The 5th grade girls stand alone in first place after a 23-16 win Saturday morning, in a battle of undefeated teams.
After scoring the first two points of the game, the other team answered back with 6 straight and took a 6-2 lead after the 1st quarter. One girl on the opposition hit three shots in the first all from the same spot, which put the 5th graders in a hole early on in the game.
But the girls responded in the second, tightening up their defense and took a lead into halftime.
Kaela was a one woman wrecking crew again, and set a new career high with 20 points. After an off game last week, Kaela came back and was able to finish on the majority of her lay-ups.
It remained tight through but the 5th graders stretched out their lead late in the 4th quarter.
Clinging to a 16-13 lead, the girls worked hard on the glass and Becky picked up a rebound in front of the basket and banked in her only shot of the game to give the girls a 5 point lead.
Kaela later iced the game in the final minute with an impressive full court drive where she weaved her way through the defense, and then she capped off her record setting day with a step back jumper from the wing that left the other team shaking their heads.
It's likely these two teams will meet again in the post-season, so they are going to need some more offense from the entire team. Besides Kaela, Becky's basket was the only field goal scored by someone else on the team. Michaela had a free throw in the first half.
With her speed and quickness, it's tough for many teams to stop Kaela, but she'll need to involve her teammates more in the offense down the stretch. There were times she had to force up shots and that's never a good sign.
When Kaela was double-teamed, other girls on the team had trouble securing the ball and getting it down-court. So the 5th graders definitely need others to step up if the game plan for the other team is to blanket Kaela.
Defensively, Lily did a solid job and is getting better by the game, as she blocked two shots and grabbed several rebounds throughout the course of the game.
At (5-0), the girls have clinched a playoff spot and will now play for the number one seed.
This is a team that has only two holdovers, Michaela and Ivy, from the team last season. It's still a brand new team and yet they find themselves in first place five games into the season.
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Saturday, March 31, 2012
7th grade girls play, and play well
When the 7th grade girls show up to a game, they are usually pretty good. But the problem so far this season is that not all of them have showed up.
Today, all six girls were in uniform, but Amy, fighting a cold was unable to play. So they ran with five.
They five they ran with did one heck of a job as they scored the most points ever in team history, 30. The problem was the other team scored just a little more in a 41-30 loss.
Midway through the 3rd quarter, Melina picked up her fifth foul of the game on a moving screen, and the 7th grade girls were left short handed for the rest of the game. Even 4 on 5, the girls were still within three points late in the 4th quarter.
At that point, the game looked like it would soon become a blowout. But the girls were resilient and had some fight left in them. In the final minute of the 3rd quarter, Cynthia came down and hit a two shots in succession, including a 3 pointer that cut the lead to just two heading into the fourth.
But the man disadvantage proved too much to overcome as the other team ran away with the game towards the end with some uncontested buckets that sealed the game.
Following two straight forfeits, this game had disaster written all over it, but the girls came out with some energy and were able to execute against an undefeated team.
Julia was a beast, as she scored 8 of her career high 12 points in the first half. Julia knocked down the first two shots she took in the game and was just a hawk around the basket, getting to loose balls and putting them back up.
Cynthia showed her range, nailing two more 3 pointers in the game, and hitting several outside shots on her way to a career high 13 points.
Tiffany added 3 points and Wendy 2 points, all in the second half.
It was a surprise but also a glimpse of how good this team could be if they could all consistently show up to practice and games. The little things like getting in front of the other team on out of bounds plays, or passing it to a teammate in the right spot, are all lost when the girls don't get a chance to practice. And that's why they lost the game.
Now the girls can use this game to their advantage and start to build. At (2-3), they are still well and alive in the playoff chase and will need to play like they did Saturday afternoon the rest of the way. They should be able to gain momentum from a performance like this take it with them the rest of the way.
And it all starts with practice tomorrow - with everybody there.
Today, all six girls were in uniform, but Amy, fighting a cold was unable to play. So they ran with five.
They five they ran with did one heck of a job as they scored the most points ever in team history, 30. The problem was the other team scored just a little more in a 41-30 loss.
Midway through the 3rd quarter, Melina picked up her fifth foul of the game on a moving screen, and the 7th grade girls were left short handed for the rest of the game. Even 4 on 5, the girls were still within three points late in the 4th quarter.
At that point, the game looked like it would soon become a blowout. But the girls were resilient and had some fight left in them. In the final minute of the 3rd quarter, Cynthia came down and hit a two shots in succession, including a 3 pointer that cut the lead to just two heading into the fourth.
But the man disadvantage proved too much to overcome as the other team ran away with the game towards the end with some uncontested buckets that sealed the game.
Following two straight forfeits, this game had disaster written all over it, but the girls came out with some energy and were able to execute against an undefeated team.
Julia was a beast, as she scored 8 of her career high 12 points in the first half. Julia knocked down the first two shots she took in the game and was just a hawk around the basket, getting to loose balls and putting them back up.
Cynthia showed her range, nailing two more 3 pointers in the game, and hitting several outside shots on her way to a career high 13 points.
Tiffany added 3 points and Wendy 2 points, all in the second half.
It was a surprise but also a glimpse of how good this team could be if they could all consistently show up to practice and games. The little things like getting in front of the other team on out of bounds plays, or passing it to a teammate in the right spot, are all lost when the girls don't get a chance to practice. And that's why they lost the game.
Now the girls can use this game to their advantage and start to build. At (2-3), they are still well and alive in the playoff chase and will need to play like they did Saturday afternoon the rest of the way. They should be able to gain momentum from a performance like this take it with them the rest of the way.
And it all starts with practice tomorrow - with everybody there.
Brutal first half sinks 6th grade for the their first loss
The 6th grade girls got their wake-up call Saturday afternoon, as they were beaten for the first time 20-8.
They looked nothing like the team that was (3-0) and everything like the team they were in years past when they got down early in the game and were never able to mount a comeback.
It was a disaster, to put it lightly, in the first half. They kept on turning over the ball, and the simple principle of guarding the girl closest to the basket was lost. Midway through the second, they found themselves down 11-1, and for a team that has trouble scoring, it was a hole that they were going to have trouble getting out of.
The girls came out with a little extra to start the second half but again they couldn't make a shot. They had several chances around the hoop and some good looks to get the momentum back on their side but the girls were held without a basket in the third.
When your offense has trouble putting the ball in the hoop, you better make sure the other team can't either. However, the 6th graders were pushed around by the more physical and larger opponent. The girls had to expect contact in this type of game but the girls shyed away and the results showed. They were down 19-3 after the 3rd quarter.
A Lesly free throw and Edwena jumper gave the girls some life early in the 4th quarter, but that's as much consistent offense they generated all game.
It was a much needed harsh dose of reality as the girls played poorly for three quarters last week and still left with a win -- not the case this afternoon.
Fiona put it very nicely earlier in the year when she said this team plays with confidence when they are ahead and can score early in the game. Today, they didn't and instead went back to their old habits and played without the confidence they needed to win the game.
This is still relatively uncharted waters for this team. Four of the nine girls on the team are new, and even the girls that have been on the team for a few years have never had the expectation of performing at a high level. They were always the underdog, hoping to play well and pulling off the upset. But no longer are they the hunters, because they are the hunted.
Just looking at the standings, the other teams know they have to bring their "A" game against the 6th grade girls, who now sit at (3-1). They have a target on their backs, as they've created high expectations with their success early on in the season.
Halfway through the season, the girls are in a great position to get into the playoffs for the first time, but they'll need to be able to play against teams like this in order to bring their game to the next level.
They looked nothing like the team that was (3-0) and everything like the team they were in years past when they got down early in the game and were never able to mount a comeback.
It was a disaster, to put it lightly, in the first half. They kept on turning over the ball, and the simple principle of guarding the girl closest to the basket was lost. Midway through the second, they found themselves down 11-1, and for a team that has trouble scoring, it was a hole that they were going to have trouble getting out of.
The girls came out with a little extra to start the second half but again they couldn't make a shot. They had several chances around the hoop and some good looks to get the momentum back on their side but the girls were held without a basket in the third.
When your offense has trouble putting the ball in the hoop, you better make sure the other team can't either. However, the 6th graders were pushed around by the more physical and larger opponent. The girls had to expect contact in this type of game but the girls shyed away and the results showed. They were down 19-3 after the 3rd quarter.
A Lesly free throw and Edwena jumper gave the girls some life early in the 4th quarter, but that's as much consistent offense they generated all game.
It was a much needed harsh dose of reality as the girls played poorly for three quarters last week and still left with a win -- not the case this afternoon.
Fiona put it very nicely earlier in the year when she said this team plays with confidence when they are ahead and can score early in the game. Today, they didn't and instead went back to their old habits and played without the confidence they needed to win the game.
This is still relatively uncharted waters for this team. Four of the nine girls on the team are new, and even the girls that have been on the team for a few years have never had the expectation of performing at a high level. They were always the underdog, hoping to play well and pulling off the upset. But no longer are they the hunters, because they are the hunted.
Just looking at the standings, the other teams know they have to bring their "A" game against the 6th grade girls, who now sit at (3-1). They have a target on their backs, as they've created high expectations with their success early on in the season.
Halfway through the season, the girls are in a great position to get into the playoffs for the first time, but they'll need to be able to play against teams like this in order to bring their game to the next level.
