LJ b BB: Second look

The Vikings come out of a huddle during a timeout
in the first quarter against the Centurions.
(Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

From leading University City 19-12 with five and a half minutes left in the second quarter Jan. 3 up to the 2:22 mark, when La Jolla led 28-12, the Vikings didn't give up a point to their favored rivals on the Centurions' home court before a partisan crowd.

The visitors, coming in with a 5-10 record, were on a run that culminated with a 19-point lead in the third quarter of their eventual 50-48 win at UCHS.

Some of it defied belief, UC owners of a 10-5 record coming in, a number-seven ranking on MaxPreps in Division 2.

But the old adage applies: You have to play the game.

You see (get the word play?), high school athletes are young, they're teens, they're not pros. You can throw all the won-lost records out, especially with a contest between rivals, as this was.

Anything can happen on any given night.

And throw in the fact the Vikings had only practiced once (the day before) in the previous 13 days since their last game Dec. 21 against Christian, and you have a real jumble of facts, figures, and unmeasureables that can come out in the wash in any shape or form.

Diego Solis, as mentioned before, showed more effectiveness since his transition from the La Jolla football team following their Dec. 14 game for the state championship. The 5'9" lefty made a bucket on a nice drive under control.

Solis, no longer wearing shoulder support (as he did right after football), instead sporting a black compression sleeve on his strong arm, soon bombed a nice three-pointer.

Aside him, in the frontcourt, teammate Max Raulston was super active but also like an explosive device within confines. Max got blocked during the Vikings' three-minute streak in the second quarter, but he also made his presence known and altered opponents' shots.

The Centurions listen to assistant coach
Golly Lam during a timeout
in the fourth quarter.

The touted Centurion line-up, headed by Luke Minnick, with 11.6 points, 2.6 assists, and 3.7 rebounds a game, and Kasen Dickerson, with 11.0 points and 3.6 assists, looked a little over-rated through the early going.

They had a supportive student contingent yelling for them. But no one looked polished or bringing a complete game. I think it was just a bad spell for them.

And La Jolla, playing so well with the core of Raulston, Solis, and Christian Gamboa complemented by role players Brennan Ross and Vincent Ricchiuti, was excelling.

All in all, the Vikings' play through three quarters, and their win at the end on Gamboa's two free throws, were quite a New Year's gift--not one that was wholly expected. But refer back to adage #1: They're kids, it's high school sports, and anything can happen.