Sergio Sanchez has been cut twice during his high school basketball career, but it hasn’t deterred him from having a breakout season. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound senior center used the past shortcomings to come back stronger than ever. The Haybalers have benefited from Sanchez’s improved play entering Friday’s league contest.
“I struggled at the beginning of the season, but my coaches and teammates didn’t let me get too down on myself,” Sanchez said. “They give me confidence.”
Despite being undersized for a center, Sanchez has been solid in the post by playing smart and working hard for position. Offensively, Sanchez can take opposing centers off the dribble. Defensively, Sanchez utilizes that same quickness and ferocity to get around them and try to prevent an entry pass into the post.
Although Sanchez is capable of hitting shots from the outside, he’s done most of his scoring on putbacks or connecting on shots from around the paint. Balers coach Mike Baumgartner raves about Sanchez’s work ethic and determination. Sanchez needed plenty of the latter after he was cut during his freshman season and played on the junior varsity team a year ago as a junior.
“He comes to practice with an attitude that he wants to get better everyday,” Baumgartner said. “His perseverance and commitment has led him to making the varsity team his senior year. .. He is soft-spoken, has a great sense of humor and has a great love of the game.”
Each time Sanchez got cut, he came back a stronger player. After he was cut in his freshman season, Sanchez spent the off-season practicing and playing for the now defunct Hollister Heat AAU team.
“It was disappointing, but at the same time I was more mad at myself because I felt like I could’ve done more to prepare to make the team,” he said. “I feel like I didn’t get myself ready.”
A year later as a sophomore, Sanchez was ready and then some. He made the junior varsity team and made dramatic improvements in his game.
“It was really emotional because I felt like all the hard work paid off,” he said. “I didn’t let the previous year effect me —I just kept on working to make the team.”
When Sanchez didn’t make the varsity team a year ago, Baumgartner pulled him aside and told him that he saw potential in him, but there wasn’t a spot for him on the varsity and playing on the junior varsity an extra year would prepare him for a solid senior season. Once Sanchez got over the initial disappointment of not making the varsity team, he went to work with Anthony Butler, the junior varsity coach.
“What really helped me when I didn’t make the varsity was coach Butler believing in me,” Sanchez said. “He really saw something in me and pushed me to be my best.”
Sanchez has had several productive games this season, but his personal highlight came in a 49-42 loss to Aptos on Dec. 9.
“I felt I really gave it my all,” he said. “I stuck to my assignment and did what I needed to do. Points will come as long as you play hard.”
It’s that workmanlike attitude that has propelled Sanchez to a standout season.