Saturday Recap
Quick recap of Saturday's affairs.
The 5th grade improved to (5-0) with a 23-16 win and now sit in first place alone.
The 6th grade lost their first game of the year 20-8 and fall to (3-1).
And the 7th grade actually played a game, and a good one at that. They lost 41-30, and played with only 4 players for the last quarter and a half.
Full recaps and maybe highlights later if you vote for the poll to the left.
The 5th grade improved to (5-0) with a 23-16 win and now sit in first place alone.
The 6th grade lost their first game of the year 20-8 and fall to (3-1).
And the 7th grade actually played a game, and a good one at that. They lost 41-30, and played with only 4 players for the last quarter and a half.
Full recaps and maybe highlights later if you vote for the poll to the left.
Friday, March 30, 2012
8th grade clinches first seed in win
The 8th grade girls secured the first seed their division Friday night with a 26-13 win to improve to (6-0) on the year.
Pamela led the way for the girls, scoring a career high 14 points, the bulk of the baskets coming on the fast breaks.
This was the toughest challenge for the girls this season, as the final score wasn't lopsided.
However, the girls pretty much held a 10 point lead throughout the game, but the other team did make a run in the second half.
But the 8th grade girls responded by clamping down on defense, which translated to their running game.
Sabrina was solid on defense, grabbing rebounds and blocking shots. She did a great job of passing the ball up-court to Pamela for her career game.
Jocelyn added 5 points, followed by Sabrina who collected her 3 points on an And-1 in the second half. Amanda and Maria both chipped in with 2 points each.
It was a good game overall for the girls, because it was actually a game and not a one-sided thrashing like the previous few games.
To the other team's credit, they played the girls tough, and caused a lot of turnovers. The 8th grade girls had trouble taking care of the ball in the first half, which didn't help their offense get into any rhythm.
Defensively, Amanda got into foul trouble in the 1st quarter and was forced to watch the 2nd quarter from the bench.
In the second half, the girls were a little more patient in taking care of the ball and eventually pulled away to secure win number six.
As the first seed in the playoffs, the 8th grade will have the benefit of playing the fourth seed, which could be a team that will enter the post-season with only one or two wins possibly. There are only five teams in their division and four of them make the playoffs.
Pamela led the way for the girls, scoring a career high 14 points, the bulk of the baskets coming on the fast breaks.
This was the toughest challenge for the girls this season, as the final score wasn't lopsided.
However, the girls pretty much held a 10 point lead throughout the game, but the other team did make a run in the second half.
But the 8th grade girls responded by clamping down on defense, which translated to their running game.
Sabrina was solid on defense, grabbing rebounds and blocking shots. She did a great job of passing the ball up-court to Pamela for her career game.
Jocelyn added 5 points, followed by Sabrina who collected her 3 points on an And-1 in the second half. Amanda and Maria both chipped in with 2 points each.
It was a good game overall for the girls, because it was actually a game and not a one-sided thrashing like the previous few games.
To the other team's credit, they played the girls tough, and caused a lot of turnovers. The 8th grade girls had trouble taking care of the ball in the first half, which didn't help their offense get into any rhythm.
Defensively, Amanda got into foul trouble in the 1st quarter and was forced to watch the 2nd quarter from the bench.
In the second half, the girls were a little more patient in taking care of the ball and eventually pulled away to secure win number six.
As the first seed in the playoffs, the 8th grade will have the benefit of playing the fourth seed, which could be a team that will enter the post-season with only one or two wins possibly. There are only five teams in their division and four of them make the playoffs.
Late bucket shatters 3rd grade's hope for a win
The 3rd grade girls played a very San Jose Sharks like game Friday night. They had opportunity after opportunity to score, but in the end they came up just short.
Like team teal, who is on the brink of missing the playoffs this season, the 3rd grade girls had anywhere from 15-20 quality shots around the basket, but came away with just two buckets on the night, one that came seconds into the game when Veronica scored right off the jump ball.
They had the possession with 30 seconds left to go and a chance to tie the game, but shots from Justina and Sofia did not go in, as the girls lost 6-4. The girls are still looking for that elusive first win.
The 3rd graders outplayed their opposition in every way except for the final score. The other team had a handful of decent shot attempts the entire game, but the difference was they made their shots count.
It was 4-2 in the 3rd quarter when Justina tied it with a bank shot in the lane. It stayed that way until late in the 4th quarter when the other team drove down the court, picked up their dribble, and then shot the ball over two St. Mary's defenders for the game winning basket. The win was the other team's first of the year.
Missed chances is what the girls are going to look back on as some girls were just too afraid to shoot the ball. Several of them passed up shots right by the basket for whatever reason, and some girls had room to take an extra dribble or two to get closer to the hoop, but elected to take the longer shot.
The girls are more than half way into their season and are struggling to find that first win. It's not going to be easy as they will play three teams that have already beaten them the rest of the way.
Right now, the team is doing a better job of rebounding, moving on defense, and passing the ball. The only problem is finishing their plays by scoring, which is something that they'll have to improve upon if they want to get into the win column.
Like team teal, who is on the brink of missing the playoffs this season, the 3rd grade girls had anywhere from 15-20 quality shots around the basket, but came away with just two buckets on the night, one that came seconds into the game when Veronica scored right off the jump ball.
They had the possession with 30 seconds left to go and a chance to tie the game, but shots from Justina and Sofia did not go in, as the girls lost 6-4. The girls are still looking for that elusive first win.
The 3rd graders outplayed their opposition in every way except for the final score. The other team had a handful of decent shot attempts the entire game, but the difference was they made their shots count.
It was 4-2 in the 3rd quarter when Justina tied it with a bank shot in the lane. It stayed that way until late in the 4th quarter when the other team drove down the court, picked up their dribble, and then shot the ball over two St. Mary's defenders for the game winning basket. The win was the other team's first of the year.
Missed chances is what the girls are going to look back on as some girls were just too afraid to shoot the ball. Several of them passed up shots right by the basket for whatever reason, and some girls had room to take an extra dribble or two to get closer to the hoop, but elected to take the longer shot.
The girls are more than half way into their season and are struggling to find that first win. It's not going to be easy as they will play three teams that have already beaten them the rest of the way.
Right now, the team is doing a better job of rebounding, moving on defense, and passing the ball. The only problem is finishing their plays by scoring, which is something that they'll have to improve upon if they want to get into the win column.
Friday Night Results
The 3rd grade girls came so close to their first ever win but a bucket by the other team in the last two minutes crushed those hopes as they lost 6-4.
The 8th grade girls not only have clinched a playoff spot, but with their win tonight, have clinched first place in their division. They won by a final score of 26-13. Pamela had a career night with 14 points.
Full recaps later tonight.
The 8th grade girls not only have clinched a playoff spot, but with their win tonight, have clinched first place in their division. They won by a final score of 26-13. Pamela had a career night with 14 points.
Full recaps later tonight.
Do you like polls?
Yes, you do, and you voted no even though you didn't like polls. #Hypocrite. I added a new poll.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Throwback Thursdays
Allegedly, this all started on Instagram, another one of a million different apps out there.
Throwback Thursday is basically when people post pictures of themselves from the past, showing everyone how they used to look better, and now they are a train wreck. Kidding, kinda.
So we will do the same here on the blog today. Now, first the picture. Can you identify who this is as we celebrate the A's splitting their first two games in Japan.
And as for a video, this is a story I did back in the day, in college, where we examined the low participation in sports in San Francisco high schools. So the problem is city-wide and not just with a lot of students at St. Mary's this year.
Throwback Thursday is basically when people post pictures of themselves from the past, showing everyone how they used to look better, and now they are a train wreck. Kidding, kinda.
So we will do the same here on the blog today. Now, first the picture. Can you identify who this is as we celebrate the A's splitting their first two games in Japan.
And as for a video, this is a story I did back in the day, in college, where we examined the low participation in sports in San Francisco high schools. So the problem is city-wide and not just with a lot of students at St. Mary's this year.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
BREAKING NEWS: Baseball games and practice, basketball postponed
The 5th grade's first baseball game, 6th/7th grade baseball practice as well as the 3rd grade girls basketball practice, have all been postponed due to inclement weather.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
6th grade escapes with a win
It was better to be lucky than good for the 6th grade girls Saturday, because they weren't good after the 1st quarter.
After taking an early 8-2 lead in the game, the girls basically went through the motions and managed to not lose 14-12.
After not playing a game for close to three weeks, the girls could attribute the lethargic performance to rust, but the girls came out with some fire to start the game. But for some reason that energy could not be sustained for the final three quarters.
Jamie had a game high 8 points, 6 coming in the first half.
The girls took a 12-8 lead going into the half, as they let the opposition get back into the game, giving up easy shots off of turnovers and rebounds.
Fiona scored the only 2 points for the girls in the second half, and little did anyone know her basket in the 3rd quarter would be the game decider.
The other team had plenty of chances to tie the game in the last two minutes, but they were unable to hit a shot.
Jamie had several chances in the last minute to add some insurance to the 6th grade lead, but she fumbled the ball in one instance as she went up for a lay-up. She then picked up her dribble too early in the backcourt with 13 seconds left, and was called for traveling.
