By Ed Piper
Eddie Parker, starting guard for La Jolla's 8-2 basketball team, is kicking it with family at Big Bear. So this is a good time to assess where the Vikings are, the preleague/tournament season done, a Western League-opening game at Cathedral Catholic Jan. 5 coming next.
The Vikings have to be pretty pleased with how they have played so far. Besides the eight wins in 10 games, they have beaten the teams they should have beaten, and they have played pretty tough against the really good teams.
La Jolla upset number-seven Grossmont, 68-59, Tues., Dec. 22, in the Foothillers' own tournament. The Hillers' star, Tommy Rutherford, pocketed 32 points. But as the Vikings' Alex Pitrofsky said after the breath-taking victory, they knew he was going to get his points.
Pitrofsky showed a ton of growth since La Jolla's Black Friday scrimmage against Grossmont a month ago, when Alex really didn't know how to be physical with Tommy. Assistant coach Huseyin Demiral was seen mentoring Pitrofsky during that scrimmage, in the same gym at Grossmont where the Vikings later defeated the Hillers. Demiral told him about getting to the spot on the lower block where Rutherford was going to set up before he did, then using physical force to push on him and wear him down.
Asked how he achieved his success harrying and harassing Rutherford after the upset win--despite the 6'9" center scoring 32 points against LJHS--Pitrofsky said, "Good, good. I know he's going to get his points. He's their top guy." Asked if he came in with confidence against one of the county's top players, he said, "Yeah, I played him before" (in the scrimmage).
The skill development up front complements a solid backcourt, where Reed Farley is Reed Farley--a triple-double Wed., Dec. 23, in a blowout win over Monte Vista--and Parker, though not a consistent outside threat, takes care of the ball and plays with visible confidence. The Vikings didn't have someone to complement Farley well last year, and it was their downfall. Now Parker has a year of seasoning, and Pitrofsky the same.
"The mental toughness of this year's team is the best of the three years I've been here," said Farley this week as La Jolla won four of its five games in the Grossmont Winter Classic. The Vikings aren't a great team, but they are pretty good and they are hitting on a lot of cylinders.
Back at the beginning of December, Coach Paul Baranowski commented, "Potentially, this year's team can be the best of the teams I've had here" (covering three years).
As a former principal of mine used to tell students at graduation, "Don't make this the best thing you ever do." In other words, there is more ahead. Keep growing, keep getting better.
In the Vikings' case, this is so true. The December tournament season was fun, but it was merely preparation for what's coming: the main dish, the Western League.
Cathedral hosts the red and black in the league opener in a week and a half. St. Augustine is ranked number two in the county by one poll, number one by MaxPreps, and number six in the state by the latter. Coach Mike Haupt's team is stellar, with 6'8" sophomore Taeshon Cherry playing cherry. The Saints will open up in the Holiday Classic at Torrey Pines Sat., Dec. 26. If you have a chance, go see that tournament. It is a lot of fun.
The first date with the Saints is on Fay Ave. on Jan. 19.
Lincoln, we don't know much about. Mission Bay has 6'5" Justin Moore, who was an all-league selection next year.
But La Jolla needs to read its own clippings, and not worry about these other teams. As all the good coaches emphasize, a team needs to focus on what it does well.
A few people don't think I'm totally crazy to propose the 6'4" Farley rotating in to guard and harass the 7-foot Brandon McCoy when the Vikings travel to Cathedral. Even Reed knows McCoy's psyche, as the two have observed each other, and Moore runs hot-and-cold. It's the rest of the Dons that have to be played well against, in addition. They were good before they got Moore as a transfer.
Nick Hammel now has a month of varsity playing experience. His fellow junior and teammate on the football team Daniel McColl does, too. They would be likely choices for Baranowski's starting lineup in January.
Morgan Albers is dependable off the bench in the front court. Charlie Gal had more minutes Wednesday night against the Monarchs, and he's still a sophomore, so he has time to develop. His task is to broaden his game from his offensive moves at the lower block to include a role in the team offense and defense. He'll figure it out with Baranowski's tutelage.
Tony Coan is the X factor. He already has a good outside shot. But as many shooters are, he is streaky, so if he comes in and hits a shot, his confidence grows to hit the next shot. The same is true of Hammel, another good outside shooter. Parker started off the season opener at Petco Park with two quick three's against Helix, and the whole team barreled on from there--while Helix's confidence waned more and more.
If Parker, Farley, Hammel, Coan, and/or Quinn Rawdin, a good lefty, can hit some shots right off the bat, the red can become the next big thing in the Western League. People at the Grossmont tournament were already talking about how good La Jolla is. Said one observer, "I know they're good and going to play well."
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