latest. Please bring them back on Thursday even if you can. The quicker, the better.

Tuesday Update

Happy Chinese New Year, Other News and Notes, (PRACTICE CHANGES)

Happy Chinese New Year everyone. Hope you are having a blast. Give me money...or tell your parents to...Kidding, only kinda...

--3rd Grade Boys WILL NOT practice tomorrow and will practice on Thursday instead this week. Also, 7th grade boys go on Wednesday, while the 8th grade boys on Thursday.

--Tomorrow, (Tuesday), 4th grade girls, 4th grade boys, 6th grade girls and 7th grade girls practice.

--There has been a change to the 4th grade boys game. They will now play on Thursday, Feb. 5th in place of their Feb. 7th game. 5 p.m. The Feb. 5th game will tip-off at 5 p.m., still at S.V.D.P.

--The coach who won 100-0 was fired. Read the post below.

--Did anybody watch the Royal Rumble last night? Matt Hardy turned on Jeff Hardy...crazy stuff.

That's all for today kiddies...bring back your Warriors forms asap and sign-up for baseball. Help a brotha out...

Coach Who Wins 100-0 Fired

Courtesy: New York Daily News

For one Texas high school basketball coach even when you win, you lose.

Micah Grimes, who made national headlines when his team beat up an undermanned opponent 100-0, was fired on Sunday.

The firing of the girls varsity basketball coach comes after the Covenant School issued an official apology on its Web site following the Jan. 13 blowout of fellow Dallas-area private school, Dallas Academy.

Grimes, who was in his fourth season at the school, disagreed with the school's apology and said his team played with "honor."

"I respectfully disagree with the apology, especially the notion that the Covenant School girls basketball team should feel 'embarrassed' or 'ashamed,'" Grimes wrote in an e-mail posted on a youth basketball Web site on Sunday and published in The Dallas Morning News.

"We played the game as it was meant to be played and would not intentionally run up the score on any opponent. Although a wide-margin victory is never evidence of compassion, my girls played with honor and integrity and showed respect to Dallas Academy."

Kyle Queal, Covenant's headmaster, confirmed the firing to the Dallas Morning News, but said he could not say if the dismissal was a direct result of Grimes' disagreeing with the school.

Queal signed the original statement along with board chair Todd Doshier.

"The Covenant School, its board and administrators, regrets the incident of January 13 and the outcome of the game with the Dallas Academy Varsity Girls Basketball team. It is shameful and an embarrassment that this happened. This clearly does not reflect a Christ-like and honorable approach to competition."

The Christian school also sought to forfeit the game saying "a victory without honor is a great loss."

Covenant, a contender for the state championship last year, held a 59-0 lead at the half in the mid-January game. According to reports, Covenant continued to shoot 3-pointers and employ a full-court press defense into the fourth quarter.

Dallas Academy, a school that specializes in teaching students with "learning differences," such as short attention spans or dyslexia, has only eight players on its varsity squad and is winless over the last four seasons.

Saturday Recap

Look at the guy on the bench who puts the towel over his face, that is classic.

Ok, to the games. Let's start with the good...

The 7th grade bounced back after a poor performance Thursday night with a 27-14. They played a team they had previously lost to in the pre-season tournament. For some reason, our boys looked completely superior.

Though they didn't play their best game, they won by double digits. The rims were not too kind, as a lot of missed lay-ups were part of this contest. The game was winnable by 30 points, if the 7th grade had played their best. Nonetheless, they got the win and are now (5-1) on the season.

The 8th grade played an hour later at the same gym, and survived a brief scare, as they won 41-28. It was 24-21 at the end of three quarters, and everybody was just waiting for the 8th grade to pull away. They looked a little slow and perhaps over-confident in the first three quarters. But the sense of urgency kicked in and they played their best when they needed to. They are also now (5-1).

