6th Grade Black Champs Again

We're so proud of our 6th Grade Dawgs Black Team.  Throughout the summer and fall, they played up in the 7th grade division and did really well.  In fact, they took 1st place in two 7th grade tournaments this year.  What a great accomplishment as there is a tremendous difference in size, strength, speed, and maturity in 7th grade boys compared to 6th grade boys.  Our boys showed that they can keep up with the big boys by playing smart, strong, and together.  Each one of these boys are leaders and true teammates.  We've never seen a team so unselfish.  Amazing!

Congratulations to our boys for their continued success in playing the game they love.  These boys always play with their hearts and give it their all.  And most importantly, they truly respect each other and their coaches and have such a strong, heartfelt bond! 

Here's to another successful year to our 6th Grade Black Dawgs! You boys are awesome individually and together as a unit!

4th Grade December 5th

Our last tournament, our team played smart and hard and placed first in our bracket.....This week, our team surpassed my expectations once again.......


Our goal as a team is to continue to work to keep improving our skill level all awhile we have fun and grow stronger as a family. Exceeding the coach's expectation regarding how each player plays individually and, most important, as a team, is thought of continuously by every good or decent coach. Once again, our boys played a strong game both offensively and defensively. During the game this Saturday, I spoke to the boys about a their "fire" or passion for defense each and every second of the game. Every player proved that they had a "fire".....and then some! Along with the passion to play good fundamentally sound and hard defense, all of our boys played unselfishly, smart, and fundamentally sound offense.

Our opponents for this tournament was our one and only team, or game, for the tournament........the Davis Wildcats. Although our Dawgs had played in one tournament this season already as a 4th grade team, I was excited to see 7 players instead of only 5 playing in this game. The boys knew that we would always have two players on the bench anxious to get into the game. Knowing this, I reminding the boys that we do not rest on defense and to never give less than 100%.....and what a success the boys proved to be by doing this.

The Wildcats were no match for our Dawgs team. Every Dawg player contributed offensively scoring in this game. Every Dawg player contributed tremendously by being unselfish and passing the ball for many assist in the game. Every player played like a top notch defensive player never giving less than 100%. All of our boys kept their hips low, knees bent, on their toes, and moved their feet fast. As I watched each player on the court, I was impressed by how each player watched the ball to anticipate passes while on defense. All of our Dawgs had steals while on defense and reacted quickly as a team to either set up the offense or quickly get the ball down the court to score with, almost always, a lay up. I was impressed with how the boys kept their heads up while "pushing" the ball up the court which allowed them to see the other players working hard to get open for either an outlet pass or a quick score. Every player played with a big heart for other brother Dawgs sharing the ball offensively. Our boys ran our offense very well, using all of the "pass and cut" or "backdoor cuts" extremely well.......especially for a young team.

I was impressed with how our boys used their "help" defense or "weak side" defensive help to keep the Wildcats to a low scoring game. Our boys did a great job and denied passes, anticipated passes for steals, used great footwork to prevent drives into the middle or down the baseline, and worked as one unit to keep the Wildcats from ever being in the game. Great job boys!

Our final outcome for the game was 52 points for our Big Little Dawgs (Wruff, Wruff!) and 4 points for the Davis Wildcats.........



Coach Martinez

Varsity-September 11th

This weekend the varsity Dawgs opened up the fall season with a SAS tournament played at Mira Loma High school . It was a hard fought weekend for us. We played hard throughout and earned three wins taken first place in the tournament. We struggled with turnovers and rebounding throughout the weekend. However there was more stretches of great basketball through out the 3 games them there was of bad basketball. Even more shocking was how well we jelled offensively together for only having two hour practices.

