A year ago, the San Benito High boys basketball team had a season to forget. The Haybalers finished 6-18 overall and 3-9 in the Monterey Bay League’s Gabilan Division. Only Seaside had a worse mark in the Gabilan. A rash of injuries and other issues exacerbated San Benito’s problems, making for a long season.
However, the Balers are confident a turnaround is imminent. Despite returning just two players who saw significant varsity action last year, Balers coach Mike Baumgartner is optimistic because he views his roster as one of the most talented in the league.
“If we combine our athleticism with discipline, we’ll be competitive,” said Baumgartner, who is entering his second year with the team. “We’ll need to stay healthy and be fundamentally sound to be successful.”
The Balers were successful in a 57-46 win over Soquel in the annual Sportsmanship Game on Tuesday. Even though the contest doesn’t count in the records—the Balers open the season on Thursday against Sequoia of Redwood City in the Cupertino Shootout—it can serve as a preview of things to come.
Diego Garcia, a 5-foot-9 senior shooting guard, had a team-high 15 points. Garcia is one of the team’s best pure scorers, and can get to the basket off dribble penetration. The inability to consistently get to the rim off dribble penetration was one of the main reasons the team was limited offensively a year ago.
“Diego is one of the players who if we can get him buying into our system and staying disciplined, he can really score in spurts,” Baumgartner said. “He’s really quick.”
Shraee Harrison, who had 10 points, six steals and six rebounds against Soquel, is the team’s top returning starter. A 6-foot-3, 200-pound senior guard/forward, Harrison has looked strong and healthy in the early going.
“Shraee is so athletic and strong, and we’ll get the ball in his hands as much as possible,” Baumgartner said. “He’s still learning how to score within the system as well, so he’s only going to get better.”
Harrison played approximately in half of the team’s games last year due to an ankle injury, and in the last couple of months he’s dealt with an assortment of nagging injury issues that have since healed.
“We just need to keep him healthy,” Baumgartner said.
Baumgartner expects his team to play at a frenetic pace, but controlled at the same time. To that end he’s relying on junior point guard Davonte Butler to facilitate the team’s offense. Butler is an athletic 6-foot, 150-pounder whose game has plenty of potential.
“We’ve got some point guards coming up that we didn’t have last year, and that will make us more well-rounded offensively distributing the ball and protecting the ball,” Baumgartner said. “We’ll be better at that position.”
The Balers also should be fortified in the front court with Grant Bernosky, a returning 6-4, 210-pound senior center. Bernosky is a presence in the paint, with the ability to control the boards and play excellent defense.
“Grant has such a great attitude, and you can tell in the improvement he’s made,” Baumgartner said. “He worked very hard on his footwork in the summer, along with his hands and positioning on the floor.”
Jacob Zamora, a 6-2 senior forward/center, had 10 points against Soquel, and Nick Christian finished with nine points, all on 3-pointers. Zamora played his best near the end of last season, while Christian has made a nice impression with his ability to shoot combined with a confident approach.
“Nick walks into the gym and thinks he’s open,” Baumgartner said. “He does it with a good, positive attitude.”
Other impact players include Mario Canela, Josh Ramos and R.J. Clark. A 5-10 senior guard, Canela is one of the team’s top defensive players who will be key in shutting down the opponent’s best guard. Ramos is a 6-1 senior forward who gives the team an athletic presence in the front court.
“Josh is quick and will add another dimension to our game,” Baumgartner said.
Clark, a 5-11 senior guard, could be one of the guards who opens things up offensively.
“Everyone out there is super fast,” Clark said. “We like to run the floor, but we also have some good shooters and a lot of guys who can go inside and fight for the ball. I think it’ll be a good year.”
Said Baumgartner: “We’re more of a slashing, get it to the rim type basketball team. This year we have some dribble-drive guys who can get past their man and kick it out to our shooters, and that’s encouraging.”
