It was a sight no one around the San Benito High boys basketball team wanted to see.
Shraee Harrison, the Haybaylers’ outstanding guard/forward, went down with a left ankle injury in the opening minutes of the team’s game against Homestead on Dec. 6. Harrison was in a soft cast and in street clothes when the team played its home opener against Pacific Grove three days later, a game it lost 47-42 in overtime.
Adding insult to injury, Tommy Hernandez, the team’s second best playmaker, had to depart the game with 5.1 seconds left in regulation after he landed awkwardly on his left knee after making a driving layup with 1 minute, 7 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
Hernandez said afterward it was just a cramp, and fortunately for the Balers, that’s what it turned out to be. Harrison underwent a MRI on Dec. 12, revealing two partially torn ligaments.
Harrison said he’ll be able to start practicing the week of Jan. 5. Until then, the team will have to make do without one of the most dynamic players in the MBL. As the lone returning starter from last year’s team, the Balers need Harrison on the court to have any shot of contending for a top three finish in the Monterey Bay League Gabilan Division standings.
San Benito, which entered Thursday’s Luis Scattini Memorial Tournament at Palma High with a 1-3 record, showed its strengths and shortcomings against Pacific Grove, as it jumped out to a 9-0 lead midway through the first quarter. The Balers’ quickness on defense forced several turnovers, and the Breakers had a hard time settling down and getting organized.
However, San Benito couldn’t maintain its defensive intensity or effectiveness, and its offensive shortcomings were evident as the game went on. Mario Canela’s baseline floater with 0.5 seconds left sent the game to overtime, where the Balers were outscored 11-6.
Hernandez and John Barrientos had nine points each, Daniel Delgado finished with eight and Grant Bernosky and Gus Vasquez had six points apiece. The Balers play in the Palma tournament from Thursday through Saturday and won’t face off against live competition again until the North Monterey County tournament from Dec. 29-31.
One thing is for certain: San Benito will need to be ferocious on the defensive side of the ball because it doesn’t have the offensive firepower compared to some of the upper echelon teams in the MBL.
“We’ve been holding teams to 42 points a game, and most of the time that will win you a ball game,” Baumgartner said. “But we’ve had trouble scoring, and that’s our big focus. I don’t think the kids have a lot of confidence right now, so we’re trying to gain that through practice.”
The Balers had been having trouble getting to the basket off dribble penetration, but against Pacific Grove, they created enough opportunities to the tune of 13 free throw attempts.
The only problem? San Benito made just four of those attempts. It also committed 24 turnovers to 17 field goals made. Although the Balers are clearly a work in progress, Baumgartner feels the team will get to a high level of play.
“We have so much energy on the court, but we have to be disciplined with that energy,” Baumgartner said. “Even defensively, I like where we are, but we still need to make improvements. It’s going to be one step at a time.”