Game 1
Nor Cal vs. YBA Dawgs

This game saw Norcal come out and press us right from the start. We had some issues breaking the press early on, but once we called a time out we talked about how we were going to attack it as well as going to a 3 guard line up of Joey Parker, Derrick Osborne, and Darrell Polee we were able to break it regularly. We were lead by Darrell Polee who had 14 points 6 rebounds and 6 assists. In the second half Jason Gish made 3 3pointers in a row which pushed us over the top. Jason had 12 points for the game. Brandon Martin registered his first of many double doubles with YBA; he had 12 points and 11 rebounds with 4 assists. This victory came with a loss though for out team Garrett Rodriguez hurt his knee while going for a loose ball and was unable to play for the rest of the tourney. Final Score was 49 Dawgs 40 Nor Cal

Game 2
YBA vs. 209 Elite

This game started out the way the first game did they pressed us the entire game. Once again we struggled breaking it in the beginning. But once Aaron Torres got the game his Defense and ball handling helped up break through the press fairly easily. We had only a 4 point lead in the 1st half. In the 2nd Half we went to a 1-3-1 zone and controlled the game defensively. We had big game from Aaron Torres who had 13 points, Brandon Martin with 12 points and 10 rebounds, Darrell Polee aka Mr. everything with 10 points 6 rebounds and 7 assists with 3 blocks, and none bigger then Andre Ware with 8 points and 11 rebounds.

This Game saw us Finnish with a 30 point victory. 209 elite only score 9 second half points against our zone.

Final Score 63 Dawgs 33 209 elite

Game 3
YBA Dawgs vs. Up Tempo Basketball

This was our worst played game of the weekend fatigue was a major factor. We had many un-forced turnovers and struggled through out the game rebounding. The second half even saw Darrell come down with major leg cramps on the court. Only having 8 guys really showed. Darrell was able to make a late game return finding Jason Gish for two of his late game 3 pointers, Jason finished with 15points. Joey parker finished with 8 points and 5 assists drawing some "whoooos" from the crowd with his drives and dishes. Darrell Polee had 8 points 5 rebounds and 5 assists with 3 block shots again. Andre Ware had 2 points but an amazing 17 rebounds. Nick Lewis had 6 points and 5 rebounds for us.

Final Score YBA 54 Up Tempo Basketball 44

Coaches Final Thoughts

All and All the weekend was great. We quickly meshed together. I was impressed on how willing we all were to work for a win. We will continue to work to get better as a team. Come to practice ready to go. I fell this team has a very bright future.

8th Grade-September 11th

It was another successful weekend for YBA! We went 3-0 in a series of hard-fought games. We beat the Stockton Tigers 46-34 in the first game. The offense was very balanced, led by Grady with 12 points and Jackson and Connor with 11 each. Connor hauled down 6 boards, and Jared, Jackson, and Grady had 3 assists apiece. The team shot 56% from the floor, which is our best showing by far all season.


The good shooting didn't carry over to the next game, though. The offense was limited by several missed open shots, and Santa Rosa was able to stay in the game. It was a nip and tuck battle all the way, with our pressure defense forcing the Cagers into many turnovers which kept us in the low-scoring game. YBA led most of the way, but the Cagers chipped away and tied the score late in the 4th. Jackson drew a foul with about 30 seconds to play and calmly sank both ends of the 1-and-1 to put YBA up by 2. After a flurry of timeouts and coaching adjustments, the Dawgs lived up to their name (*) by sealing the win with an excellent defensive possession for a final margin of 34-32. In a rare show of in-game emotion, Coach Shaw celebrated the victory with several fist pumps. :-) Connor made strong contributions with 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Jackson had 10 points. Scott dished out 6 assists, and Jared grabbed 5 caroms.

YBA beat a very athletic Jr. Falcons team 42-32 in the championship tilt. The team again came out cold from the floor, and the score was tied 19-19 at the half. The Dawgs would have been in much worse shape but for Jackson's hot shooting from beyond the arc. The boys executed very well early in the 2nd half to grab the lead, but the aggressive Falcons never gave up. They turned up the defensive pressure, but the team protected the ball to seal the win. Jackson netted a career-high 22 points. Scott played another strong floor game with 4 assists, 5 boards, and 4 steals against 0 turnovers. Trevor played his best game as a Dawg, and Cody pulled down 2 boards. It was a tough, gutty effort by our boys. Connor contributed 6 points and 8 boards despite tired legs, Vinny gave his all even though he was limited by stomach problems, and Grady battled a back strain suffered in the second game to pressure the ball on defense, share the ballhandling load, and contribute a few 2nd half buckets.

This weekend, we will enter the 9th grade bracket at SAS. It will be a one-day tournament on Saturday. The location and schedule will be posted Thursday evening. It should be a good challenge for the team!