The other team then had the opportunity to either tie the game or take the lead with a three, but they ended up missing a long range jumper, and the subsequent rebound. The 6th graders were still unable to get a rebound, but the other team traveled in the paint after picking up the loose ball.
For some reason, the other team didn't bother pressing with a little over two seconds left and Jamie dribbled out the rest of the clock.
After the game, the atmosphere in the team huddle was not good to say the least, as the coaches and players all knew that this was a game that lacked the effort and execution that is expected from this team.
With that being said, this is new grounds for the 6th grade girls as they have never won a game and had a sour taste in their mouths. They've now gone to a level where they need to be critical of their play even following a victory, which is a good thing.
The three wins to start the year already surpasses their wins in team history, so the girls are in uncharted territory from here on out.
Before they were the underdogs trying to compete and pull off an upset. Now they have the target on their back as one of the teams to beat in the division. They are no longer hunters, but have become the hunter as other teams will know they have to play their best game to beat the 6th graders.
But will the 6th graders find their "A" game against teams that also bring their best?
After taking an early 8-2 lead in the game, the girls basically went through the motions and managed to not lose 14-12.
After not playing a game for close to three weeks, the girls could attribute the lethargic performance to rust, but the girls came out with some fire to start the game. But for some reason that energy could not be sustained for the final three quarters.
Jamie had a game high 8 points, 6 coming in the first half.
The girls took a 12-8 lead going into the half, as they let the opposition get back into the game, giving up easy shots off of turnovers and rebounds.
Fiona scored the only 2 points for the girls in the second half, and little did anyone know her basket in the 3rd quarter would be the game decider.
The other team had plenty of chances to tie the game in the last two minutes, but they were unable to hit a shot.
Jamie had several chances in the last minute to add some insurance to the 6th grade lead, but she fumbled the ball in one instance as she went up for a lay-up. She then picked up her dribble too early in the backcourt with 13 seconds left, and was called for traveling.
The other team then had the opportunity to either tie the game or take the lead with a three, but they ended up missing a long range jumper, and the subsequent rebound. The 6th graders were still unable to get a rebound, but the other team traveled in the paint after picking up the loose ball.
For some reason, the other team didn't bother pressing with a little over two seconds left and Jamie dribbled out the rest of the clock.
After the game, the atmosphere in the team huddle was not good to say the least, as the coaches and players all knew that this was a game that lacked the effort and execution that is expected from this team.
With that being said, this is new grounds for the 6th grade girls as they have never won a game and had a sour taste in their mouths. They've now gone to a level where they need to be critical of their play even following a victory, which is a good thing.
The three wins to start the year already surpasses their wins in team history, so the girls are in uncharted territory from here on out.
Before they were the underdogs trying to compete and pull off an upset. Now they have the target on their back as one of the teams to beat in the division. They are no longer hunters, but have become the hunter as other teams will know they have to play their best game to beat the 6th graders.
But will the 6th graders find their "A" game against teams that also bring their best?
Everything but the points for the 3rd grade
The 3rd grade girls did everything but score in their latest loss Saturday.
Like many other games the girls have played this season, they were able to get off plenty of shots, but the problem was their shots weren't falling.
The only one that did was Justina's in the 3rd quarter that made it 7-2 at the time.
Up against a very physical and quick team, the girls did more than hold their own, and could've pulled off an upset had some of their shots gone in the basket. Problem is that they didn't and they lost 11-2.
Scoring and making shots is a huge problem right now for the youngest girls in the school, as they have not scored more than 6 points in a single game this season.
Defensively, they are getting better by the week. The way they rotate the ball around on the offensive end and find open teammates is pretty good, but the final step in the process of making the shot is not working.
Halfway through the season, the girls are still winless, but playing a good game without the end result is still something positive that the team can build upon.
Like many other games the girls have played this season, they were able to get off plenty of shots, but the problem was their shots weren't falling.
The only one that did was Justina's in the 3rd quarter that made it 7-2 at the time.
Up against a very physical and quick team, the girls did more than hold their own, and could've pulled off an upset had some of their shots gone in the basket. Problem is that they didn't and they lost 11-2.
Scoring and making shots is a huge problem right now for the youngest girls in the school, as they have not scored more than 6 points in a single game this season.
Defensively, they are getting better by the week. The way they rotate the ball around on the offensive end and find open teammates is pretty good, but the final step in the process of making the shot is not working.
Halfway through the season, the girls are still winless, but playing a good game without the end result is still something positive that the team can build upon.
8th grade romps again
The 8th grade girls put on another dominating performance and clinched a playoff spot with a 32-2 drubbing of the other team.
Like many other games they have played this season, the result was hardly in doubt, leading 16-0 at halftime, and not giving up a basket until the 3rd quarter.
Part of the reason is their competition is just not as talented as the 8th grade girls are. For years we have talked about St. Mary's teams being outmatched even before the game started. But now for the first time, it's the other way around.
In their five wins this season, their smallest margin of victory has been 19 points, and that was their first game of the year when they only played with five players.
Last season, this team went (2-6) in the same division. Three players remain from that team, Maria, Pamela and Jocelyn. Now with the added presence of Amanda, Sabrina and Lili, anything less than a championship would be a disappointment.
Even though they have been blowing out teams, three of their four previous wins were all close at halftime and it took a great second half really pull away. Not the case Saturday.
Jocelyn had a career high 12 points, and the defense for the 8th grade girls has been so good that other teams can barely get off any quality shots.
Their man to man creates at times an ugly and sloppy game to watch, but it does prevent the other team from scoring.
This is their third game of the year where they have held the other team to single digits, a feat that is hard to accomplish at the 8th grade level.
The girls played with only five girls in the first half, but it didn't affect their solid play. They were hitting their shots, grabbing rebounds and beating the other team in every facet of the game.
One thing they will have to guard against is overconfidence because if they don't continue to do the things they have been doing to win, a repeat of last Sunday's game could happen.
But if their play the rest of the season is like how they performed Saturday, there will be a lot of big smiles come the month of May.
Amanda had 8 points for the third straight game. Maria scored 6 points, while Pamela and Sabrina both added 2 points.
They are now (5-0) on the year.
Like many other games they have played this season, the result was hardly in doubt, leading 16-0 at halftime, and not giving up a basket until the 3rd quarter.
Part of the reason is their competition is just not as talented as the 8th grade girls are. For years we have talked about St. Mary's teams being outmatched even before the game started. But now for the first time, it's the other way around.
In their five wins this season, their smallest margin of victory has been 19 points, and that was their first game of the year when they only played with five players.
Last season, this team went (2-6) in the same division. Three players remain from that team, Maria, Pamela and Jocelyn. Now with the added presence of Amanda, Sabrina and Lili, anything less than a championship would be a disappointment.
Even though they have been blowing out teams, three of their four previous wins were all close at halftime and it took a great second half really pull away. Not the case Saturday.
Jocelyn had a career high 12 points, and the defense for the 8th grade girls has been so good that other teams can barely get off any quality shots.
Their man to man creates at times an ugly and sloppy game to watch, but it does prevent the other team from scoring.
This is their third game of the year where they have held the other team to single digits, a feat that is hard to accomplish at the 8th grade level.
The girls played with only five girls in the first half, but it didn't affect their solid play. They were hitting their shots, grabbing rebounds and beating the other team in every facet of the game.
One thing they will have to guard against is overconfidence because if they don't continue to do the things they have been doing to win, a repeat of last Sunday's game could happen.
But if their play the rest of the season is like how they performed Saturday, there will be a lot of big smiles come the month of May.
Amanda had 8 points for the third straight game. Maria scored 6 points, while Pamela and Sabrina both added 2 points.
They are now (5-0) on the year.
5th grade squeaks by to pick up fourth win
The 5th grade girls got some key buckets in the first half from Becky and Lily, and then hung on to win 12-8 to remain undefeated in the regular season.
Lily hit a free throw and hit a bank shot just outside the key and Becky had a nice put-back in the 2nd quarter that extended the 5th grade girls' lead to 8-2 at halftime.
Since they only scored 4 points the entire second half, those baskets in the 2nd quarter were instrumental in the victory that helped the girls improve to (4-0) on the year.
Kaela scored a modest 7 points, and could've easily broken her career high had she converted on her lay-ups. She missed as many as seven lay-ups that could've made this game a lot easier for everybody involved.
Despite the misses, she did convert on a crucial play in the 4th quarter when she drove to the basket and picked up an and-1. That stretched their two point lead at the time to four, making it a two possession game.
This was the toughest game for the 5th grade this season, and they were not sharp on both sides of the court.
They turned the ball over way too many times and had trouble controlling rebounds, something they had done so well the past week or so.
On the bright side, other players are now starting to get involved with the scoring like Becky and Lily and it will be important for those two, as well as the other new girls to start contributing on a regular basis.
Lily hit a free throw and hit a bank shot just outside the key and Becky had a nice put-back in the 2nd quarter that extended the 5th grade girls' lead to 8-2 at halftime.
Since they only scored 4 points the entire second half, those baskets in the 2nd quarter were instrumental in the victory that helped the girls improve to (4-0) on the year.
Kaela scored a modest 7 points, and could've easily broken her career high had she converted on her lay-ups. She missed as many as seven lay-ups that could've made this game a lot easier for everybody involved.