The 5th/6th graders played a hard fought game and ended up falling 33-26. It was the second highest point total for the team this year. What killed them today was the missed lay-ups, and in a 7 point game, those points come back to haunt you. Their record now drops to (2-4).

The 4th grade apparently didn't wake up for their game this morning, and they lost 24-2. They were shut out on the first half and scored their only basket in the 3rd quarter. Not a very good performance by our 4th graders. They are (1-4) on the season. Wilbur, a St. Mary's alumni, reffed the game.

The 3rd grade lost also this morning, 21-8. With the loss they are now (0-5).

If you happen to be by a TV, watch the NHL Superstar Challenge starting at 4 p.m. Also, the NHL All-Star Game is tomorrow. You can watch them on the Versus network. Cable channel 81 on most cable systems.

PRACTICE SCHEDULES FOR TOMORROW

3rd - 12:45 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
4th - 12:45 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
7th Grade Girls- 12:45 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
7th - 1:45 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
3rd/4th Grade Girls - 3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
8th - 3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m.
5th/6th - 5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
6th - 5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
8th Grade Girls - 6:30 p.m - 8 p.m.

The Final Score, 100-0

From: Associated Press

A Texas high school girls basketball team on the winning end of a 100-0 game has a case of blowout remorse.

Now officials from the winning school say they are trying to do the right thing by seeking a forfeit and apologizing for the margin of victory.

In a statement Thursday on the Covenant School's Web site, the head of school said, "It is shameful and an embarrassment that this happened."

Last week Covenant, a private Christian school in Dallas, defeated Dallas Academy 100-0. Covenant was up 59-0 at halftime.

A parent who attended the game said Covenant continued to make three-pointers - even in the fourth quarter. She praised the Covenant players but said spectators and an assistant coach were cheering wildly as their team edged closer to 100 points.

"I think the bad judgment was in the full-court press and the three-point shots," said Renee Peloza, whose daughter plays for Dallas Academy. "At some point, they should have backed off."

Dallas Academy coach Jeremy Civello told the Dallas Morning News that the game turned into a "layup drill," with the opposing team's guards waiting to steal the ball and drive to the basket. Covenant scored 12 points in the fourth quarter and "finally eased up when they got to 100 with about four minutes left," he said.

Dallas Academy has eight girls on its varsity team and about 20 girls in its high school. It is winless over the last four seasons. The academy boasts of its small class sizes and specializes in teaching students struggling with "learning differences," such as short attention spans or dyslexia.

"They showed much more character than the coach that allowed that score to get out of hand," said Edd Burleson, the director of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools. "It's up to the coach to control the outcome."

At a shootaround Thursday, several Dallas Academy players said they were frustrated during the game but felt it was a learning opportunity. They also said they are excited about some of the attention they are receiving from the loss, including an invitation from Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban to see an NBA game from his suite.

"Even if you are losing, you might as well keep playing," said Shelby Hyatt, a freshman on the team. "Keep trying, and it's going to be OK."

No Match for Rematch

After jumping out to an early 16-10 lead, the 7th grade slowly and slowly let the game slip away, and found themselves on the losing end for the first time this season, in a 41-30 loss in a championship rematch from last season.

There was not much defense in the first quarter as both teams traded baskets, until St. Mary's went on a run to end the quarter.

The 2nd quarter was arguably the worst quarter this team has played in their history, scoring a paltry 2 points in the entire quarter -- both on free throws, and on two different trips to the line. They trailed at halftime 20-18.

The offense and defense stalled in the 3rd quarter, and at one point, they were down 11 points, the largest deficit they had faced the entire season. Lackluster play by the 7th grade and some clutch shooting from OLV sealed their fate.

The team was terrible tonight from the free throw line and turned the ball over way too many times. They dribbled too much to break the press and countless lazy pass after lazy pass lead to easy fast break opportunities for the other team.

Their record now sits at (4-1) with a very important game coming up this Saturday.

WARRIORS GAME AND BASEBALL

Turn in the Warriors sheet that was passed out today, as well as baseball sign-ups as soon as possible.