Kevin
(*) For those new to the program, DAWGS stands for Defense Always Wins Games!

Coaches and Parents,


Thank you for a successful 2010 Winter and Spring Season.

This weekend the teams wrapped up the Reno and Bay area tournaments with a combined record of 40-22. Bringing home 2 championships, (2) 2nd place finishes and (4) 3rd place finishes.

The season was a huge success and the YBA family continues to grow by doing things the right way. I am very excited about the continued growth and positive family environment we are providing for these kids.

Go Dawgs!


Ken Gee

Dawgs Weekly Trivia Questionnaire #5

Answer the following random questions, then email your answers to ybadawgpound@yahoo.com by Friday at 8pm each week. Please include your first and last name and the team you represent. The contestants who get all the answers correctly will be entered in a drawing to receive a $20 Starbucks giftcard! There will be one winner per week. Winners will be announced the following week. Have fun and good luck!

1) How many YBA teams came home with the trophy?
2) Name the teams that won the championship game.
3) How many YBA teams played in the Reno Jam On It Memorial Day Tournament?
4) How many teams placed 2nd?  Name those teams.
5) How many teams placed 3rd?  Name those teams.

Varsity Black

The varsity black team started Rumble in the Bay strong by winning their pool. They first played the Oakland Rebels and had no trouble finding a rythem and beating them by over 30. Aaron Hendricks had a great game sscoring the first 10 points of the game. Remi Barry had a good defensive game. Jamal Ford had an incredible inside game. Next they played SCA and beat them by over 30 as well. Everyone shared the ball incredible well and everyone scored. Colin Lee had a great defensive game hustling for the ball every chance he got. Mark Burns had over 10 assists this game and nobody could stop Remi Barry. Ending pool play Sunday morning, they payed the Outlawz and beat them by over 20. Marcus Hendrick had a great defensive game while Aaron hendricks played very well on both ends. Eric Gee and Cody Borst stepped up big this game and sparked a huge run to get an even bigger lead. Entering the new bracket, they opened with Reign but came up short losing by 6.

this was a really well played game by the black team and everyone played extremely well on both ends of the court. During the whole game they never gave up and put up a good fight.

Varsity Blue

This weekend the varsity blue team put up a good fight in their bracket of pool play before playoffs. In a close game against the East Bay Hoyas, the blue team lost by 5. Bryson Bryant had a great game grabbing every rebound he could get and scoring when we needed it. Colton Nelson and Quincy Shelby controlled the tempo of the game and had great deffense. In their second game, they played the Organized Chaos and with a rough start, they fought to keep up. Everyone played their hardest but in the end they couldn't get ahead. On Sunday they ended pool play with a struggling game against Nor Cal Supreme. We had good efforts from Trey Rosenberg and Kyle Peterson but our shots just weren't falling. With a win or go home bracket next, the blue team fought to keep up but in the end they didn't have it. Jordan Broyles played a good game defensively and Colton Nelson was a great leader on and off the floor to keep fighting.

JV Black

YBA 16 spent the weekend in Santa Clara playing in the Rumble in the Bay.

The team experienced the highs and lows of playing in this high level tournament.

We opened the tournament with a tough loss to Bad Boyz 16 of Richmond. This was our 1st loss all season against a 16u team. The boys bounced back nicely to win their next game of the day.

We finished 3 in our pool and advanced to the silver division playoffs. Once the team entered the playoffs we started to really play well. In game 2 of the playoffs the boys played really well and beat the Las Vegas Dynasty by 10. This win advanced us the Elite Eight.

Our Elite Eight match up was tough for several reasons. First it was an 8:30 start. I think the boys were still tired from the night before after hanging out at the hotel late into the night. It took us until late in the game to get rolling but by then it was too late and we lost by 7. The team that beat us lost in ot in the finals.

We had great contributions from everyone this weekend. It was great to see the boys respond when they were called on.

This weekend we were led by the outstanding play of Rex Himes. The pg controlled the tempo all weekend and was a true leader.

