LJ b BB Madison

By Ed Piper

Reed Farley missed his first dunk, then thundered home a running two-handed slam to make the score 11-0 on La Jolla's way to a 28-0 start over Madison in the Hoover summer basketball league Tues., June 21.

Members of the team had moved up to the next class, technically, some six hours earlier--Farley now a senior for his fourth year starting on Paul Baranowski's varsity. And the small contingent, only eight players, talked basketball, summer, and increasing height before their first game in the annual offseason league.

La Jolla rarely is going to go on a 28-point run over the Warhawks, and they know that. But the significance of the matchup was that the two teams will now play each other in the reconfigured Eastern League beginning next winter, with Hoover, Serra, Scripps Ranch, and Patrick Henry.

Madison was the gang that couldn't shoot straight, as they played haplessly in a first half on a running clock that the Vikings started fast on and didn't stop until building a ridiculous 39-8 halftime lead.

Farley showed he was human by missing a few shots, but, in addition to his powerful dunk after a steal near mid-court, he rapidly fired multiple accurate three-point shots and was a key player in moving the ball around on offense to share the joy with teammates.

Nick Hammel, fresh off spring football practice under new Viking head coach Matt Morrison, looked game in shooting from the outside as he didn't hesitate to put up shots from there and made a good percentage (though official stats weren't kept).

Charlie Gal, who, at this time last year was working his way toward a surprising sophomore year on varsity, was relaxed, looked mobile, and hit some nice 8- to 10-foot shots in the lane and from the block on the right side.

Jacob Ohara, a rising junior up from the junior varsity, was effective in moving to the basket for several buckets in a subbing role. He finished at the basket well.

His eldest brother Matt is the boy friend of Quinn Rawdin's sister. Rawdin's father, arriving late from work, said his daughter and Matt are going on a trip to Europe later this year.

Quinn Rawdin, like some of the others, looked bigger, older, and more confident even in the scant three and a half months since last season ended. He had several looks from outside Tuesday, but his touch was off a little.

His father said that in the West Hills event just ended last weekend, the lefty had a hot shooting hand on Sunday. La Jolla won five straight games beginning Friday, then lost to the host team in the championship on the final day.

Daniel McColl, like Hammel just out of spring football practice, still has his jumping legs. He plays hard and isn't afraid to tussle under the basket. That's his biggest asset. He has a good shooting touch.

Before the game, Farley acknowledged this is his first year playing without Morgan Albers, who began on the varsity as a sophomore in 2013. Alex Pitrofsky is another senior who graduated Tuesday. Eddie Parker, Farley's main partner in the backcourt, also received his sheepskin.

Asked if he is taller, the 6'5" Gal said, "I hope I'm still growing." He looks big and fit. Having one year on varsity already under his belt shows in his personal confidence, which wasn't lacking before. He should contribute even more next winter as a part of the "Bash Brothers" underneath the basket with the equally burly McColl.

Farley, on his 6'4" height, said, "I hope so" (that he's still growing). "I'm going to wear my hair higher," he joked, as a method to be even taller.

Ohara comes in a good line of athletes at La Jolla. His brother was a starting guard three years ago. His brother Matt, according to Rawdin's father, played at Skidmore on a lacrosse scholarship. Jacob talked about the sibling rivalry that can come between brothers playing the same sport. His immediate older brother Zac, though, played basketball at LJHS three years ago, so Jacob said those years provide a kind of buffer in people comparing the two.

What was fielded as the starting lineup could very well be the Vikings' starting lineup next season: Farley was at point guard, with Hammel and Rawdin as guards/swingmen/wings, and Gal and McColl underneath.