Despite the misses, she did convert on a crucial play in the 4th quarter when she drove to the basket and picked up an and-1. That stretched their two point lead at the time to four, making it a two possession game.
This was the toughest game for the 5th grade this season, and they were not sharp on both sides of the court.
They turned the ball over way too many times and had trouble controlling rebounds, something they had done so well the past week or so.
On the bright side, other players are now starting to get involved with the scoring like Becky and Lily and it will be important for those two, as well as the other new girls to start contributing on a regular basis.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Saturday Results
The 5th grade girls improve to (5-0) after a 12-8 victory.
The 8th grade girls also improve to (4-0) after another huge win.
The 3rd grade girls lost 11-2.
Lastly, the 6th grade girls hung on to win 14-12.
BASEBALL
All baseball games for tomorrow have been rained out and will be rescheduled to a later date.
The 8th grade girls also improve to (4-0) after another huge win.
The 3rd grade girls lost 11-2.
Lastly, the 6th grade girls hung on to win 14-12.
BASEBALL
All baseball games for tomorrow have been rained out and will be rescheduled to a later date.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Oh, the Warriors story continues
More Warriors fallout and in case you missed this too, the Warriors owner got booed during a Chris Mullin retirement ceremony Monday night.
Bill Simmons, a very good writer, had a great article about the history of the Warriors. I will paste the link and encourage you go check out this article about the Warriors.
A must read for all you people who watch the Warriors or the NBA. Click below to read.
Bill Simmons, a very good writer, had a great article about the history of the Warriors. I will paste the link and encourage you go check out this article about the Warriors.
A must read for all you people who watch the Warriors or the NBA. Click below to read.
How to Annoy a Fan Base in 60 Easy Steps
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Happy Birthday Kaela
Happy Birthday to Kaela. Unfortunately we don't have enough embarrassing footage for a Kaela birthday video but within the next year we shall.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Monday blog filler
Hello folks,
Long time since I sat here and randomly slabblabblabbed out stuff, so I thought I'd throw a few things out there.
TWITTER
Anybody wanna follow me on Twitter? I've been stuck on 65-70 followers for about 6 years now. Here's why you should get Twitter.
Let's say you are sitting at home and wondering how the 5th grade is doing...Well, with Twitter you can find out instantly without waiting until I get back on the blog to post the results.
And...where else could you find a tweet like this:
So sign up and get yourself a Twitter. Go to: Twitter.Com/StMarysSports and click on follow and you are gold. If anybody signs up this week, I will give you a dollar.
And posted on Twitter right now...the Coaches Knockout Game!
ALL-STAR SUNDAY
Now, All-Star Sunday videos are efforting right now so hopefully they will be up in the next week or so. Just brutal camera work to be honest. If you are a good camera person, please contact me so I can hire you for Girls All-Star Sunday.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
Happy Anniversary to my parents who got married 123 years ago on this date.<3 or not...
POLLS
Do you like polls? Vote in the newest poll and thank you to those who voted in the Monta Ellis poll.
EPIC VIDEO
Sadly, I don't think Epic Video will return this school year, if ever. I wanted to start late in 2010 but could just never get around to it and even if I started now, it'd be like 3 episodes so what's really the point?
So what about Shem's Corner? We will start releasing more Shem's Corners leading up to Awards Night where Shem will appoint his successor.
So in the mean time, maybe I will just post old Epic Videos. You ever go back and watch an old Epic Video? It's some pretty good stuff I must say, makes me miss it, but I just ain't got the time to do it.
AWARDS NIGHT
May 25th - mark it down
SHARKS
Playoff beard is in danger this year, because as of this typing, they aren't even in the playoffs. But they are in 9th place, a point out and 11 games left, so I would like to think they can make it. Even if they do, the beard might not get very long this year, sadly or happily.
RAW VIDEOS AND HIGHLIGHTS
Now, a lot of your parents, family, and friends can't make it to the game, so be sure to share the videos of highlights and raw videos so they can watch you in action.
This week's highlights probably won't be up until Wednesday, I am guessing? But very cool in the highlights this week we have a race after the game that you don't want to miss.
That's all for now - back tomorrow with an interesting article I stumbled upon. Don't forget to read about the teams from this past weekend in their recaps.
See ya pals.
Long time since I sat here and randomly slabblabblabbed out stuff, so I thought I'd throw a few things out there.
Anybody wanna follow me on Twitter? I've been stuck on 65-70 followers for about 6 years now. Here's why you should get Twitter.
Let's say you are sitting at home and wondering how the 5th grade is doing...Well, with Twitter you can find out instantly without waiting until I get back on the blog to post the results.
And...where else could you find a tweet like this:
So sign up and get yourself a Twitter. Go to: Twitter.Com/StMarysSports and click on follow and you are gold. If anybody signs up this week, I will give you a dollar.
And posted on Twitter right now...the Coaches Knockout Game!
ALL-STAR SUNDAY
Now, All-Star Sunday videos are efforting right now so hopefully they will be up in the next week or so. Just brutal camera work to be honest. If you are a good camera person, please contact me so I can hire you for Girls All-Star Sunday.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
Happy Anniversary to my parents who got married 123 years ago on this date.<3 or not...
POLLS
Do you like polls? Vote in the newest poll and thank you to those who voted in the Monta Ellis poll.
EPIC VIDEO
Sadly, I don't think Epic Video will return this school year, if ever. I wanted to start late in 2010 but could just never get around to it and even if I started now, it'd be like 3 episodes so what's really the point?
So what about Shem's Corner? We will start releasing more Shem's Corners leading up to Awards Night where Shem will appoint his successor.
So in the mean time, maybe I will just post old Epic Videos. You ever go back and watch an old Epic Video? It's some pretty good stuff I must say, makes me miss it, but I just ain't got the time to do it.
AWARDS NIGHT
May 25th - mark it down
SHARKS
Playoff beard is in danger this year, because as of this typing, they aren't even in the playoffs. But they are in 9th place, a point out and 11 games left, so I would like to think they can make it. Even if they do, the beard might not get very long this year, sadly or happily.
RAW VIDEOS AND HIGHLIGHTS
Now, a lot of your parents, family, and friends can't make it to the game, so be sure to share the videos of highlights and raw videos so they can watch you in action.
This week's highlights probably won't be up until Wednesday, I am guessing? But very cool in the highlights this week we have a race after the game that you don't want to miss.
That's all for now - back tomorrow with an interesting article I stumbled upon. Don't forget to read about the teams from this past weekend in their recaps.
See ya pals.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
8th grade girls sluggish in win
If the 8th grade girls thought they were going to dominate their opponent like they did Saturday, it didn't show.
The girls led 4-2 in a flat first half that could be summarized as just plain bad. For two 8th grade teams, a combined 6 points is not good any way you cut it.
Saturday, these same two teams met and the 8th grade girls held a 18-0 advantage after two quarters. Sunday, by only a bucket.
Give the other team credit as they were stringy and played a real scrappy game, not giving the 8th grade girls any room to operate, forcing turnovers and some bad shots.
The other team actually had the better of the scoring chances in the first half but were unable to make their lay-ups.
In the 3rd quarter, the 8th grade doubled their point total from the first half and led 8-2 going into the fourth where they were able to pull away.
The girls started making some shots around the key, and their defense continued to give up nothing. Some quick baskets to start the final seven minutes pushed the 8th grade girls lead to 16-2 and the girls could collectively breathe a sigh of relief.
Maria continued her strong play underneath, scoring a career high 8 points, while Amanda matched her with 8 points of her own.
Amanda broke away twice in the final 30 seconds for lay-ups to add to her total on the afternoon.
To this point, the 8th grade has not been tested until this afternoon. They've had blowout games in each of their first three games and today's contest could be counted one as well if you factor in the margin of victory.
However in three of their four games, they've held small leads going into halftime.
But if the girls play up to their potential, every game could be a laugher, because this team has the ability to be that good.
The first half was an indication of how it would look if things went bad, while the final quarter was one that displayed where they can look real good.
Jocelyn added 6 points and Pamela 2 points.
The girls led 4-2 in a flat first half that could be summarized as just plain bad. For two 8th grade teams, a combined 6 points is not good any way you cut it.
Saturday, these same two teams met and the 8th grade girls held a 18-0 advantage after two quarters. Sunday, by only a bucket.
Give the other team credit as they were stringy and played a real scrappy game, not giving the 8th grade girls any room to operate, forcing turnovers and some bad shots.
The other team actually had the better of the scoring chances in the first half but were unable to make their lay-ups.
In the 3rd quarter, the 8th grade doubled their point total from the first half and led 8-2 going into the fourth where they were able to pull away.
The girls started making some shots around the key, and their defense continued to give up nothing. Some quick baskets to start the final seven minutes pushed the 8th grade girls lead to 16-2 and the girls could collectively breathe a sigh of relief.
Maria continued her strong play underneath, scoring a career high 8 points, while Amanda matched her with 8 points of her own.
Amanda broke away twice in the final 30 seconds for lay-ups to add to her total on the afternoon.
To this point, the 8th grade has not been tested until this afternoon. They've had blowout games in each of their first three games and today's contest could be counted one as well if you factor in the margin of victory.
However in three of their four games, they've held small leads going into halftime.
But if the girls play up to their potential, every game could be a laugher, because this team has the ability to be that good.
