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| The Vikings stand with the Hilltop Invitational championship trophy (in Charlie Gal's hands) after vanquishing Otay Ranch 59-48. Jacob Ohara (far left) was named tournament MVP and Behzad Hashemi (third from left) to the all-tourney team. (Photo by Ed Piper) |
Congratulations to the La Jolla High boys basketball team for their tournament championship in the 41st Annual Hilltop Invitational Fri., Dec. 8. It has been a long time coming.
By virtue of their 59-48 win over Otay Ranch in the final, the Vikings, coached by Paul Baranowski, achieved what no other Viking team has done in recent memory. To stand on the court and take photos along with all the parents of the team members as they stood with the championship trophy is just such a pleasure, and such an achievement for the La Jolla basketball program.
I cannot remember, in my 14 years of covering the team, any time in which the team won a tournament title. The Vikings played well; they got a favorable draw in the tournament; and they made the most of it.
Way back, a decade ago, Peter Sefton was named Western League Player of the Year for the league season. The Vikings, under Coach Kamal Assaf, whom Baranowski later assisted, appeared three consecutive years in the CIF Division 3 championship game, winning two of those, losing the third on a tough call at the buzzer on a three-point attempt.
But at no time during those years--and I'll have to go back and do some research, since I was photographing at the time and not reporting--did the Vikings punctuate the month of December with a tournament title, to my knowledge. I could be wrong.
Reed Farley was, by far, the most spectacular player of the past decade and a half at La Jolla High, but, through no fault of his own, the Vikings never won a tournament title.
And now, a moment to enjoy for the Viking family. It was so great to turn around and see Nick Hulmquist's mother, whom I had just met before the game; Eric Brown, Evan Brown's father; Maggie Ohara, Jacob Ohara's mother; Behzad Hashemi's father; and other parents holding up their cameras or phones to take a team shot of the Hilltop Invitational champs.
It's a great memory, and one that Jacob Ohara, who was named tournament Most Valuable Player, and Behzad Hashemi, who was named to the All-Tournament Team, can always look back on and tell their children and grandchildren about.
Jacob, who is just a quiet, selfless guy, was so intent on deflecting credit to others that I told him, in repeatedly asking him what winning the MVP trophy meant to him, that his winning that piece of hardware reflected on the team--he wouldn't have been named MVP if his team didn't win the final. The trophy would have gone to the best player from the other team.
At that point, hearing thgis, he allowed as how he "would thank Behzad the most, because he assisted on most of those (baskets)."
People, these are not selfish players. No one mistakes them for that. So they can bask in the moment, which is pretty fleeting, to just enjoy what they have. There's nothing wrong with that. The players from their team who stood out the most during the five tournament games should receive recognition. And, in turn, that means that the team as a whole achieved something.
Good going, all of you. It's fun to stand out on the court, with you team members lined up in the middle of the court, to take a photo of you. Let's do more of that.
That's one for the whole Viking family. Winning is a lot of fun. It's not everything, but it's enjoyable, and it's pretty good. Something for everyone to take in.
Because the moment the next tournament starts in a week or so, attention will turn to that event. Enjoy the moment. They're meant to be enjoyed. No more. No less.
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