Championship Rematch Tomorrow Night

Tomorrow night marks the first time OLV and St. Mary's have played each other in basketball since the then 6th grade beat them 23-20 in the championship game last season.

A lot is at stake in this game, like #1 in the division, as both teams are undefeated. This could very well determine the top seed in the playoffs. This year, in the new CYO playoff system, the #1 seed will play the #4 seed, while the #2 and #3 play.

The game will be at Cornerstone, (501 Cambridge Street) and will begin at 6:30 p.m. Please be out to support this game, as it will be up to date, the biggest regular season game of the season for any team.

6th Grade Practices Tomorrow

6th grade will practice tomorrow night at Cameron House, weather permitting, since today's practice for them was washed out.

BREAKING NEWS: 6th grade practice canceled

6th grade practice for tonight has been canceled.

However, the 7th grade, as of 2:45 p.m., is still on. Depending on the lower court condition, it is still possible to have practice. We will keep you posted as the afternoon develops. If there is no announcement, practice is still on.

6th Grade Mid-Season Report

One parent reportedly left the gym and could not watch the end of one of the game's because it was just too scary. Normally, you could point to one game. With this team, it's every game.

You have teams in professional sports and even at the CYO level, where their record is not an indication of how good they are. Some teams unfortunately play the three top teams in the division to start the year, and they go (0-3). Does that mean they stink, since they don't have a win? No.

Conversely, you have the 6th grade team, who is (4-1) and you have to wonder if they are really that good? That answer is not a definitive yes, because of the way they have won games.

For whatever rhyme or reason, this team has trouble closing out games. They play pretty well for the most part, but they can't put teams away. This team has the talent to win games by more than a point, obviously, but it has happened only once this season, a six point victory in their last game.

Part of this is inexperience. Two of the six players on the team are playing in their first year of basketball. And in a way, it might be good to play so many close games, because come playoff time, every game is close. And perhaps that can work to their advantage, as they will know how it feels to be in a close game. Some teams wilt under pressure.

I'm a firm believer that you create your own luck. If you do the little things, work hard, and strive to be better, you get the lucky bounce. And maybe this team is a perfect example of this.

But the bottom line is that this team needs the drive, the motivation and the focus to finish out games. They need to play a complete four quarters. At (4-1), they pretty much have the playoffs clinched. They score when they need to, and defend when they need to. They also get lucky when they need to.

But the goal now, should to be good instead of lucky.

3 Stars of the Weekend and Girls Practice Tomorrow

3 Stars of the Weekend

*** 3rd Star - Mark
We go with Mark because he is new to the school and has played pretty well the last few games. He had a good 4 point performance in their win on Saturday.

** 2nd Star - Elton
Elton had 15 points in the 8th grade blowout victory Friday night. He plays very similar to Michael, who graduated last year. Incredibly quick and athletic. He is probably the better shooter of the two.

* 1st Star - Calson

Calson had a career high 17 points and whenever someone scores a lot, we call them a beast. BEAST! He scored more than 50% of the team's 30 points and has been very instrumental to the 5th/6th grade team's success this season.

Girls Practice Tomorrow
Girls practice tomorrow night at Cameron House, 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Bring a basketball if you have one. Also water and comfortable clothes. Sweatshirt perhaps cause it will probably get a bit cold.

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

What to watch: WWE Raw, the return of Vincent Kennedy McMahon, 9 p.m. on USA
24 - 9 p.m on FOX

5th/6th Grade Mid-Season Report

One thing great about this year so far is the improvement by so many of our teams -- at least record wise. One of these prime examples are the 5th/6th grade boys team.

Once again, these are 5th graders -- and our 5th graders are not the tallest, and in basketball it means a lot -- playing in a 6th grade division. That itself is pretty courageous, and quite honestly, is possibly a reason why there aren't more 5th graders who play sports. But that's an entirely separate blog post.