JV Blue

We played in the Jam on It Memorial Day Tournament in Reno in the 16U 1st Division. We added a new player for the Tournament, Shawn Smith from Bear River. He is a great late addition and will be a vital contributor if we are able to go to Las Vegas for the Showcase Tournament in July. We had a fun closing weekend to our Spring season and we played hard and overcame some adversity to finish 4th with a 2-2 record. I am not going to summarize each game as I want to focus on the overall experience and the season.


We lost our first game by 10 to the eventual tournament champs Tar heel Nation. They were very good but we had our opportunities including closing to within 6 with 2 minutes left we just couldn't get over the hump. Our next game against Redding United was a blowout that we won by 30, we led by 12 at the half and it was never closer after that. Our 3rd game was against a tough scrappy Olympic Club. Again we led by 12 at the half then we had a dry spell where they came back and took the lead in the 2nd half. Eventually they led by 6 with 4 minutes left. After a timeout we gathered ourselves and delivered an intense defensive effort to break out of our 2nd half malaise to attack and win by 5. Our final game was against a big strong North Bay Elite team that was a great match up for us as they went down low we played our usual aggressive Defensive game to keep it close at the half trailing 24-20. Unfortunately, Nolan Eger and Evan Orrick were both injured and Nolan was unable to play the 2nd half with a minor knee injury, while Evan played well and showed about a ton of heart by doing so. Also playing well was Darrell who gritted out playing 30 out of 32 minutes including the entire 2nd half. He made several athletic drives with great body control left handed finishes at the basket using both his left and right hand to finish. Unfortunately we just couldn't overcome their size and we just didn't get shots that we normally make to go in. We lost by 6.To finish 4th in the 1st division is an excellent achievement and while I know we had higher goals we shouldn't overlook the success we've had, like the fact that our final record was 25-5 with 5 tournament wins.

I am going to give a brief summary of each of my players so they know what I saw this season from them and what I expect from them in their futures.

#1 Shawn (Shaun, Sean) Smith- Incomplete... 1 tournament isn't enough time to observe and report, however I saw a great athlete who plays great Defense and is an excellent teammate and a bright, outgoing, funny young man.

#3 Darrell Polee- A great season, he joined mid season and was my starting point guard by his 3rd week... An amazing athlete and excellent Defender who is capable of playing lock down Defense on the perimeter and also is a strong rebounder and excellent timing shot blocker... He averaged over 6 assists a game to only 1.8 turnovers and has amazing court vision...He is a capable shooter who picks his shots well and still runs the offense and sets up my Defense... He is an outstanding student and young man and an example of what you are capable of you are willing to listen, learn, and work, I only wish I hadn't lost touch with him when I knew him when he was 12.

#18 Nolan Eger- My youngest Dawg, just a freshman and still only 15, you never would have known it watching him drive fearlessly into the crowded lanes over and over again. He plays very strong and physical which is rare for a lead guard, it makes him a (relative) master of the And 1 finish lay ups. He has great court vision as well and is capable of being an even better point guard than he already is... He is an excellent shooter who chose to make the pass to a teammate even though he had an open look... He worked hard to satisfy my Defensive fetishes and didn't have me in his ear about it all the time by the end of the year... A young man that is bright, funny and has the potential to achieve.

#22 Evan Orrick- A glue guy who just happens to be 6'3" and was also a season long starter...He is an excellent shooter who is in the middle of a growth spurt that hindered him at times this year (a problem that, at 5'8", I could only dream about having)... If I could reproduce the heart, effort, and fortitude that Evan has I would be a millionaire because he battled all year as an undersized post Defender for me and never once complained. He led the team in charges taken, he was clutch at both ends & he was a team leader... I can't wait to see him when he is fully grown and adjusted to being a Key Tree instead of a little shooter... Evan is a very cool, mature young man who understands the big picture and also is capable of seeing the importance in the details, I have no doubt that he will be an outstanding citizen and contributor as an adult.