The first half was an indication of how it would look if things went bad, while the final quarter was one that displayed where they can look real good.
Jocelyn added 6 points and Pamela 2 points.
Kaela drops 17 for third straight game
Three games into the season, the 5th grade girls have a lot of common themes. They get better by the game, they win and Kaela scores 17 points.
For the second straight game, Kaela matched her career high with 17 points in the 5th grade's 24-4 win Sunday afternoon. They improve to (3-0) to start the season.
Michaela provided 7 points going 3-for-4 from the free throw line, and hitting two field goals in the first half.
Lily has made some great strides since the beginning of the season as she is now firmly grabbing rebounds underneath. Several of the points the 5th grade scored were off some good rebounds by Lily, followed by quick outlet passes to get the transition game going.
Also, Kaela is starting to slowly develop her game passing wise, looking for her open teammates and getting them involved in the offense. Today the shots didn't fall but there were more shots from the team as a whole.
Through three games, the 5th grade hasn't really been tested that much. Their defense has held their opponent to single digits in scoring.
With their offense scoring in the 20s, they will be able to win a lot of games if their defense and rebounding can continue.
Couple that with more than half of the team still gaining experience by the game, this could be a team that could make a run for the title come playoff time.
The girls led 10-0 at halftime, and the other team didn't score until midway through the 4th quarter.
For the second straight game, Kaela matched her career high with 17 points in the 5th grade's 24-4 win Sunday afternoon. They improve to (3-0) to start the season.
Michaela provided 7 points going 3-for-4 from the free throw line, and hitting two field goals in the first half.
Lily has made some great strides since the beginning of the season as she is now firmly grabbing rebounds underneath. Several of the points the 5th grade scored were off some good rebounds by Lily, followed by quick outlet passes to get the transition game going.
Also, Kaela is starting to slowly develop her game passing wise, looking for her open teammates and getting them involved in the offense. Today the shots didn't fall but there were more shots from the team as a whole.
Through three games, the 5th grade hasn't really been tested that much. Their defense has held their opponent to single digits in scoring.
With their offense scoring in the 20s, they will be able to win a lot of games if their defense and rebounding can continue.
Couple that with more than half of the team still gaining experience by the game, this could be a team that could make a run for the title come playoff time.
The girls led 10-0 at halftime, and the other team didn't score until midway through the 4th quarter.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
8th grade girls cruise to victory
The 8th grade girls are rolling and it doesn't look like anybody is going to stop them anytime soon.
It was 18-0 at the half, and the girls were well on their way to their third straight victory to start the season. The final score was 26-4.
Tomorrow the same two teams meet and barring anything drastic, it will probably be more of the same.
Offensively, the girls aren't doing anything too flashy, but defensively they are shutting teams down. Their man to man defense suffocates the other team as their opponents have trouble scoring. Most of the shots they surrender are forced shots, and if the offense isn't clicking, their defense is there to keep the 8th graders in the game.
At (3-0), they have pretty much already locked up a playoff spot in this five team division where all but one team will make the playoffs.
All their games so far have been lopsided as the girls have exceeded expectations in the first three games of the year.
Sabrina had a great game on both ends of the court, and especially on the defensive end where she blocked several shots. She is by far one of the strongest players down in the paint in years for the St. Mary's girls.
She had a game high 7 points.
This team has good balance that can score from the outside and inside as well. They are quick, but also strong and have six players that really compliment each other.
Their scoring is very distributed as evident by this afternoon's totals. Pamela had 6 points, followed by Jocelyn with 5 points, Maria 4 points, and Amanda added 2 points.
It was 18-0 at the half, and the girls were well on their way to their third straight victory to start the season. The final score was 26-4.
Tomorrow the same two teams meet and barring anything drastic, it will probably be more of the same.
Offensively, the girls aren't doing anything too flashy, but defensively they are shutting teams down. Their man to man defense suffocates the other team as their opponents have trouble scoring. Most of the shots they surrender are forced shots, and if the offense isn't clicking, their defense is there to keep the 8th graders in the game.
At (3-0), they have pretty much already locked up a playoff spot in this five team division where all but one team will make the playoffs.
All their games so far have been lopsided as the girls have exceeded expectations in the first three games of the year.
Sabrina had a great game on both ends of the court, and especially on the defensive end where she blocked several shots. She is by far one of the strongest players down in the paint in years for the St. Mary's girls.
She had a game high 7 points.
This team has good balance that can score from the outside and inside as well. They are quick, but also strong and have six players that really compliment each other.
Their scoring is very distributed as evident by this afternoon's totals. Pamela had 6 points, followed by Jocelyn with 5 points, Maria 4 points, and Amanda added 2 points.
7th grade forfeits
A team can't build any chemistry when they've yet to have a full practice as a team. What's even worse is when close to half the team doesn't show up for the game.
Only 4 out of the 7 girls on the 7th grade team were there for gametime, and the result was a forfeit.
Not only were the girls deprived of a game, but a possible chance to go to (3-0).
In an 8 game season, games can't be thrown away like they were today.
Let's hope this one game doesn't haunt them and cost them a playoff berth.
Only 4 out of the 7 girls on the 7th grade team were there for gametime, and the result was a forfeit.
Not only were the girls deprived of a game, but a possible chance to go to (3-0).
In an 8 game season, games can't be thrown away like they were today.
Let's hope this one game doesn't haunt them and cost them a playoff berth.
Big 3rd quarter not enough for 3rd graders
The 3rd grade girls had their best quarter to date, scoring 6 points alone in the 3rd quarter of their game Saturday.
Unfortunately, their first two quarters did them in as they carved themselves an 20-0 hole at halftime, only to fall 24-6.
Sofia had 4 points and Veronica had 2 points in the loss.
The girls still look a little scared out on the court, afraid to really go all out for the ball. The little things like being quicker to the ball, or being alert enough to step in front of somebody is lacking.
In the 3rd quarter, they showed glimpses of that as girls were anticipating passes, going for the steal. When they play with some jump in their step, they tend to be successful. When they sit back in their comfortable 2-3 zone and let the other team pass the ball around, that leads to trouble.
This team does not have the most size, so they are physically smaller than other teams. They are also not too physical, which is what happens with inexperience, and that leads to a lot of offensive rebounds for the other team. That's where the bulk of the other team's points come from early in the season.
Sometimes the girls will get steals, dribble it downcourt, only to turn it around and bring the ball back up to the top of the key. They need to be confident and take it all the way to the basket to either draw a foul or get up an easy shot. Too many times the girls get into a half court mode and turn the ball over.
Veronica, like an NFL cornerback, picked off a pass in the third and went coast to coast for the team's first basket of the game.
Sofia then matched her career high by sinking two shots in the paint.
Unfortunately, their first two quarters did them in as they carved themselves an 20-0 hole at halftime, only to fall 24-6.
Sofia had 4 points and Veronica had 2 points in the loss.
The girls still look a little scared out on the court, afraid to really go all out for the ball. The little things like being quicker to the ball, or being alert enough to step in front of somebody is lacking.
In the 3rd quarter, they showed glimpses of that as girls were anticipating passes, going for the steal. When they play with some jump in their step, they tend to be successful. When they sit back in their comfortable 2-3 zone and let the other team pass the ball around, that leads to trouble.
This team does not have the most size, so they are physically smaller than other teams. They are also not too physical, which is what happens with inexperience, and that leads to a lot of offensive rebounds for the other team. That's where the bulk of the other team's points come from early in the season.
Sometimes the girls will get steals, dribble it downcourt, only to turn it around and bring the ball back up to the top of the key. They need to be confident and take it all the way to the basket to either draw a foul or get up an easy shot. Too many times the girls get into a half court mode and turn the ball over.
Veronica, like an NFL cornerback, picked off a pass in the third and went coast to coast for the team's first basket of the game.
Sofia then matched her career high by sinking two shots in the paint.
Friday, March 16, 2012
BREAKING NEWS: 5th grade baseball game postponed
The 5th grade baseball game for Sunday has been postponed.
No makeup date has been announced.
Both baseball teams resume practice on Tuesday, weather and fields permitting.
No makeup date has been announced.
Both baseball teams resume practice on Tuesday, weather and fields permitting.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Bye bye Monta...
That March 24 Warriors game either got a lot more interesting, or a lot more dull.
In case you have been living under a rock, the Warriors made a huge trade yesterday, sending Monta Ellis to the Milwaukee Bucks for Andrew Bogut.
And to make the trade more mind boggling or interesting, Ekpe Udoh and Kwame Brown go with Monta, and guess who comes back to the Warriors? Captain Jack, Stephen Jackson.
Kwame Brown was included just for salary reasons so the contracts could match up.
So before anybody, including myself jumps to conclusions, here's the good, the bad, and ugly from the trade.
The Good
No longer will anyone ask can Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis co-exist? I guess the answer is no because Monta is now gone. There isn't that distraction, which is always a good thing.
Curry and Ellis was never going to work because they were both too small. Good teams who have a good shooting guard always beat the Warriors. Kobe is 6'6, a shooting guard, and it caused complete defensive chaos every time the W's had to play a team with a guard who could consistently score.
Now the Warriors can form a traditional lineup where the shooting guard is taller than 6'3, which is Monta's height.
