LJ b BB: Newbies

Nathaniel Gates battles a

Bruin underneath in the

opener.

(Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Behzad. Jacob. Nathaniel.

These are the names of the new faces on the La Jolla High basketball team.

Behzad Hashemi. Jacob Ohara. Nathaniel Gates. It's enough to get somebody excited.

At least, they were the new guys out on the basketball court as the varsity tangled with Browne High of Phoenix in the first of two games Fri., June 24, in the annual Point Loma Nazarene University summer tournament.

Hashemi, who starred for the junior varsity last season, moved the ball and didn't hesitate to shoot from outside.

Ohara, as he did Tuesday in the opening game of the Hoover summer league, continued to drive to the basket and finish well.

Unlike the other two, Gates, all 6'5" of him--at least, if not already taller--played for the stellar freshman team under Coach Huseyin Demiral. He gets some of his genes from his dad, Michael, who played basketball in college.

Gates is still a diamond in the rough, but against the shorter Bruins, he asserted himself under the basket, firmly held onto the ball, and even showed the occasional pivot and step into the lane from the left box for a layup or short shot.

Behzad Hashemi shows off

his nice jump shot, this

one from the side, most from

straightaway.

 



Coach Paul Baranowski has to be excited about all the possibilities of these newcomers for the future, along with the solid returners who were out there laboring faithfully and efficiently alongside them--Reed Farley, Nick Hammel, Charlie Gal, Quinn Rawdin, and Daniel McColl.

Hashemi went on a run in the nightcap second game against Anaheim, throwing up floaters and shooting his accurate jump shot multiple times as the blowout closed down, finally ending at a late--yawn--10:01 p.m. and the rest of the gym empty.  Final score: 69-52, though La Jolla led by much more earlier.

Facially, Behzad keeps a serious demeanor. Because he is serious. He is focusing on bringing the ball up the court against pressure, and that's a treacherous job--made even more so with the departure of Farley after the first game for an event at Princeton University this weekend.

With the dominant and spectacular Farley out of the way, roles changed and things opened up for newbies Hashemi and Ohara in the backcourt, as well as for Hammel and Rawdin, all guards and all sharing ball-handling responsibilities.

Ohara, who looked great Tuesday in a blowout of fellow-Eastern-Leaguer Madison, had a little crisis of confidence in the middle of his stints Friday night in the PLNU gym. The pressure from Anaheim increased, with the confident Farley away. But Jacob, a likeable guy--not big physically, but agile and quick--recovered and showed his effectiveness. He really shines in driving to the basket against opposition, scoring a high percentage of the time. We need some of that next season.

Gates is just a Jack-and-the-Beanstalk waiting to sprout, with his equally serious workman attitude and length and long arms. I'm thinking on the sidelines, as I take photos: What's not to like about him being on the varsity next year, supplying additional height to Gal's and McColl's, no matter at what point of his development he is? Having him practice on JV is not going to give him the daily reps against the varsity big boys.

He needs to work on his short-range shooting and free throws, which he knows. He'll get more fluid as he matures in his game.

I'm thinking: These young guys are like Brandon Ingram and Ivica Zubac for the Lakers, their new draft picks who are creating some buzz. I like buzz.

Jacob Ohara (black uniform) plays

the tough 'D'.