#23 Luis Parache- The mercurial "Weecho", a year long starter who has shown flashes of brilliance on the court... He is an excellent offensive player when his head is on straight, and a surprisingly willing and capable Defender... As a person Luis is a charming, intelligent kid who is in the process of maturing into a fine young man... If he can learn to control his emotions (which I know he will) the sky is the limit for him... A player who gave me headaches at times this season, yet I still smile when I remember him throughout the season...As I told him many times "the only person that can stop Weech, is Weech"

#31 Kyle Duffin- Kyle is one of the best spot shooters I have seen at this level, a force on the perimeter who has to be covered at all times... He is a willing defender that, like Evan, is in the middle of a growth spurt, and, also like Evan, has struggled with that at times this season... Kyle is a kid who always wanted to help the team, & me as well. I saw much improvement from Kyle throughout the season & while I know he wasn't satisfied with his season, I hope he remembers that sometimes the path forward is slow, and other times its a sprint... He will be a great basketball player as he continues his improvement and rounds out his game (and gets not skinny)... He is a great kid who is mature and intelligent & who will be an amazing adult.

#41 Davit Saghatelyan- Another in season add in player, Davit's great personality, his understanding, and maturity level helped to balance a team that was struggling to mesh with each other when he joined... His effort and ability on both ends of the floor are nearly unmatched, Davit is a player who wants to lock his man down all game and help however he needs to help his team win... although he has had struggles with certain aspects of his game recently, those struggles pale in comparison with the all the other things he does great to help his team...I think the world of Davit and have rarely seen a kid as talented as he is who is so down to earth, humble and team focused... I am confident Davit will achieve all the goals that he has set for himself...

#45 Andre Ware- A grown man of a teenager at 6'4" 240 lbs, yet it's his kind heart and personality that I noticed most...On the court he is the fiercest rebounder I saw all year long, if I said "Dre get that board" you better believe he would go over or through whomever dared to try to get his ball...On offense I will admit that he was probably underused, yet he never complained he just took advantage of the opportunities that he did have and attacked the offensive glass with a passion...He is a capable, willing defender that will guard his man all the way up court or bang down in the post with equal desire and ability.. Andre is a great teammate and young man and will get a scholarship in either football or basketball as long as he stays focused & is constantly aware of how easy his surroundings make it to slip up or worse...

Coach Nate- Another mid season acquisition, Nate brought Darrell and Andre with him and the 3 of them helped to stabilize the team both on and off the court, his encouragement, knowledge and character were of great help to me throughout the season. I finally had someone to help in the game and was willing to commit the time, support, and effort that I needed, and he showed up right when I needed it most... Nate is a great coach who knows and played the game, but it's his honest love of the kids and his desire to help develop young men, not just basketball players that has struck me throughout my time with him. As a coach, parent, and man it was this that struck home with me as his values are my values and he is a true man of morals and character.

Coach's Final Thoughts

Well Dawgs it's been an amazing spring season that taught me more as a coach, teacher, & leader of young men than any of my 11 other seasons as a coach. I have already promised my Dawgs that I will do everything in my power to get us to the Las Vegas tournament and I plan on making it happen...I have a deep bond with my team as I felt that they were honest with me and, although it wasn't always done the right way, I still value honesty. I was always honest with my team (sometimes brutally honest, they might say) however I will never lie to a player and will always communicate... I want to coach my team more and hope they want to play for me again, I will be keeping a close eye on them throughout the rest of their high school careers and beyond as well... I hope that in 20 years, I will be able to look them up and see all the success they have had. Well, truthfully I hope I have left the type of impact they have left on me and they look for me, or are on the sidelines with me or somewhere in the YBA program... On a personal note this closes out my first season (of many I hope) with Ken Gee's Youth Basketball Academy and every single good thing that I'd heard about the program are true. From the coaches skill and character, to the quality of the kids and parents, it was all true. YBA is great, in my humble opinion and everyone involved should be thinking the same thing. I have never worked with people that care like YBA does and it stems, I think, from Ken's honest desire to have everyone in YBA be pleased and feel good about themselves and their experience w/ YBA. His goal of creating great young men is honest and he actually wants to help everyone he can... I am so glad that I have had this opportunity and look forward to coaching with YBA for as long as Ken will have me...

Sincerely,
Coach Adam Al-Mujadidi

9th Grade Blue-CHAMPIONS

Our team had a outstanding tournament ! We went 4 and 0, winning our DI, Level I Championship.