Also the good, the Warriors were not going to win anything with Monta either, so why not start somewhat fresh?
Monta is a really good player, not a great player. Yes, he could score, but he didn't make his team better and is not a player that can carry a team. And that is no knock on Monta, because how many Lebrons, Kobes, and Derrick Rose's are there?
Monta would be a great secondary player to a superstar. But a superstar is something Monta isn't.
The Bad
We also lose Ekpe Udoh. Udoh was one of the few bright spots for the Warriors this season. He's young, could play defense, blocked shots. He was something the Warriors have not had in years, and once again, they don't have it. But it sounds like to make this trade happen, Udoh had to be part of it.
The Ugly
Stephen Jackson. There's no way he wants to come back. I think he'll get booed out of the arena if he ever gets into a game. He was thrown into the trade because the Bucks would not make the trade if Jackson wasn't part of the deal.
Why didn't they trade Biedrins instead?
I wouldn't want Andris Biedrins playing on our 3rd grade team cause he's too soft inside, so I doubt an NBA team would want him.
Why this trade makes sense
This was probably the best deal out there.
Andrew Bogut, when healthy, is a top/good center in the NBA. Centers are not easy to come by. The Warriors have never had a good center since I have been alive. In order to get a center through a trade, you have to give up someone like Monta.
Building around Monta also just wasn't happening. They tried in the off-season to get Tyson Chandler, DeAndre Jordan, but the Warriors struck out on both of those. Free agents don't want to come play for the Warriors so the only way they can get players are through the draft or trade.
Monta could've opted out of his contract at the end of next year, and the Warriors would've gotten nothing for him. Monta was also slowly getting restless and who could blame him, so sooner or later, Who knows? Monta maybe demands a trade and becomes a major distraction. The trade alleviates the problem.
The Warriors need to start losing games. If they do not get a draft pick in the Top 7, they lose the draft pick. With Monta, they probably miss the playoffs by a few games and therefore draft between 10-15 again, and that draft pick is lost because of a prior trade.
Since Bogut is injured and unlikely to play, this Warriors team is going to have trouble winning games down the stretch. And that means a nucleus of Curry, draft pick, Wright, Lee and Bogut. Not quite championship material, but a solid team.
Finally, the franchise believes in Klay Thompson. His play made Monta expendable.
Why this trade doesn't make sense
Bogut is injured and you can't say for sure he is going to be healthy or be dependable in the future.
Udoh had the potential to be an impact player. Probably not an All-Star, but someone who in only his second year was raising eyebrows around the league.
This also means the face of the franchise is now Stephen Curry, who could roll an ankle getting out of his car.
Monta was a go to scorer the Warriors hadn't had in a while also. With the game on the line, Monta was going to shoot the ball - most of the times, since there were games he just didn't shoot it for some reason.
But that's besides the point. Monta had no fear in taking the big shot. Right now, the team doesn't have anybody who can do that.
There aren't many players in the league who can score at will like Monta.
The Verdict
My early return says that this trade isn't great, and to me it's not even good.
I won't say it's bad either.
I do feel that this was a trade made because of all the other flaws and mistakes the team has made over the course of years. And this was perhaps the first step for them to get out of it.
If Bogut is healthy, this is a good trade. If they get the pick, and Bogut is healthy, this could be a great trade.
But everything is if, if and if.
What do you think? Be sure to vote, and enjoy Charlie Jenkins on the 24th.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
This day in St. Mary's Athletics
It was March 13, 1999, when the St. Mary's 8th grade boys completed a perfect season, winning the championship 33-28, after finishing the regular season (8-0).
Basketball at St. Mary's, baseball canceled for today
The 3rd and 6th grade girls basketball practices have been rained out, as has both baseball practices.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
All-Star Sunday Results
5th grade defeats 6th grade in YoungStars Game
Jonathan won the YoungStars Game MVP, scoring a game high 19 points in the 5th grade's 32-24 win over the 6th grade.
Box Score: 5th Grade 32, 6th Grade 24
5th grade: Jonathan 19 (3 pointer), Jason L. 8, Jason H 5,
6th grade: Jason Ng 7, Joseph 6, Raymond 5, Thomas 4, Ryan 2
Class of 2010 plus the Wang win Boys Alumni Game
John Wang joined the class of 2010 and beat Justin Khuu and the class of 2011 42-34 in the Boys Alumni Game.
Tommy, Derek, Brandon, Kevin, Elliot represented the class of 2010 in a game where Gavin Chan and Kevin were team captains. Both teams opted to pick players from their graduating class.
The class of 2011 was represented by Miles, Michael Ng, Justin, Mark, Jeremy and Gavin Chan.
Box Score: Class of 2010 42, Class of 2011 34
2010: John 20, Derek 14, Kevin 4, Elliot 2, Tommy 2
2011: Michael 13, Mark 10, Miles 5, Jeremy 4, Justin Khuu 2
Pablo takes home MVP in All-Star Game
Pablo had a team high 11 points as his team won the All-Star Game 22-17. It was the lowest scoring affair in the five year history of the All-Star game. Anthony Shem and Jason Ng were added to the roster late due to two players missing from the game.
Box Score: White 22, Red 17
White: Pablo 11, Moises 6, Christian 4, Anthony 2
Red: Justin 12, (Two 3 pointers), Sebastian 3 (1), Daniel 2
Justin wins 3 point shootout
Justin beat Sebastian in the tie-breaking round to become the 2012 3 Point Shootout Champion.
The two tied with 6 in the final round, forcing a 30 second shootout where 15 shots were attempted opposed to the normal 25.
Justin had a first round of 10, the most of any player this year.
3 Point Shootout Boxscore
1st Round Scores
Sebastian 5
Pablo 2
Justin 10
Anthony 4
Moises 3
Brandon Tom 3
Final Round Scores
Sebastian 6
Justin 6
Tie-Breaker Final
Sebastian 1
Justin 5
Clarissa and Aaron repeat as 2-Ball Champs
Clarissa and Aaron scored 15 points in the final round to easily repeat as Boys 2-Ball champions.
They outlasted Jason Ng and Justin Khuu, and Moises and Tiffy in the final round for the win.
The defending champions scored the highest in any round with a 23 in the first.
2-Ball Boxscore
1st Round Scores
Justin Lee/Brendan - 12
James/James - 15
Jason Ng/Justin Khuu 21
Calvin/Randy - 3
Raymond/John - 17
Brandon Khuu/Chris - 17
Shem/Susan - 14
Aaron/Clarissa - 23
Jason L./Leslie - 6
Moises/Tiffy - 22
Final Round Scores
Jason/Justin - 6
Moises/Tiffy - 4
Aaron/Clarissa - 15
First Kings of the Court crowned
The foursome of Pablo, Julio, Michael and Brandon Khuu became the inaugural Kings of the Court champions.
In a one hour tournament where four players are randomly selected to form a team, the four players mentioned above won three games for the championship.
In the final, they defeated the team of Sebastian, Moises, Jason L. and Jonathan 8-0.
Coaches Knockout goes to Miles
In his first year as a coach, Miles beat Zerena to win the Coaches Knockout for 2012.
It was one of the most exciting events of the day which saw all the basketball coaches for the boys and girls come together for this great competition.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
All-Star Sunday Predictions and Schedule
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME
REMEMBER TO MOVE YOUR CLOCK FORWARD AND HOUR TONIGHT!
- • 12:30 p.m. – Young Stars Game (5th grade vs 6th grade)
- • 1:15 p.m. – 3 Point Shootout
- • 1:45 p.m. – Boys Alumni Game
- • 2:30 p.m. – 2-Ball (all grades)
- • 3:15 p.m. – Kings of the Court (all grades)
- • 4:15 p.m. – Coaches Knockout
- • 4:30 p.m. – All-Star Game
- • Halftime: Million Dollar Shot/Family Fatal-Four Way
Predictions
3 Point Shootout: Justin
2-Ball: John and Raymond
Coaches Knockout: Marissa
Family Fatal 4-Way: Quocks
Huge second half gives the 8th grade their second win
The 8th grade girls outscored their opponent 20-4 in the second half, and won convincingly for the second straight game 29-7.
It was a sloppy first half where both teams turned the ball over more than they scored, and it was a 9-3 grind in favor of the 8th graders at halftime.
But the team woke up in the second half, hit some easy shots, which led to some confidence and the rest was history.
Sabrina, making her St. Mary's debut had a game high 9 points, and Amanda scored 8 points, all on jump shots from the outside, leading the offense in the second half romp.
Their defense was stingy to say the least, not allowing the other team any breathing room, as each shot was forced or contested. They were able to cause turnovers from the beginning to the end of the game.
For the second straight week, it was a real slow first half, but something starts to click at halftime, and the girls dominate in the final two quarters.
Pamela, Maria and Jocelyn all had 4 points in the win.
The 8th grade is now (2-0).
It was a sloppy first half where both teams turned the ball over more than they scored, and it was a 9-3 grind in favor of the 8th graders at halftime.
But the team woke up in the second half, hit some easy shots, which led to some confidence and the rest was history.
Sabrina, making her St. Mary's debut had a game high 9 points, and Amanda scored 8 points, all on jump shots from the outside, leading the offense in the second half romp.
Their defense was stingy to say the least, not allowing the other team any breathing room, as each shot was forced or contested. They were able to cause turnovers from the beginning to the end of the game.
