LJ BB: Season Preview

Morgan Albers lays the

ball up in preseason

scrimmage at

Grossmont.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

La Jolla boys basketball coach Paul Baranowski says he sees his players being more "conceptual" during the 2014-2015 season. By this, he means, "They know the program more, and they'll be able to react" rather than have to think before acting.

With this being the former LJHS assistant coach's third season at the helm, Baranowski says Ladd Castellano, Reed Farley, and company are more familiar with his system, and it should be evident in their execution.

Baranowski spoke on the eve of the team's season opener, a GameOnSports Challenge tournament game at Vincent Memorial Catholic School in Calexico, Saturday, Nov. 29. The game was changed from an originally scheduled Dec. 10 date. "We weren't going to drive there two hours on a weekday," said the coach. He called the Vincent Memorial coach to switch dates. The two coaches are going to make the trip worth La Jolla's while, with the freshman team, as well as the junior varsity, playing before the 1 p.m. varsity contest.

"We should be better defensively this year," said Baranowski as far as what loyal Viking fans can look forward to. "I think I'd like us to be deeper. I think we can go deeper than previous seasons." He meant that possibly 10 of the 13 team members could be in the rotation.

He also said that the team is "bigger", in today's parlance, "longer"--translated taller. The guards will be taller. Farley, now a sophomore, is close to 6'4", having grown from his debut year. Castellano goes 6'2" or so. Gaynor Blackmon goes against that trend, coming in at 5'6" or possibly less.

With Castellano absent from a five-way scrimmage at Grossmont High School the day after Thanksgiving, the roster shaped up as Alex Pitrofsky, Johannes Osypka, and Mark Rawdin the big men; Farley, Zach Duffy, Tony Coan, Daniel Hemming, Blackmon, and Castellano the guards; swing men/forwards Owen Porter, Eddie Parker, Grant Miller (inactive temporarily with a concussion from football), and Morgan Albers.


Copyright 2014 Ed Piper