LJ BB: Vikings 41, Valley Center 23

Mark Rawdin, center left, and Viking teammates in

huddle in fisheye effect photo versus Valley Center.

(Photos by Ed Piper)

 

This game, this weekend, Mark Rawdin kept showing up.

The 6'5" forward/center wasn't able to play during the SDSU Team Camp June 27-29, so his being back for the PLNU Team Camp July 11-12 delighted him.

Friday night, in the second game against Olympian, he turned and made a 10-footer, something you never saw last year.

Later in the game, his confidence brimming, he set up at the free throw line and took another shot. It didn't go in. It was either foolish, or reflective of "I'll try that again"--probably the latter.

Late in the earlier of two games Saturday, he swung with his back to the basket toward the hoop, got fouled, and continued on the play to make the shot for a potential three-point play. He looked straight at Coach Paul Baranowski and flashed the double thumbs-up sign. He was pleased, and so was Coach.

The Vikings thrashed what seemed like a very young Valley Center team, which brought the minimum five players, 41-23. None of the games so far in the PLNU camp have been very competitive. La Jolla beat Valley Center, 66-41, Friday night. The earlier game Friday, from all reports, was a similar farce, with a 20-point-or-more differential.

Against the Jaguars, Rawdin scored 11 points, added four rebounds, and blocked three shots, according to sidelined Reed Farley's statistics. Ladd Castellano led scorers with 13 points, while Owen Porter had seven. Porter, a starter as a junior, plays this summer like he feels he belongs. He takes the ball to the basket with authority. He has surprised some observers, making the most of his talents through determination and hard work.

Castellano also had nine rebounds, and Porter four, playing at 6'0" against much taller players. Owen dished out two assists.

On the turnover front, point guard Gaynor Blackmon had three turnovers. Gaynor is headlined and featured in an accompanying action photo from the spring league at Alliant International University in my first article for the La Jolla Village News, published July 11. Go to sdnews.com and scroll down to the Gaynor Blackmon article. In the article, Coach Baranowski remarks on the leadership role that the incoming senior is filling on the squad. There are also comments on Tony Coan's fine shooting, Porter's as well.

Ref has to scrape gum off his shoe during

break in action.

Beautiful setting for a basketball game.

Copyright 2014 Ed Piper