When the Anzar High boys basketball team beat Watsonville 60-40 on Jan. 10, senior point guard John Moreno was so excited he couldn’t sleep that night.
“We beat a bigger school (Watsonville has an enrollment of 1,949 students compared to Anzar’s 373), and that doesn’t happen much,” Moreno said.
Anzar’s turnaround from being a doormat the last couple of years to a team opponents have to respect has been one of the more feel-good sports stories in San Benito County this year.
The team recently won four straight games, its longest winning streak in at least three years. With a solid nucleus of players including Moreno, Victor Flores, Jarret DeAmaral, Josiah Martinez and James Moreno, John’s younger brother, the Hawks are soaring.
Entering Thursday’s game against Trinity Christian of Monterey—the result wasn’t available when this edition went to press—Anzar was 7-7 overall and 3-0 in the Mission Trail Coastal Athletic League.
Moreno missed the better part of the last two years due to grade ineligibility issues, and he wasn’t about to let his senior season go to waste. Playing with tenacity and tons of energy both offensively and defensively, Moreno’s passion for the game is evident every time he steps on the court.
“I love the game so much,” he said. “I’ve been playing since I was 7, and if I’m not playing basketball, I’m thinking about playing.”
The 5-foot-7, 155-pound Moreno can get to the basket off dribble penetration, passes well and plays tough defense. It’s no wonder Anzar has missed Moreno’s presence for the better part of the last two seasons.
“John is our co-captain with Jarret for a reason,” Hawks coach Tracy Carpenter said. “He’s had some seven assist games this year, which is a great number in the high school game. He’s obviously passing the ball well and working hard to get better.”
After a couple of tough years—the Hawks won just 10 games combined in the last two seasons—they have made a dramatic turnaround, starting with the coaching of Carpenter and the play of the core group that has been together for the last several years.
“The biggest difference is we’re playing disciplined as a team,” he said. “We have good chemistry, and we’re just doing what we’re supposed to do, like running the plays correctly and executing.”
Born in the Philippines, Moreno grew up watching his two older brothers, David and Bogart, play high school basketball in their native country.
“My two older brothers inspired me to play basketball,” Moreno said.
The family immigrated to America when he was in the eighth grade, and it took a while for Moreno to get adjusted.
“I didn’t know a word of English before I got here,” said Moreno, an Aromas resident. “At first it was culture shock, but as the weeks went on I learned how to speak English and assimilate with the people.”
John and James play 1-on-1 everyday, and the big brother said he is undefeated against his younger sibling—and he intends to keep it that way.
“Our games get pretty physical and emotional,” Moreno said. “He’ll get mad when he loses, and I’ll get mad if he comes close to beating me. In our situation, the big brother always wins.”
Carpenter loves to hear that type of stuff from his players, as it shows a competitive will and desire to continually improve.
“The most encouraging thing about this team is how hard the guys are playing for each other and how the chemistry has evolved,” Carpenter said.