For the second straight week, it was a real slow first half, but something starts to click at halftime, and the girls dominate in the final two quarters.
Pamela, Maria and Jocelyn all had 4 points in the win.
The 8th grade is now (2-0).
Fast start enough for the 5th graders for second win
At the end of the first quarter, it looked like it was going to be another easy day at the office for the 5th grade girls, as they led 13-2 after one.
Their offense naturally slowed down a bit, and the girls settled for a 21-8 victory over NDV to improve to (2-0) on the regular season.
Lily scored her first 2 points late in the 4th quarter and Kaela matched her career high from last week with 17 points. Michaela also banked in a shot midway through the first for her only field goal of the game.
Ivy was great on defense today, and was a hawk to the ball, pressuring the other team's guards at will. Christine has also shown a lot of improvement defensively in the last several games.
The first two games for the girls have been easy, but they will need to rectify some of their mistakes against the tougher opponents in the division.
Their team chemistry is still a work in progress as a lot of the new girls are still a little bit tentative with the ball. A lot of times it's hot potato and they don't want to be aggressive.
Going forward it's going to take a lot more of a team effort to win games.
As for the good, Kaela and Michaela have developed a good rapport, perhaps the best between any two teammates in the last few years.
They find each other on the court and have only played a total of five games together.
On Lily's basket, a ball intended for Becky was deflected off another girl's face before it bounced right to Lily. She calmly banked it in, and then ran back on defense with her arms in the air.
Their offense naturally slowed down a bit, and the girls settled for a 21-8 victory over NDV to improve to (2-0) on the regular season.
Lily scored her first 2 points late in the 4th quarter and Kaela matched her career high from last week with 17 points. Michaela also banked in a shot midway through the first for her only field goal of the game.
Ivy was great on defense today, and was a hawk to the ball, pressuring the other team's guards at will. Christine has also shown a lot of improvement defensively in the last several games.
The first two games for the girls have been easy, but they will need to rectify some of their mistakes against the tougher opponents in the division.
Their team chemistry is still a work in progress as a lot of the new girls are still a little bit tentative with the ball. A lot of times it's hot potato and they don't want to be aggressive.
Going forward it's going to take a lot more of a team effort to win games.
As for the good, Kaela and Michaela have developed a good rapport, perhaps the best between any two teammates in the last few years.
They find each other on the court and have only played a total of five games together.
On Lily's basket, a ball intended for Becky was deflected off another girl's face before it bounced right to Lily. She calmly banked it in, and then ran back on defense with her arms in the air.
3rd grade drops second game
With only five player this morning, the 3rd grade girls lost for the second time in the regular season and fell to (0-2).
Justina was injured early in the 4th quarter, and the girls were forced to play 4 on 5 for the remainder of the game.
Justina was injured early in the 4th quarter, and the girls were forced to play 4 on 5 for the remainder of the game.
Friday, March 9, 2012
7th grade hangs on for second win
The 7th grade girls improved to (2-0) with a 16-10 win Friday night.
Melinda had a game high 7 points, including a 3 pointer that sealed it with about a minute left in the game.
It was a sloppy game by both teams, and it had the feeling of whichever team could score just a few baskets in a row would win the game. Luckily, it was the 7th grade girls.
They led 11-9 heading into the 4th quarter and with a minute left in the game, it was still 11-9.
But Cynthia found Melinda who drilled a wide open 3 pointer from the top of the key that made it 14-9.
The other team hit a free throw to cut the lead to 4 points, but Melina iced the game with less than 15 seconds to go hitting both of her free throws.
Tiffany scored for the first time this year and had a crucial 4 points.
Cynthia, who was limited to only one field goal attempt in the second half, hit three free throws early in the game for her 3 points.
Wendy added 2 points.
No matter how you cut it, the girls are (2-0) and a team that has not had much practice. As of Friday, they still have yet to have a full team practice with all 7 girls.
How much better could they be if everyone was in attendance at every practice, is the question everyone needs to ask themselves.
Because even though they haven't completely come together as a team, they are still able to win games based on what instincts they have, so the potential is there.
For the girls who played last year, the two wins matches their win total of last season.
Melinda had a game high 7 points, including a 3 pointer that sealed it with about a minute left in the game.
It was a sloppy game by both teams, and it had the feeling of whichever team could score just a few baskets in a row would win the game. Luckily, it was the 7th grade girls.
They led 11-9 heading into the 4th quarter and with a minute left in the game, it was still 11-9.
But Cynthia found Melinda who drilled a wide open 3 pointer from the top of the key that made it 14-9.
The other team hit a free throw to cut the lead to 4 points, but Melina iced the game with less than 15 seconds to go hitting both of her free throws.
Tiffany scored for the first time this year and had a crucial 4 points.
Cynthia, who was limited to only one field goal attempt in the second half, hit three free throws early in the game for her 3 points.
Wendy added 2 points.
No matter how you cut it, the girls are (2-0) and a team that has not had much practice. As of Friday, they still have yet to have a full team practice with all 7 girls.
How much better could they be if everyone was in attendance at every practice, is the question everyone needs to ask themselves.
Because even though they haven't completely come together as a team, they are still able to win games based on what instincts they have, so the potential is there.
For the girls who played last year, the two wins matches their win total of last season.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Boys All-Star Sunday Preview
All-Star Sunday is set for this Sunday at NDV, starting at 12:30 p.m.
• 12:30 p.m. – Young Stars Game (5th grade vs 6th grade)
• 1:15 p.m. – 3 Point Shootout
• 1:45 p.m. – Boys Alumni Game
• 2:30 p.m. – 2-Ball (all grades)
• 3:15 p.m. – Kings of the Court (all grades)
• 4:15 p.m. – Coaches Knockout
• 4:30 p.m. – All-Star Game
• Halftime: Million Dollar Shot/Family Fatal-Four Way
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Sunday, March 4, 2012
8th grade girls pull away in second half
The 8th grade girls jumped out to a 9-0 lead at the end of the 1st quarter, and everybody in the gym thought it would be smooth sailing the rest of the way. Everybody except the other team.
Their opponent scored 8 quick points in the last few minutes of the first half, and all of a sudden we had ourselves a ball game as the girls led only 13-8 at the break.
But eventually the 8th grade girls found their comfort zone, outscoring the other team 22-8 in the second half, en route to a 35-16 win to start the season.
This was the first game for the 8th graders as they did not participate in the tournament. They had originally been scheduled to play in the preseason tilt, but they couldn't find a fifth player.
Eventually, that fifth player was Lili, who banked in a jumper in the second half for the first basket of her CYO playing career.
Jocelyn and Amanda both set career highs in the win, with Jocelyn scoring 11 points and Amanda 10 points.
The game had an ominous beginning as Pamela hurt her ankle less than a minute into the game. The girls then had to kill off a power-play, playing 4-on-5 for the next few minutes before Pamela re-entered the game.
Even not at 100%, Pamela managed to chip in with 8 points.
Only five of the six players were in uniform for Sunday afternoon's game. Not only was Pamela's ankle troublesome, but Amanda picked up 3 fouls in the first half.
Foul trouble is something the girls are going to have to watch throughout the season, because this group can be an aggressive bunch. And sometimes being too aggressive will result in a lot of foul calls.
As of today, the 8th grade girls have yet to have a full team practice with all 6 players in attendance, so a lot of today was based on purely basketball instinct.
In the first half, they clearly looked like a team of individuals, but the more they played together, the more they were able to work together and build a lead. The second half was a perfect example.
Maria added 4 points in the win.
Their opponent scored 8 quick points in the last few minutes of the first half, and all of a sudden we had ourselves a ball game as the girls led only 13-8 at the break.
But eventually the 8th grade girls found their comfort zone, outscoring the other team 22-8 in the second half, en route to a 35-16 win to start the season.
This was the first game for the 8th graders as they did not participate in the tournament. They had originally been scheduled to play in the preseason tilt, but they couldn't find a fifth player.
Eventually, that fifth player was Lili, who banked in a jumper in the second half for the first basket of her CYO playing career.
Jocelyn and Amanda both set career highs in the win, with Jocelyn scoring 11 points and Amanda 10 points.
The game had an ominous beginning as Pamela hurt her ankle less than a minute into the game. The girls then had to kill off a power-play, playing 4-on-5 for the next few minutes before Pamela re-entered the game.
Even not at 100%, Pamela managed to chip in with 8 points.
Only five of the six players were in uniform for Sunday afternoon's game. Not only was Pamela's ankle troublesome, but Amanda picked up 3 fouls in the first half.
Foul trouble is something the girls are going to have to watch throughout the season, because this group can be an aggressive bunch. And sometimes being too aggressive will result in a lot of foul calls.
As of today, the 8th grade girls have yet to have a full team practice with all 6 players in attendance, so a lot of today was based on purely basketball instinct.
In the first half, they clearly looked like a team of individuals, but the more they played together, the more they were able to work together and build a lead. The second half was a perfect example.
Maria added 4 points in the win.
6th grade picks up two wins in two days
When the 6th grade schedule first game out, a back-to-back to start the season did not look all that appealing.
But nobody is complaining now, not after another solid performance by the 6th grade girls. They won 18-4 to start their season (2-0).