Last year, when this team came together, 5 4th graders, and 4 5th graders, I said to myself, "If they could get one win, it would be spectacular." I didn't expect them to win any games. After all, pretty much everybody had never played a CYO game in their life, a few of them decided to join last minute and it didn't look like they were really familiar with the game at all.

And then I got the call from their former coach, Andrew Chack, and he told me they had won the game. I probably used some words I can't post on this blog, but I was stoked. They had done it. They pretty much did better than expected. They overachieved. Now this year, the bar was set higher.

They currently are (2-3) and in playoff contention. I spoke with one of their coaches after the loss on Saturday and he seemed genuinely upset with how the team played. To me, it's a good thing, because expectations are a lot higher. The bar has been raised. It wasn't good enough that the team played their best game a night before, when they scored 30 points -- by far their highest output ever. And I think all the players would agree that the way they played Saturday just doesn't cut it.

Why is it good? Because we are now talking about the next level. Getting to the playoffs, going into games expecting to win. Whereas a year ago at this time, we hoped to not lose by 20.

It has been a complete improvement from last year, and the coaches and players both have a lot to be proud of. Now the hard part, is getting to that next level, elevating your game to the next stepping stone.

Basketball wise, they need to improve on the fundamentals. They need to be able to grab rebounds, not turn the ball over, and basically have more court awareness. Some players still have trouble following the game.

If there is one negative, it would be that -- anticipating what happens on the basketball court. But that comes with experience, and they've played their share of games this year.

Looking at the big picture, this team has already exceeded their expectations and have a big upside for years to come.

Happy Birthday to...

Let's see how good you kiddies really are. Today is my sister's birthday. How many of you will actually do this? I will soon find out.

My sister's email is Ethancranegrl@aol.com. Send her a e-card or a Happy Birthday email, and she'll tell me who she got it from. You can just say Happy Birthday Bryan's Sister. If you know her name...bigger bonus.

Go to work kiddies!

6th grade victorious in Half Moon Bay, 5th/6th grade fall

The 6th grade finally won a game, by more than a point. They completed a 17-11 victory earlier today and improved their record to (4-1).

The 5th/6th grade did not have so good results. Playing with 6 players for the first 3 quarters, they were outmatched and outplayed. They are now (2-3) on the season.

Practices are all on for tomorrow and are listed below in the previous posts. Have nothing to do tonight? Turn on your TV and watch the two best teams in the Western Conference battle it out. Sharks and Red Wings drop the puck at 7:30.

Have a happy Saturday.

5th/6th grade back to .500, 8th grade dominates again

The 5th/6th grade played their best game ever Friday night in a 30-20 victory, to even their record now at (2-2). Remember, this is a team with 5th and 6th graders playing in a 6th grade division, and the same team last year that won only one game.

After winning their first game of the year, they dropped two straight, but came out ready to play today and it showed. Calson put up a career high 17 points. Fabulous performance by the team. It's a quick turnaround as they will have to work just as hard tomorrow, when they play at Epiphany at 11:30 a.m. If you are by, (even if you aren't) come show your support.

The 8th grade played a team they beat handily in their first game of the year, and repeated that performance and more for a 44-14 victory. After jumping out to a 7-0 lead, they continued to be the aggressor, and were much faster than their opposition. Good fast break points and making lay-ups, ingredients to success, were very pertinent in tonight's game. They are now (4-1) on the season.

Audience Watch
Good crowd tonight at Mission Dolores. Emstance, Mr. Ryan, Tianna, Daniel, Brandon, Sophia, Olivia and Vivian all in attendance tonight for the 8th grade victory. Thanks for coming out.

6th Grade plays tomorrow, 1:30 p.m. at Cuhna.

Midseason reports return Sunday with the 3 Stars of the Weekend.