Game #1 - YBA 62 Olympic Club 49
On offense, the team was led by Caspian Hamric, Dom Driggs, and Matt Gruber, Each scoring in double figures. On defense we played very tough against a physical and talented team.

Game #2 - YBA 68 Enterprise 59
We made this game harder than the final score reflects. However we overcame our many mental and physical errors and prevailed in the end. On offense we were led by Elliott Fournier ( double double and 15 pts ), Anthony Pedersen ( 18 pts ) and Caspian H. (11 pts ) and also contributing to the offensive and defensive side was Dom Driggs. On defense we were led by Elliot F. and Anthony Davina.

In the second half our team received a terrible blow. One of our twin towers, Matt Grubber, sustained a severe ankle injury which stunned the coaches, players, and parents. Matt hopefully the injury isn't too serious and you will return to the court soon. Thankfully the team pulled together and Anthony Davina stepped up big and did a outstanding job!

Game #3 - YBA 74 Enterprise 60
On offense, the leaders were the starting five: Elliott F. ( 22 pts and another double double ), Dom D. ( 18 pts ), Anthony D. ( 12 pts), Anthony P. ( 11 pts ), and Caspian H. ( 10 pts ).

On defense, we were feisty and quick to the ball. In this game the team faced another shocker. Anthony Pedersen was leading a fast break and going in for a layup when he was intentionally taken out by a defender, hitting the basket post and his head on the court floor. You could hear everyone in the area gasping. Fortunately he was all right except a little dazed and a goose egg on his head.

Game #4 The Championship Game. YBA 54 Olympic Club 53
We saved the best for the last game. With little more than 3 minutes left in the game and 11 points down, the team came to life. We made 6 defensive steals that were turned into points. Everyone on the team contributed to this tournament win.

The Co- MVP's of the tournament were Elliott Fournier and Anthony Davina. Both players reached down deep within and carried the team to victory. Great job Dawgs!!!!

9th Grade White

YBA 46 Middletown 45 OT

Our first game in Reno was against Middletown . It was a hard fought battle that we ended up winning in overtime. Several of our players were in foul trouble as the refs were calling a lot of fouls. The game came down to the last few seconds in overtime and Cody Moffitt hit the game winning basket. Cole Jacobs and Taylor Cherry had 14 points each to lead our scoring and Taylor Cherry led the team with 8 rebounds.

YBA 63 SF Bulldogs 56
Our second game was against the San Francisco Bulldogs. This was a very physical game. Our boys fought hard and we won the game. Taylor Cherry led in scoring with 21 points and Spencer Gregg had 10 rebounds

Runnin Knights 58 YBA 53
We played the Runnin Knights in our third game. The winner of this game would advance to play for the championship. The score was close the entire game, but the Runnin Knights pulled out the win in the end. Spencer Gregg had 10 points and 7 rebounds to lead the team. Cody Moffitt also added 9 rebounds.

YBA 59 South Bay Select 53
Our game on Monday was against South Bay Select. The boys played hard and played good team basketball. We were ahead the entire game, but the south Bay Select team made a push at the end of the game and pulled within a couple of points. They were forced to foul us to stop the clock. Ryan Gee hit 4 big free throws for us to seal the win. Taylor Cherry had 17 points and Spencer Gregg had 13 rebounds in the game.

YBA Garcia took 3rd place. Great job boys!

8th Grade Blue

The 8th grade Blue team had a successful run in Reno, culminating in an appearance in the Championship game for the 3rd year in a row, and ultimately a 2nd place finish. Our path to the Championship game included two very competitive games, and one blow out. We started by beating Olympic Club from San Francisco, 63-55. Our shots weren't falling, but we toughed it out for a victory. Next we had a challenging game against Solano Select from Fairfield. We trailed most of the game against this big and physical team, but great 2nd half team defense brought us back for a single digit victory. It was an all-around team effort, with great contributions from all 8 players. Our final game in our pool was a mis-match...we were up 23-0 early and coasted to a big win. In the Championship game, we faced off against Accushots Elite from So. Cal. Their 6'2" point guard was a bit tough to handle--but this kid could probably start for most Varsity high school teams (literally). We got down big in the first half, but led and inspired by a super-human effort from David Parker we battled back and made it respectable. A second place finish at 3-1, with our only loss against a great team was a nice way to end our year.



