Parity in TCAL league could make for a close finish
The quest for the men’s Tri County Athletic League basketball
banner will be a tough one. Truthfully, all of the teams in the
league have a chance at holding first place at some point during
the season. Some have a better chance at the TCAL title than
others. An injury here and a blown game or two there, however, and
any one of the six teams can end up atop the standings once the
dust clears. The TCAL season officially starts January 3. Teams are
listed in predicted order of finish.
Parity in TCAL league could make for a close finish
The quest for the men’s Tri County Athletic League basketball banner will be a tough one. Truthfully, all of the teams in the league have a chance at holding first place at some point during the season. Some have a better chance at the TCAL title than others. An injury here and a blown game or two there, however, and any one of the six teams can end up atop the standings once the dust clears. The TCAL season officially starts January 3. Teams are listed in predicted order of finish.
Live Oak Acorns- Maybe this team should be renamed the Sycamores. Acorns’ forward Chris Deem is 6-feet-9 – and he comes off the bench. Drew Pearson, the Acorns forward and leading scorer at 10.5 points per game, is 6-9. However, both are overshadowed by center Jerzey Bratkowski. Literally. Bratkowski transferred from Poland to Live Oak to play his senior season and is a skyscraping 6-10. Throw in 6-3 point guard David Chappell and 6-0 shooting guard Joel Wright and height will carry the Acorns a long way, but not to a league title. The Acorns will win the TCAL title with its balanced scoring and staunch defense.
Salinas Cowboys-At some point during the regular season the Cowboys will share all or part of first place. The Cowboys are loaded with talent, starting with the dynamic Drew Sanchez and ending with its taut, up-tempo press defense. In his 32nd year as coach of the Cowboys, Joe Chappell has Salinas playing an attack-style offense with Sanchez as his catalyst. Sanchez is currently leading the area, which includes the Santa Cruz, Mission Trail Athletic and Monterey Bay Leagues, in scoring at 25.5 per game. He is complemented by Casey Neligh and Chris Choate. If Live Oak slips, Salinas will be there to catch the TCAL title.
San Benito Haybalers-Had to flip a coin on this one. Although the North Salinas Vikings may be a bit more athletic than the Haybalers, something has to be said for hard work, tough defense and talent, all of which San Benito has in abundance. Coach Dave Kaplansky drives his team to work hard and it shows on the court and in the statistics. The Haybalers’ defense allows a paltry 39.4 points on defense, second best in the league, while pouring in 64.7 per contest on offense. It does not take a math whiz to know that’s darn good. Forward Kyle Sharp is the team’s focal point on offense and defense. Sharp leads the team in scoring, 15.5 and field goals, 48. Forward Anthony Butler provides some scoring punch and the inside toughness Kaplansky reveres. San Benito has a slim margin for error.
North Salinas Vikings-The Vikings could very well finish third in this league. Ronnie Drummer is certainly the fastest point guard in the league. Last season as a sophomore, Drummer placed third in the 100-meter dash in the Central Coast Section finals. Forwards Alex Cordner and Carl Nicks are proven scorers and battle tested. However, this season every team has seemingly improved. The Vikings are coming off a tough year and are looking to prove they belong among the elite. If not this year, then expect the Vikings to make a huge splash next season.
Gilroy Mustangs-The Mustangs ended last season deadlocked at 10-3 with the Alisal Trojans for the Monterey Bay League championship. One year later, the Trojans still run roughshod in the MBL while the Mustangs have fallen from glory. Sort of. The tough competition in the TCAL will not only bring out the best in Coach Mike Baumgartner’s line up but sets them up for success in the future. Toward the end of the year, the Mustangs will have gelled and will be a tough squad to handle. The Mustangs’ win-loss record does not reflect how well the team has played of late.
Palma Chieftains- Teams should be wary of the Chieftains. Like a angry dog lying in wait, the Chieftains seem ready to pounce on unprepared teams. So far through the preseason, the Chieftains have compiled a 4-0 record by beating the likes of King City, Gonzales, Carmel, Soledad and Harbor. Not exactly Salinas and Live Oak, but not chopped liver either. Traditionally well coached in fundamentals, the Chieftains may have a surprise or two up its sleeve. Its lack of height may prove to be the Chieftains undoing. We will wait and see.
Next week: The women’s preview