4th Grade Midseason Report/Friday night preview

Friday Night the 5th/6th grade are in action, 5 p.m. from St. Peter Pacifica, while the 8th grade plays at 7 p.m. from Mission Dolores. I will be reffing games from 5-7 at Mission Dolores. Show up and cheer on the ref...

4th Grade Midseason Report

The 4th grade boys are actually placed in an average division, not too strong, but not too weak. Their competition seems to be around the right level, but so far they have only been able to pull out one victory.

They have been in every single game and could've won every single game, but they haven't. Problem? They fail to do the little things that need to be done to win a game. Making lay-ups when they have the chance, getting back in time for a rebound, not turning the ball over.

In the Flame tournament, they lost both games by a basket. In the regular season, all their defeats are single digit losses.

This team has the talent, but the same problem that plagued them in soccer, plagues them when they play basketball. They have trouble focusing and don't always work together as a team. Even in the game they won, they had plenty of fast breaks, but the ball was never passed up court. So instead of the one good hard pass to set up an easy lay-up, a shot from about 16 feet is made instead.

Why make it so hard on yourselves to score?

We must remember they are still 4th graders, and their best years are still ahead of them. But if they could get it together now, this can be a dangerous team in the present and future, instead of just waiting for the future.

3rd grade Mid-Season Report/Sunday Practices Changed

In our trip around the school to take a look at the first half of the basketball season, we examine the first four games of the 3rd grade.

As expected, there are growing pains for players that have never played before. Getting on to the court, with uniforms, a scoreboard, a referee, is something that can't be duplicated in the school yard, practice or Chinese Rec. Center. It's an entirely different feel and at times, it can be overwhelming.

I'm sure everybody has been nervous at one point or another, and that has led to some mistakes. We can all live with that as mistakes do happen, during every single game.

What this team needs more than anything else is experience. The more you play, the better you get. The more you are aware of the surroundings. Little stuff like lining up correctly on the free throws, or getting in front of someone for a rebound. Those are the types of things that are missing right now.

At the 3rd grade level, and actually, at any level really, is to make lay-ups. This team gets to the basket more often than not. They have plenty of chances to make shots, but for whatever rhyme or reason, the shots don't seem to fall. When they do, you'll sit back and won't even notice this is a 3rd grade team.

Sunday Practice Time Changes

In the upcoming weeks, there will be some tweaking in the schedule to accomodate the start of girls basketball. Here is the schedule for this Sunday at NDV.

3rd - 12:45 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
4th - 12:45 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
7th - 1:45 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
6th - 3:15 p.m. - 5 p.m.
8th - 4:15 p.m. - 6 p.m.
5th - 5:15 p.m. - 7 p.m.

8th Grade Girls - 6:30 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.

St. Mary's New Slogan/All-Star Game Festivities

TrUe AzN 330 (4:38:04 PM): st mary's
TrUe AzN 330 (4:38:07 PM): where amazing happens

At this season’s Boys and Girls All-Star game, we will have a 3-point shoot-out, in addition to a school wide game of knockout. And coming in May during the Girls All-Star game, we will have our 1st ever Teacher Shootout, plus an Alumni vs Coaches game. Participants will be named in the upcoming months.

St. Mary's Alumni Play Each Other

Just got back from a first of mine at least. I witnessed two players that I coached previously play against each other. Susan, who graduated 2 years ago and plays for Lowell, played Clarissa, who graduated last year and plays for Galileo.

No surprise as to who won, as Lowell is the best at everything, which is why I despise them. But nonetheless, it was pleasant watching two of our former students compete against each other. It has probably happened in the past, but this is the most recent one and noteworthy to me because I coached both of them for several years.

Maybe one day you will end up playing someone who is sitting next to you in class...only time will tell.

Tomorrow we take a look at the 3rd grade team and their first half of the season as we begin the midseason report cards.

Why is it a nice day? Girls basketball...BASEBALL!

