Vikings squad Summer 2014 at SDSU camp.
(Photo by Ed Piper)
The Vikings got a special treat Sat., June 28: playing on the home court of the SDSU Aztecs, Viejas Arena. This pleasure was afforded by the "team camp" schedule that penciled La Jolla into the 4:45 afternoon slot at the university complex against San Clemente.
Zach Duffy's grandmother was loving it. She was able to go down the elevator from the third floor (Gate 7 on the arena level) to the first floor, which is the court level. She joked: "I'm waiting for him (Coach Paul Baranowski) to put me in." Asked if she is a point guard or power forward, she nimbly replied, "I think the post." She knows her basketball terminology.
But, alas, the red and black took it in the teeth, falling to the Tritons, 49-47. La Jolla led at one point, 15-10, but quickly got out-scored 12-4 and trailed 22-19.
San Clemente erected an 11-point lead in the second half and held on for the two-point win. The Vikings were reduced to fouling to stop the clock in the closing minute, and only managed a weak three-point attempt just before the buzzer that barely hit the rim.
A dream setting to play summer hoops--the Aztecs'
home court at Viejas Arena. It was the Vikings'
fortune to inhabit it one Saturday afternoon
at the SDSU team camp. (Photo by Ed Piper)
On the inactive/injury list, senior guard Daniel Hemming sat out both afternoon games Saturday, recuperating from having his wisdom teeth removed. He asserted that he will be back on the active roster for the PLNU camp, which comes the weekend of July 11-13. Next week, a three-day weekend for the July 4th holiday, the team schedule goes dark.
More importantly, sophomore guard Reed Farley sat out due to a back injury his father Dan said he suffered at the Harvard University summer camp three weeks ago. "He called and said, 'I can't put on my shoes,'" reported the elder Farley. Reed has seen a doctor but there has been no improvement, according to his dad. "He, of course, lives for these tournaments," said Mr. Farley.
The Harvard camp, which was by invitation, was followed by a similar camp at Stanford, but Reed was not able to participate due to the unspecified injury to his back. Please pray for a proper diagnosis and effective treatment for our young Viking.
Meanwhile, Hemming and Farley made themselves useful by helping with stats on the sidelines.
Earlier in the afternoon, the Vikings absolutely smoked poor Stagg of Stockton, 70-21. Big man Alex Pitrofsky was seen making a nice follow of his own shot with some evident confidence as La Jolla steamrolled the Delta Kings in the second half. Likewise, Tony Coan made a nice hook shot from the right side of the basket. And veteran starter Owen Porter, not one to sit outside the arc and toss long shots up, made two beautiful long-rangers in a short span as the Viking lead exploded geometrically from 40-15 to the 70-21 final.
"Everyday we work on that," Coach Baranowski said wryly after a miscue in the second half, pacing down the sideline, as JV Coach Dave Lehrburger, sitting on the bench, chuckled into his hand behind him.
Later, the head coach called out, "How about Stack 4?" in an inbounds situation, then "Box 2" on a succeeding endline situation.
Senior leader Ladd Castellano tried a slam dunk late in the contest, barely missed it, and took away a smile as he headed upcourt to play defense. Zach Duffy continues to sport a summer beard, although warned by one bearded sportswriter earlier, "Don't start looking like a hippie like my generation."
Others on the scene were Gaynor Blackmon and Morgan Albers. Everybody played considerable minutes during the running 20-minute halves of each game Saturday afternoon, which is the object of the summer exercise. A third game followed in the evening at 7:30.
Copyright 2014 Ed Piper
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