Kennan Bridge

8th Grade White

8th Grade YBA White finished up a successful season by taking 3rd place in the 8th Grade Purple Division at Reno.

The Dawgs started the weekend by playing the Shasta Mountain Athletics. This was a tight contest the entire way, with the Dawgs prevailing in the end 59-54. This game could be titled the “Shayne Baynes Show.” Shayne scored 30 points, including 4 three-pointers, and led the team with 10 rebounds. Coach Gee said of Shayne’s performance, “The experience of our team showed in this game. We have been in close games this was our best game of the year as we showed poise and executed to beat a very good team”. Justin Holmes added 10 points and 9 rebounds while Justin Kinney had 3 steals and Joe Henry swatted 5 shots. The Dawgs were efficient on offense, shooting 53% on their 2 point field goal attempts.

Next up, the Dawgs faced a very talented Stockton Shock team. The game see-sawed back and forth and featured high intensity play, including a dunk by the Shock center. Three successive turnovers and a couple of quick whistle technicals against the Dawgs turned the tide late in the game as the Shock pulled away to win 54-44. The Shock had a huge advantage at the free throw line, attempting 16 free throws versus just 1 for the Dawgs.

Luke Jordan led the Dawgs with 15 points, hitting 6 of 7 shots, including 3 three pointers. Will Greenwood and Justin Holmes each added 8 points. Joe Henry was solid in the middle with 6 rebounds and 4 blocks. Shayne Baynes had 5 blocks as the Dawgs blocked 15 shots in total. Justin Kinney was credited with at least 3 assists. The Dawgs again shot well, hitting 59% of their 2 point shots and 32% of their 3 pointers. Too many turnovers however, limited their shot attempts. The game certainly gave the Dawgs good experience against a strong opponent.

In the final game of pool play, the Dawgs played an overmatched Desert Scorpions team. The Dawgs had a hard time focusing and playing their game against a very weak opponent, but eventually the Dawgs got rolling and cruised to a 59-22 win, with all 10 players scoring points. Luke Jordan was again high point man with 16 points. Austin Marcus had a strong game with 8 points, 5 steals and 2 blocks. Justin Holmes led the team with 6 rebounds.

With their 2-1 record and second place in Pool A, the Dawgs were matched up against the Marin Storm in the game for 3rd place in the Purple Division. The game was tight throughout and the Storm led at half 22-19. However, the Dawgs fought back to take the lead in the second half and were up three until the Storm banked in a 3 pointer with 20 seconds left. Coach Gee called time out with 10 seconds left to design one of his famous in bounds plays. And sure enough, his plan and the team’s execution paid off as Shayne Baynes scored a layup off the out of bounds and the Dawgs won 44-42! Justin Holmes was the player of the game as he totaled 18 points and 8 rebounds. As a team, the Dawgs made up for poor shooting with strong offensive rebounding, collecting a total of 15 offensive rebounds (6 of those by Joe Henry). Shayne Baynes struggled with his shot, but kept up his intensity to record 5 steals for the Dawgs. The win was a great way for the boys to finish their season. Coach Gee commented "Shayne came up big when we needed it and Justin Holmes had a huge game and executed the last play to perfection!


Mark Greenwood

7th Grade Blue

YBA 49, The Olympic Club 26
The Dawgs got off to a strong start in our Saturday morning Reno debut. We seized an early lead against a tall team from San Francisco. Our ball pressure and defensive aggressiveness generated several easy buckets and set the tone for the first half. Our opponents played much better in the second half, but we held tough and maintained our strong defense in allowing only 26 points, which was the fewest points allowed in a game in our bracket. Mitchell Holt, Michael Beachley, and Vinnie Safin defended the interior well against the rangy Olympic Club team and never allowed them to get rolling on offense. Vinnie led a balanced attack with 10 points and 7 rebounds, followed by Nicholas Clough with 9 and Mike with 8. Max O'Rourke distributed 5 assists.