It is mid-January and it was an actual nice day outside. I wore my scarf, only because for the sake of wearing a scarf, not because it was cold. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Anyways, girls basketball is around the corner. For those who have not signed up, turn those in as soon as possible, and we can begin practices soon. Tournaments start at the end of February, so do not waste time. Don't lag and get them in A-SAP!

Onto baseball...It's hard to even think about another sport, while another is going on, however baseball picks up immediately after the conclusion of the basketball season. Start thinking ahead to my favorite sport (Edit: Emstance), as we will begin those practices when basketball ends.

Coming up this week...We will review the first half of the boys basketball season -- one team at a time.

3 Stars of the Weekend/Warriors Tickets/Practice Notes

Although not a wide-spread problem, there are some players who do not always attend practice. Things come up, yes, we know that...but when you join a team, you make a commitment and you are expected to honor that commitment.

When you don't go to practice, you disrupt team chemistry. The more you practice with your teammates, the better you will be in game situations. If you CAN'T make practice, and this is nothing new, CALL YOUR COACHES! Let them know before hand so they don't just waste their time, wondering and waiting for you!

3 STARS

And now the 3 Stars of the Weekend, sponsored by...whoever.

*** 3rd Star - Calson

Calson has been the main source of offense for his team, including a strong 9 point performance Friday night.

** 2nd Star - Jeremy

Jeremy had a game to remember for all the wrong reasons on Thursday night, but bounced back strong Saturday morning with 12 points, after being held scoreless in his previous game. What he did was good to see, since it's easy to get too down about yourself after a bad game. However, he was resilient and was able to regroup, had a solid game, and helped his team with the victory.

* 1st Star - Derek

Week after week, Derek seems to get better. If you saw the game Friday night, nobody could stop him. He grabbed pretty much every rebound, and put back every single shot. He scored 19 points and it wasn't because he doesn't pass. Derek has done a good job this year of leading fast breaks and finding the open man.

Warriors Tickets

If anybody is interested, please contact me about my own PERSONAL Warriors season tickets. I have a bunch of games I can't go to, so let me know if you have an interest.

6th Grade Wins Again by One Point, 3rd and 4th Fall

It is a rule that if 6th grade wins, it has to be a scary win. People need to have heart attacks in order for them to win. Or on the other hand, when the game is close, you should already know the 6th grade will end up winning.

For the third time this season, the 6th grade won by a single point, this time 17-16. They were unable to pull away, gave the other team chances to win it, but some how, some way, held on to win. They are now (3-1).

The 3rd and 4th grade both played decent games this morning, but not enough to get over that elusive hump. The 3rd grade lost 10-2, although they had plenty of chances to score. Their lay-ups just were not going in and the free throws also hurt them.

The 4th grade, played a tough game for 3 quarters, and they apparently thought (edit:Emstance) the game was over. They were outscored 6-0 in the 4th, and lost 16-9. Lay-ups were the story there as well. They now drop to (1-3) on the year.

SUNDAY NDV PRACTICE SCHEDULE

3rd - 12:45 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
5th - 1:45 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
6th - 2:45 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
8th - 3:45 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
4th - 5:15 p.m. - 7 p.m.
7th - 6:15 p.m. - 8 p.m.

TOMORROW: 3 Stars of the Weekend.

Weekend Football
Does anybody watch football? Big playoff games this weekend, so if you are home, be sure to tune in.

Also tomorrow night, the season premiere of 24. 8 p.m. on FOX. If you like to watch TV, don't miss 24 tomorrow night, my personal favorite as well as Ronstance's.

Friday Night Recap -- 7th Grade Remains Undefeated, 8th Grade Dealt First Loss

The 7th grade remains the only St. Mary's undefeated team, after a 41-25 drubbing of Cornerstone. It was a competitive game in the first quarter, but the 7th graders broke away. They grabbed more rebounds, hustled, and were by far one step quicker to the ball. All that has translated into a (4-0) start to the season.

It gets even harder as they will face the other two undefeated teams in their next two games.