Fiona had a career high, scoring 6 points, while Kelly, Edwena and Jamie all scored 4 points each.
The score was tied 2-2 after one, but a lot of that was mainly due to the fact the 6th grade girls could not make a shot. Their shot selection was good, even great, as most of their shots came within the key. Problem was none of them were going into the basket.
Even as they nursed a 6-2 halftime lead, it felt like the lead could've been a lot wider.
So after they turned on their press in the second half, they quickly stretched their lead midway through the 3rd quarter to 12-2 and never looked back.
Offensively, they could've doubled their points if they made even close to half their shots by the basket, but it was their defense and hustle that was really the story.
For the second straight game, they held their opponent to 4 points the entire game. It was only a matter of time before their shots were going to fall, so keeping the other team from scoring was imperative until their own shots started to fall.
A lot of their points came courtesy of the fast break, as the girls are getting better running lanes, and looking up to pass the ball to their teammates up-court.
Even with 9 players on the team, there is hardly a drop-off when four new players enter the game in the second and the fourth, a good sign of the team's depth.
The two wins to start the year are very refreshing for a team that has started out their previous this seasons (0-2). With two wins, the girls have already matched their win total from a year before, and can exceed it with just one more victory the rest of the way.
But after winning these two games, their aspirations and standards have also risen. Now they are not trying to win games, but are almost expected to win games, which is a big change from what they're accustomed to.
With that being said, this team is still slowly developing their chemistry as four girls are playing in their first year of CYO basketball.
They'll have plenty of time to enjoy the two games this week since their next game won't come until another two weeks.
The girls can also take the time to tie up some loose ends and really solidify themselves as the team to beat in the division.
But nobody is complaining now, not after another solid performance by the 6th grade girls. They won 18-4 to start their season (2-0).
Fiona had a career high, scoring 6 points, while Kelly, Edwena and Jamie all scored 4 points each.
The score was tied 2-2 after one, but a lot of that was mainly due to the fact the 6th grade girls could not make a shot. Their shot selection was good, even great, as most of their shots came within the key. Problem was none of them were going into the basket.
Even as they nursed a 6-2 halftime lead, it felt like the lead could've been a lot wider.
So after they turned on their press in the second half, they quickly stretched their lead midway through the 3rd quarter to 12-2 and never looked back.
Offensively, they could've doubled their points if they made even close to half their shots by the basket, but it was their defense and hustle that was really the story.
For the second straight game, they held their opponent to 4 points the entire game. It was only a matter of time before their shots were going to fall, so keeping the other team from scoring was imperative until their own shots started to fall.
A lot of their points came courtesy of the fast break, as the girls are getting better running lanes, and looking up to pass the ball to their teammates up-court.
Even with 9 players on the team, there is hardly a drop-off when four new players enter the game in the second and the fourth, a good sign of the team's depth.
The two wins to start the year are very refreshing for a team that has started out their previous this seasons (0-2). With two wins, the girls have already matched their win total from a year before, and can exceed it with just one more victory the rest of the way.
But after winning these two games, their aspirations and standards have also risen. Now they are not trying to win games, but are almost expected to win games, which is a big change from what they're accustomed to.
With that being said, this team is still slowly developing their chemistry as four girls are playing in their first year of CYO basketball.
They'll have plenty of time to enjoy the two games this week since their next game won't come until another two weeks.
The girls can also take the time to tie up some loose ends and really solidify themselves as the team to beat in the division.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
6th grade opens the season with a bang
The 6th grade girls looked like they were in mid-season form, winning 17-4 to open the regular season.
They led from start to finish, as Jamie took the opening tip off a jump ball and raced to the basket to begin her career day. In total, she scored a career high 9 points.
It was 8-2 at the half, and the girls stretched their lead out early in the third with a quick 4 points.
Off a fast break, Fiona passed the ball up-court to Jamie for an easy basket. And then Serra followed that up with a bank shot, scoring the first 2 points in her career.
After a made basket by the other team cut the lead to 12-4, Fiona stole an inbounds pass and zipped it to Jamie standing right in front of the basket to make it a 10 point game once again.
Edwena scored her 2 points in the 4th quarter, and a free throw by Jamie capped off the scoring.
This is the team's second largest margin of victory, as they fell a point shy of last year's 18-4 win.
Defensively the girls were pretty strong, as the other team threw up wild shots all game long. Their rebounding wasn't the best, as they were a lot smaller than the other team. But their execution was by far superior and the results showed.
It's a quick turnaround for the girls as they will play again in less than 24 hours in their second game of the season Sunday afternoon.
Getting a win to start the season is always a good thing to gain some confidence, something the girls should be able to carry into tomorrow.
In one of the funnier moments of the game, 6th grade coach Leslie "accidentally" heaved a ball that almost hit the other team's coach.
They led from start to finish, as Jamie took the opening tip off a jump ball and raced to the basket to begin her career day. In total, she scored a career high 9 points.
It was 8-2 at the half, and the girls stretched their lead out early in the third with a quick 4 points.
Off a fast break, Fiona passed the ball up-court to Jamie for an easy basket. And then Serra followed that up with a bank shot, scoring the first 2 points in her career.
After a made basket by the other team cut the lead to 12-4, Fiona stole an inbounds pass and zipped it to Jamie standing right in front of the basket to make it a 10 point game once again.
Edwena scored her 2 points in the 4th quarter, and a free throw by Jamie capped off the scoring.
This is the team's second largest margin of victory, as they fell a point shy of last year's 18-4 win.
Defensively the girls were pretty strong, as the other team threw up wild shots all game long. Their rebounding wasn't the best, as they were a lot smaller than the other team. But their execution was by far superior and the results showed.
It's a quick turnaround for the girls as they will play again in less than 24 hours in their second game of the season Sunday afternoon.
Getting a win to start the season is always a good thing to gain some confidence, something the girls should be able to carry into tomorrow.
In one of the funnier moments of the game, 6th grade coach Leslie "accidentally" heaved a ball that almost hit the other team's coach.
7th grade wins by forfeit
The other team did not show up, so the 7th grade girls won their first game of the season by forfeit.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Big win for 5th grade to start the season
Kaela scored a career high 17 points, leading the 5th grade girls to a 21-3 win in their first game of the regular season.
The girls were forced to play Friday night instead of Saturday due to another weird mishap in the schedule, but nobody was complaining after such a good game.
Leading 10-3 at the half, the girls used their defense to start their offense to pull away in the second half.
Although only Kaela and Ivy got on the scoresheet, the rest of the team was much more aware on the defensive end than they were in the tournament, as they didn't allow much room for the other team to operate.
Since the girls have played three games already in the tournament, they were already accustomed to playing in a game, whereas the other team was not. This definitely worked to the advantage of the 5th graders tonight.
Court awareness also improved as the four rookies were alert on defense, getting their hands on loose balls, and grabbing rebounds.
Ivy scored 4 points in the 4th quarter, one on a putback by the basket where she hustled down in case there was a rebound, and another off a nice pass from Kaela late in the game.
As for Kaela, she was able to score on fast breaks, steals and on outside shots, slowly becoming one of the most consistent scorers of anybody in the school.
Her 17 points is the most by a 5th grade girl since Marissa scored 16 in 2008.
The girls were forced to play Friday night instead of Saturday due to another weird mishap in the schedule, but nobody was complaining after such a good game.
Leading 10-3 at the half, the girls used their defense to start their offense to pull away in the second half.
Although only Kaela and Ivy got on the scoresheet, the rest of the team was much more aware on the defensive end than they were in the tournament, as they didn't allow much room for the other team to operate.
Since the girls have played three games already in the tournament, they were already accustomed to playing in a game, whereas the other team was not. This definitely worked to the advantage of the 5th graders tonight.
Court awareness also improved as the four rookies were alert on defense, getting their hands on loose balls, and grabbing rebounds.
Ivy scored 4 points in the 4th quarter, one on a putback by the basket where she hustled down in case there was a rebound, and another off a nice pass from Kaela late in the game.
As for Kaela, she was able to score on fast breaks, steals and on outside shots, slowly becoming one of the most consistent scorers of anybody in the school.
Her 17 points is the most by a 5th grade girl since Marissa scored 16 in 2008.
Sofia scores in 3rd grade's first game
The 3rd grade girls played their first regular season game of the year at NDV Friday night, but lost.
They had a chance early in the game to put up some points, but they could not hit a shot. In the first half, they put up more shots than their opponent but the scoreboard read 12-0 after two.
It wasn't until the 4th quarter when Sofia made the only shot in the game for the 3rd graders.
The girls were a little out of sort, and looked very nervous in their first regular season game. A lot of the girls were afraid to be aggressive and shoot the ball, and when you don't shoot, you don't score.
So the youngest girls in the school will have to chalk this up as a learning experience, and have a better showing in their second game next week.
They had a chance early in the game to put up some points, but they could not hit a shot. In the first half, they put up more shots than their opponent but the scoreboard read 12-0 after two.
It wasn't until the 4th quarter when Sofia made the only shot in the game for the 3rd graders.
The girls were a little out of sort, and looked very nervous in their first regular season game. A lot of the girls were afraid to be aggressive and shoot the ball, and when you don't shoot, you don't score.
So the youngest girls in the school will have to chalk this up as a learning experience, and have a better showing in their second game next week.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
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