LJ BB: Hot

Reed was feeling it against

Browne. (Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

In my nearly 13 years following and covering La Jolla High basketball, I have never seen a more dominant stretch by one player than Reed Farley during the 69-52 dismantling of Browne High (Phoenix) in the Vikings' first game of two in the Point Loma Nazarene University summer camp Friday night, June 24.

Granted, it came in a summer league, not an official game during the season.

But the 6'4" dervish, brimming with confidence coming into summer play--we saw that Tuesday in the Hoover summer league--and preparing for a trip this weekend to Princeton University, where the head coach is courting Reed, was spectacular.

He was burning hot from the three-point area, which means trouble, because the rest of the rising senior's game is so--elevated, shall we say? He hardly missed a shot. He still maintained his role of involving his teammates, which he is always conscious of under Coach Paul Baranowski's direction.

But you could see, and I was up close, firing my own shots, though photographically from down on the floor, that as Reed poured in one, then two, then three jumpers, that he was "feeling" it. So he became even more liberal in taking shots, though good ones within the movement of the offense.

The piece de resistance was a flying slam dunk that nearly brought the point guard upon landing into the cement and metal stands that sit right behind the baskets on the sideways courts at Point Loma.

Later, another person mentioned his heart stopping at the possible injury the indispensable Farley could have sustained on the play. But he came out unscathed, and having been fouled, went to the free throw line.

I was thinking: Why doesn't La Jolla have another player like Reed Farley? as the fireworks continued.

Then I thought: What a gift that La Jolla has Reed Farley to play his high school basketball for them.

No statistics were kept, but you didn't have to look at numbers to know the display was impressive. When Baranowski removed him at one point later in the game, seemingly just to let some of the others join in the fun, Farley slapped hands with every teammate on the bench. It was like, Wow, that was something. Like a playoff game.

Then Reed and Dad (I think) got on a plane and headed for Princeton after the first game. What a weekend it should be. Good luck with all your hopes and dreams, Reed.