Double
threat
Maya Hood helped
La Jolla Country Day capture its second
consecutive volleyball state championship in San Jose, then caught a
plane to San Diego to help her Lady Torreys' basketball team win the
2010 Sweet Sixteen Invitational title the same night. Hood, who was
selected Sweet Sixteen MVP, averaged 21 points per game, 10.3 rebounds
and 4.5 steals in the tournament.
OTHER TOP BASKETBALL PERFORMANCES*
Mount Miguel (Spring Valley) player Shay Young scored a career-high 32 points to go along
with 16 rebounds and four steals as the Matadors (3-0) drubbed Escondido
84-58. Mount Miguel's Danielle Miller, who has a UNLV scholarship in
hand, chipped in with 22 points and a career high 10 assists plus eight
steals. Senior point guard Myishia Watkins popped in 20 points – the
majority coming on four triples – and handed out a career high 15
assists as the Matadors improved to 3-0.
* Senior wing
Deanna Bembry of Monte Vista (Spring Valley) rang up a
quadruple-double of 13 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals as
Monte Vista knocked off Rancho Buena Vista 51-44.
* Sharpshooter
Garrett Larch-Miller of
Granite Hills (El Cajon) totaled 73 points in
wins over Bishop's and Mt. Carmel. The 6-foot-3 senior nailed 20 of 24
free throws and five 3-pointers during the early scoring spree.
* Valhalla's
David Wilschetz hit back-to-back last-second buckets giving the Norsemen wins over Morse and Mt. Carmel.
COMING ATTRACTIONSIn boys basketball, the finals of the Wolf
Pack Horsman Tournament are scheduled for Saturday at West
Hills High, and the championship game for the San Diego D-III Challenge
will be held Monday at Santee Santana High.
DICKENS' DEALINGSThe basketball maze never fails to be challenging. Is it a plus or a minus? It's obviously debatable.
If
you are a tournament director should you invite a bevy of talent laden
teams, or a bunch of teams that will help the home team reach the
finals?
Preseason tournaments are an easy way to pad one's team record. Of course, it's better if it can be done respectfully.
As
the late John Wooden observed, every season you invite three "stiffs"
to a tournament and call it a "classic." By doing so Wooden realized his
Bruins would be in the finals every year.
Not a whole lot of high school basketball coaches have figured that out.
There's
nothing wrong with Wooden's philosophy. As a matter of fact it's
probably a positive if you're a home team trying to make money at the gate.
More than a dozen schools are testing that philosophy this season.
