John Moreno has a good explanation for why the Anzar High boys basketball team plays well whenever it’s involved in a close game.
“We pretty much play like we’re at the park, so there’s nothing to worry about,” said Moreno, the point guard who has led the Hawks to a 7-1 Mission Trail Coastal League record entering Thursday’s showdown with two-time league champion Oakwood of Morgan Hill. “We try to play like we’re at practice, so there’s less pressure in our mind. When we have that mindset, we tend to play well.”
Well indeed. Anzar has already eclipsed its win total from the previous two seasons combined, and they’ve clinched a spot in the Central Coast Section playoffs by virtue of clinching a winning record in league play.
If Anzar was a train, Moreno would be the engine. Simply put, he makes the Hawks go, using his agility and speed to blow by defenders off the dribble or gain separation from them to get a clean look for jump shots.
In a 45-43 win over Pacific Collegiate School on Jan. 30, Moreno had 19 points and seven assists, helping Anzar sweep the season series from PCS for the first time in 11 years.
“They just couldn’t guard John,” Hawks coach Tracy Carpenter said. “Jarret (DeAmaral) is our leading scorer, and they did a great job of denying him the ball, and he got five points. John came through when we needed him most, and we’ve been getting other players to step up as well.”
Elvis Banuelos, a 6-foot junior forward, has been instrumental as one of the team’s top reserves. Banuelos, who is also a standout on the football team, provides the team with strong defense and rebounding.
“Elvis makes a huge impact,” Moreno said. “He goes hard in practice everyday, and his hustle really shows in the games.”
In fact, the team made sure it would hang its success on producing a superior effort everyday, and let the results speak for themselves.
“In the first practice of the season, we needed a lot of work,” Carpenter said. “We didn’t worry about wins and losses at that point. I thought there was potential, but it was also getting the players to believe in themselves.”
Moreno said Carpenter has instilled in the team a solid work ethic to go along with mental toughness.
“This year has been all about being mentally ready,” Moreno said. “We’re staying focused for practice, we’re more organized this year and we’re running plays where we’ve memorized what spot on the floor we need to be at. All the little things make a difference.”
Moreno’s younger brother, James, has also given Anzar a boost with his ability to hit open shots from 3-point range.
“James and Elvis are two of our younger guys (who are playing significant minutes), and they’ve shown a lot of improvement from the beginning of the season to now,” Carpenter said.
Victor Flores, a 6-2 post, has provided the team with a dependable presence around the basket. The Hawks are at their best when John Moreno can push the pace and get fast-break points.
Moreno makes great decisions in the open floor, and he’s displayed a confidence befitting of a first-rate point guard.
“I’ve always had that confidence that I could do well,” he said. “I know hard work pays off, and good things happen when you work hard.”
For Carpenter, coaching this year’s team has been nothing short of a great experience.
“Overall I’m really pleased with the way the season is going,” he said. “The players have been very coachable, and they’ve exceeded all expectations. They continue to grind it out everyday, and we’ll just continue to try to improve in every game and in every practice.”
