Two moms all the way from Vista had just entered the La Jolla gym before their school's game against the Vikings, and they were fretting over the evening's travel, which was going to get even worse the next night.
"Tomorrow night (Fri., Dec. 14) the boys (Tri-City Christian) play at Olympian (in the South Bay) at 8 p.m.," said one. "The traffic is going to be horrible."
I allowed as how I attended the Vikings' games in tournaments at Montgomery High, then Hilltop High, and though the games might be starting late, later is better as far as traffic in San Diego County.
Tri-City Christian coach Stan Bickley, whose youngest son is Chad, head basketball coach at Santa Fe Christian, spoke of the same issues during a quick pre-tipoff chat at 8:10 p.m. "We're going to get the kids back to Vista at close to midnight tonight," he said. "And tomorrow, at least as late."
So, LJHS coach Paul Baranowski's opportunity to host Grossmont Winter Classic games as an alternate site (in addition to Olympian) brings the Viking basketball program a little recognition. But it comes with the normal issues of teams complaining that they play early (witness La Jolla's 3 p.m. weekday game in the San Diego Tip-off Challenge at Montgomery last month) or late (La Jolla has 8 p.m. games Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday in pool play this week.
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A positive development for the Vikings is forward Max Raulston's growing effectiveness from his position at forward in the starting lineup. On Thurs., Dec. 13, in a one-point win over Tri-City, the freshman made moves from the left box of the paint that showed a new level of confidence and skill.
One is reminded that it takes the athletes coming over from football, who missed fall basketball practice, a little while to make the adjust and work back to the level they were playing at during spring and summer league basketball. That applies in Max's case.
Raulston's jumping ability doesn't hurt, either. The Vikings' JV coach, looking on at the end of the narrow victory, said, "Yeah, I'm looking forward to when he takes the ball to the basket and dunks. That's going to be something."
Max isn't a star--yet--as a 6'2" forward playing against opponents three, four, or five inches taller. But he is showing aggressiveness and tenacity, repeatedly going up to the basket with the ball on rebound putbacks.
Even dad, Brad Raulston, is seeing the good things. During Wednesday's game against Mater Dei Catholic, a narrow loss, in answer to a comment that his younger son was playing well and should be even better next year and the year after, said, "We hope so."
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