By Ed Piper
With the completion of the final game of summer league play at Grossmont High Sun., July 8, a sleeper for La Jolla's basketball team could be rising senior Otto Lenz.
The 6'2" forward with a soft shooting touch wasn't available for a lot of action as a junior after injuring his foot in drills.
But the non-demonstrative, show-up-all-the-time Lenz, so placid you hardly notice he is there, continues to demonstrate desire and provide his contributions in Coach Paul Baranowski's team offense and defense.
I started thinking this even more yesterday afternoon, during the Vikings' second game of the day in the sweaty (90-plus-degree) Foothiller gym. There are people who stand out because of their size (El Capitan has a big, big kid, 240 pounds or more on his 6'4" frame), their histrionics (not much of that in the low-key East County summer league), or appearance--think Neymar on Brazil's now-eliminated soccer team with designs cut into his hair.
Otto, with the German carmaker-sounding name, doesn't sport any of those things. That's why one can overlook him.
Maybe he won't shake things up on the team, but he also won't cause disturbances, either, from all appearances. His mother, who I talked to last season, is friendly and easy to chat with. She's just a proud mom, I'm sure glad that her kid can be out there showing his skills in a game he loves.
La Jolla went through a blitzing phase midway through Sunday's second game. Monte Vista led, 23-15. The Vikings then outscored them 22-2 to take a commanding 37-25 lead, and held on despite a comeback attempt by the Monarchs to win by five, 54-49. Diego Solis calmly sank two free throws in waning seconds to clinch the victory.
Lenz played his part. Guard/de facto leader Nick Hulquist showed his usual explosiveness, potting several shots from the perimeter. Gabe Solis was back on kilter (after Friday's off-game) to bomb one from afar. Diego Solis was hard-working and efficient. Rising senior guard Behzad Hashemi brought his quickness and outside shot. That's really been the story in games this summer.
Langston Aron leaped and athletic-ized his way on both ends in the win. Max Raulston was the only one of the three newbies--the others are rising sophomore Christian Gamboa and rising junior Harry Kaseff---to be able to be present, doing his thing near the basket.
It's a good sign when the elder Solis brother, Gabe, is firing from outside. He made one, he shot an air ball on another and grinned sheepishly as he headed down court. But the mere fact he was firing meant he's good with his game, he's relaxed, he's confident. It has been a crucially good summer for him in regaining his basketball game, what with his increasing focus on his wide receiver skills in football and traveling to football camps at Yale and Columbia (he of the 4.4 GPA).
By the way, Diego's shot is looking nice, too. This past weekend he displayed the soft touch he has had all summer. On one play Sunday, he hung in the air close to the basket before lofting a short arcking shot with good backward rotation into the hoop.
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