LJ b BB: Demiral's JV's

By Ed Piper

"I've brought up a lot of freshmen to the junior varsity. They're very talented. They know the game," said Hugh Demiral, who has moved up to being JV boys basketball coach at La Jolla High this year from his position the last two years as freshman team coach.

The 6'9" former Euro League star from Turkey, who has enjoyed immense popularity among the younger La Jolla High basketball players and their families since coming on the scene in 2015, didn't want to single out any names of players. But he said: "I think it's going to be a fun season."

The former guard/postman, who entered the national basketball academy in his native country as a young person and grew up in the national sports system, said there are numerous freshmen and, "I think it's better (to move them up)."

The JV's and freshmen went on a conditioning run together Wednesday morning, Nov. 22, up Nautilus St. "I had the freshmen, too, because Scotty Epstein (the new freshman coach) was out of town," Demiral said.

On Epstein, the JV coach opined, "He's a pretty good coach. He's pretty smart. I like his kind of basketball."

Epstein, like La Jolla head basketball coach Paul Baranowski, works at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center.

Regarding Wednesday morning's run, Demiral said, "Conditioning is very important so they (team members) won't get tired during the game. We've been doing a lot of conditioning."

Two years ago Demiral's first freshman team at LJHS had an all-star lineup of young players. Nathaniel Gates and Otto Lenz played in the front court. Nick Hulquist, Gabe Solis, Jacob Duffy, and others made up a talented backcourt. The team faced University City in the league championship game and lost narrowly in an excitement-packed game at UCHS.