Here’s a news flash to Hollister boys hoop, which sets forth on
its biggest challenge of the season this Saturday in its Central
Coast Section Division I quarterfinal contest with No. 2 Serra
(20-5) at Santa Clara.
Here’s a news flash to Hollister boys hoop, which sets forth on its biggest challenge of the season this Saturday in its Central Coast Section Division I quarterfinal contest with No. 2 Serra (20-5) at Santa Clara.
The 39 points scored at home in Wednesday’s 39-37 victory over 10th-seed St. Ignatius won’t be nearly enough to beat the Padres. The Balers (21-7), seeded seventh, would be wise to double that 39, as in 78. The Padres, co-champions of the West Catholic Athletic League, are a more dangerous team and boast a more dangerous player than St. Ignatius.
His name is Andrew Kochevar and he wears No. 3. He’s listed at 6-foot-2, but St. Francis coach Steve Filios, whose team lost three times to the Padres this season, said he shook hands with the lad and he couldn’t be much more than 6-0. Filios absolutely raves about the Sonoma State-bound Kochevar – the WCAL Player-of-the-Year.
“There’s not too many high school players who can pull-up in early offense and shoot a money three with you in his face,” said Filios. “He has the quickest release of any high school player I have ever seen around here. He has college level skills, mainly because of his footwork. He’s only Division II because of his height. You can think you’ve held him down then all of a sudden he goes off. You have to deny him the basketball, but they have more than one weapon.”
The Padres have three or four outside shooters who can hurt you. Swingman J.J. Cannizzaro (No. 5), listed at 6-2, is a Tasmanian Devil on both ends of the court. Vic Esposto (No. 44), listed at 6-3, is another player the Balers have to concern themselves with.
Point guard Kevin Ochoa (No. 4), a 5-10 junior, is the glue which holds the Padres together.
“He’s new to the team this year,” said Filios. “He brings chemistry to the team. He can penetrate and kick the ball out.”
The Padres are effective on the break, as well as, the half-court set.
“They’re so effective in the half-court because they run motion so well,” said Filios. “If Hollister’s unable to deter their motion and contest screens, they’ll be in trouble.”
Defensively, expect the Padres to pick up three-quarters court man-to-man. The Balers, who didn’t handle the ball well against St. Ignatius’ trap in the third period, need to be flawless with the ball on Saturday if they have any chance to win.
Empty trips will be the Balers’ demise. They must score, or at least control the clock, as much as possible.
Serra is not a big team size-wise, which should be an advantage the Balers have to exploit. Still, Filios warns not to be deceived by the Padres’ lack of big men.
“They’re not huge in size but they can be a force on the boards. They’re strong,” said Filios. “One, missed three-pointers usually come out long for the rebound, 2) They have a good nose for the ball.
Are the Padres starting to sound like Salinas yet? The Wildcats tried to wear the Balers down by using a long bench. It nearly worked. Baler head coach David Kaplansky did a good job of resting his frontline, where he has more depth to work with. However…..
“If you don’t have depth in the backcourt, Serra will wear you down,” said Filios.
The Balers must hope guard Broc Sondgroth, who showed the signs of a recent 102-fever in the win over St. Ignatius, is 100 per cent on Saturday. The Balers desperately need his three-point shooting touch. Broc needs to go off for high double digits, at least.
The Balers need everyone’s touch, for that matter. Kyle Sharp rose three times from 15-feet in the first half and looked all-world with three gorgeous baskets. Sharp, a special player, needs to be more selfish on Saturday. He passed up too many open shots. He had just two free throws in the second half – clutch free throws, mind you – but his eight-points total will fall way short of what is needed for the Balers to win on Saturday. Sharp is due for a 20-point plus game and there’s no better time than like the DI quarters.
Center Anthony Butler showed what he is capable of when he clears space and goes to the hoop. He had 14 points against SI, but he needs to tack on about 10 more points Saturday. Danny Brooks went to the rack twice and scored twice. Brooks, who had just five points, has to show the Padres that he’s a threat to score to take the attention away from Sharp and Butler.
Add Kevin Zanella and Jason Sims to Sharp, Butler and Brooks and the Balers should have a huge advantage on the boards. They need to pound the glass like a veal cutlet. Every defensive carom should be theirs.
Guard Eric Davis will have his hands full with the Padres’ scrappy defense. Kaplansky doesn’t ask Davis to score much at all, but if the drive is there, Davis needs to take it. Davis has proven he’s a good free throw shooter and you don’t get to the line with jump shots.
The Balers would be wise not to get into a running game with the Padres, but if the transition bucket is there, like Brooks and guard Gilbert Rubio did on Wednesday, take it.
The first half by the Balers on Wednesday was one for the annals defensively. The Baler big men disrupted the Wildcats’ half-court offense by jumping out, making it difficult for the passers to see inside. St. Ignatius had a season-low 11 points in the first half.
The bottom line is that the Balers have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to win. They have to play with the same intensity on defense as they did in the first two quarters on Wednesday, but eliminate the empty trips on offense. Things like shot clock violations and turning the ball over on underneath inbounds will add fuel to the Padres’ fire, just as it did to the Wildcats, who got back into the game due to Baler turnovers.
Win or lose on Saturday, it has been a wonderful season thus far for the youthful Baler boys. It can be even more wonderful if the Balers put it together at BOTH ends of the floor on Saturday.
They will have to in order to advance to Tuesday’s semis.