The 8th grade was handed their first loss of the season. Free throws were a big factor in this game as the charity stripe was not very charitable to the 8th grade. 35-29 was the final. It was competitive throughout and a few bounces here and there, and the score could be reversed. It all comes down to grabbing a few rebounds, playing good defense and making easy shots. The 8th grade didn't do enough of that tonight. They are (3-1) on the season.

The 5th/6th grade game was quite the memorable game for all sorts of reasons. What we can reveal is that it was close until the last few minutes of the game. They just couldn't score towards the end and end up losing 22-11. The 5th/6th grade is now (1-2) on the year.

Edited by Emstance...

I Got Virused/High School Basketball Preview/6th Grade Game

I am finally back on my normal computer after I got virused last week. That explains the no update yesterday. So today, I have for you the San Francisco High School Preview from the Chronicle. Instead of posting the entire thing, click on the links below if you are interested.

First, the high school boys basketball preview. Lincoln is predicted to win the championship.

San Francisco High Schools Boys Preview

Girls preview -- of course -- Lowell, expect to win...AGAIN. I hate Lowell.
San Francisco High Schools Girls Preview

And if you read that article on Asian Americans in college basketball, you will remember it focused on one Jeremy Lin who plays at Harvard. Well, he lead Harvard to an upset victory over Boston College. Here's the game recap:

Jeremy Lin leads Harvard to upset

6th grade tomorrow night at Mission Dolores, 7 p.m. tip-off. Hope to see you there.

News, notes, and other musings....

Sorry for no update last night...Personal matters to attend to. Here are a bunch of little tidbits for the following week to think about...

--Anybody watch football this weekend? Do any of you students watch football? My guess is mainly everyone watches basketball, if they watch any sport. Does anybody have a favorite player in another sport?

--Cameron House practices resume this week. Weather should be fine and I will keep everyone posted.

--Girls, start thinking about basketball. I will hand out sign-up sheets later this week. Time permitting, I'll have something more interesting to update with later.

--The 6th grade had a game added this Thursday at Mission Dolores. Tip-off is 7 p.m.

--The 5th/6th grade game has been moved up to 12 p.m. at St. Monica's for Saturday.

--Do you still have a soccer or volleyball uniform? Bring it back Wednesday or Thursday.

--This year we are going to have a school wide knockout game during the shoot-a-thon. We will also do a 3-point contest, in addition to the all-star game.

--Baseball is around the corner pretty soon.

Finally we wish a Happy Birthday to Thanh. He has coached basketball and baseball for us the last two years.

Flame Results/Practices Tomorrow

The 3rd and 4th grade both fell in the second round of the Flame Tournament.

3rd graders lost 16-5, while the 4th grade lost another close one 16-13.

Practices tomorrow at NDV.

Sunday NDV Practice Schedule
3rd Grade 11:30 - 1:30 p.m.
5th/6th Grade 12:15 - 2 p.m.
6th Grade 1:45 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
8th Grade 3:15 p.m. - 5 p.m.
4th Grade 4:45 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
7th Grade 6:15 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Flame Tournament Tomorrow/Birthdays/Practice

The Flame Tournaments continue tomorrow...

4th Grade @ 2 p.m. -- Kezar
3rd Grade @ 3 p.m. -- Mission Dolores

Special shout out to Ronstance, Edwena and Elliot + family who attended tonight's 3rd grade game. The 3rd grade lost.

Sunday practice for ALL TEAMS is listed below on the blog. They can possibly change depending on tournament results for tomorrow and will be posted as soon as possible. Please check back here around 5 p.m. Saturday night for an update practice schedule.

Cameron House practice resumes this week as well.

Oh the Warriors are terrible. They are absolutely the worst. You CANNOT lose to the Thunder (I bet you don't even know where the Thunder came from...another 5 bucks up for grabs if you do) and the Timberwolves. How do you beat the Celtics and lose to these two awful awful teams?

And January 2nd...we wish a Happy Birthday to...