With just one returning starter, the San Benito High boys basketball team was expected to take its lumps this season.
Add in the fact that the one starter—junior wing Shraee Harrison—has been injured for most of the season, and it’s little surprise the Haybalers were just 5-11 overall and 2-2 in the Monterey Bay League’s Gabilan Division entering Wednesday’s game against Salinas.
But that hasn’t made the losing easier to stomach, and the players’ frustration has boiled over on occasion in the last couple of weeks.
“I’ve never had to deal with so many suspensions and ejections in my 20-plus years of coaching all at once,” Balers coach Mike Baumgartner said, referring to the suspension of one player and another player being ejected for throwing a punch in a 61-37 loss to Christopher on Jan. 14. “There’s a lot of in-house stuff we have to take care of, and it (ejection and suspension) doesn’t reflect who we are.”
Baumgartner went on to add that even though the team has had a rough season, it has shown signs of progress and much can still be accomplished.
“Our expectations are still high—they have to be,” he said. “Now, is a championship within reach? Probably not, but you’re still striving to get there.”
Putting in a workmanlike effort doesn’t seem to be the issue for the Balers, who did three full-court sprints at the end of a Jan. 15 practice. Daniel Delgado won the first sprint, Harrison the second, and they were able to watch the rest of their teammates blast through the third repeat.
“Who’s going to be first?” Baumgartner yelled, his voice resonating through the school’s smaller throwback gym. Point guard Tommy Hernandez crossed the end line first in blazing fashion, and the rest of the team was right behind him.
Hernandez has been one of the team’s bright spots since the beginning of the season, aggressively driving to the basket while accepting every challenge that has come his way.
Senior shooting guard John Barrientos is the team’s best shooting threat from 3-point range, and junior post Grant Bernosky has impressed Baumgartner by always playing with energy from start to finish.
Harrison returned to action against Christopher, his first game back since injuring his left ankle in the second game of the season. Although Harrison was far from his best, there’s no doubt he’ll be a force as he works his way back into form.
“Shraee was out for a long time, and it showed,” Baumgartner said. “He was rusty and tried to force things, which is typical for an athlete coming back from a long layoff. But his effort was there for sure, as was the team’s. We just have to put four quarters together.”
Indeed, in blowout losses to Palma and Christopher, the Balers actually at one point had a lead in the first half before getting blown away in the second half. Baumgartner said the squad needs to improve its spacing on the court, be stronger with the ball and move without the ball.
The fundamental issues plaguing the team could partly be attributed to the roster’s lack of experience; Harrison is the only returning player who saw significant minutes on the varsity team a year ago.
Despite all of the injuries and on-court and off the court turmoil, San Benito still has plenty of opportunities to finish the season strong.
“We just have to trust each other and be confident,” Baumgartner said.