YBA 40, Yellow Jackets 50
The boys battled both the other team and frigid shooting in this early Sunday game. The first half was very even, with the Dawgs trailing 22-21 going into the break. The team did a great job of limiting the Jackets’ fast break opportunities and points in the paint but gave up a few too many open 3s. The game remained close for much of the second half, but our continued cold shooting and a string of 6 consecutive turnovers allowed the opponent to open a 10 point lead. We fought back and cut the deficit to 5 with less than a minute to play, but the Jackets’ excellent shooting from the line sealed our fate. It was a tough loss to swallow, but the team learned a lesson about the need to stay patient on offense. Vinnie again produced on offense by netting 13 points, and he also collected 10 boards.

YBA 60, Spokane Rebels 58
Despite the disappointing loss earlier in the day, YBA came out strong against the eventual first-place team in our pool. Neither side could gain an advantage early, but with Vinnie scoring from the baseline the Dawgs went on a run to close the first half with an 11 point lead. Unfortunately, we lost the ever-aggressive Vinnie to a shoulder injury late in the half. The well-coached squad from Washington turned up their defensive intensity in the second half to close the gap, and they eventually took a narrow lead. The teams exchanged baskets for a while, but Grady Collins drained a difficult 3 followed by a breakaway layup to give our boys a 56-50 lead with less than a minute to play. The Rebels answered with a bucket inside to cut the deficit to 4. We had to win by at least 8 to qualify for the championship bracket, so the Dawgs got back to work on offense but missed a couple of short shots. Spokane scored at the buzzer to tie the game at 56 and send it into overtime. With the score tied at 58 and 10 seconds to play in OT, Nick calmly swished both ends of a 1-and-1 opportunity to bring home the victory! Mike had a strong game with 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Nick contributed 13 points. Jackson Sterling grabbed 6 steals.

YBA 62, Rainier Select Basketball 49
Although YBA went 2-1 in pool play and beat the pool winner, our point differential put us in 3rd place. The Dawgs got off to a lethargic start in this Monday morning match up and trailed 6-0 against our counterpart from the other pool, a hungry RSB team from Seattle. Coach Shaw made some substitutions looking for the right combination, which he found midway through the half. Grady turned up the heat on the RSB guards to spark the team, garnering several steals and contesting other passes that Gavin Smith or Scott Zabrowski swiped. The three wings combined for several quick offensive opportunities that resulted in layups or open jumpers. Behind those efforts, YBA took a double-digit lead into halftime. RSB fought on in the second half but could never again establish an offensive rhythm against the Dawg defense, thanks in no small part to Mitch's 5 blocks. We continued to move the ball well on offense (except for a couple of short stretches) and earned a convincing victory. Gavin played an outstanding game throughout, totaling 16 points, 4 assists, and 5 steals. Grady also had a complete game with 11 points, 5 steals, and only 1 turnover plus relentless ball pressure on defense.

Summary
The blue team finished the weekend with a 3-1 record in a strong Division 1 bracket and played solid basketball throughout the tourney. We beat the team that represented our pool in the championship game. The coaches thought those were good accomplishments, especially since the boys have been together for less than two months. The team is already defending at a pretty high level, and our offensive execution is improving. We will get better in both areas as the players learn the sets and get used to each other. Coach Shaw said the boys did a good job in playing to their strengths. He was happy that we competed hard in all of the games.

The coaches decided not to name a single player of the tournament, since all of the boys had strong contributions at different times. Vinnie inspired with his effort and mental toughness, gathering rebounds and loose balls alike and finishing strong inside. Nick and Grady each consistently attacked the basket and did a good job of pressuring the opposing guards into mistakes. Mike was aggressive on offense and worked hard to help on defense by blocking shots. Gavin had some strong stretches on offense and played a great all-around game in the final. Mitch fought back from a difficult Yellow Jackets game to intimidate our opponents by blocking and altering shots, and he also made some strong post moves. Jackson played his usual steady game, using his length to advantage on defense and showing flashes of aggressiveness on offense. After missing the first game due to family obligations, Scott got up to game speed quickly and played a big part in the decisive run in the final game with his defense and passing. Max O’Rourke displayed his typical energy and got everyone involved on offense while filling in well for Scott in the first game.

7th Grade White

The 7th grade YBA White team hit all the right cards to start the Reno tournament. The Dawgs started with a royal flush against Team Select. The Dawgs pressed Team Select from the start, forcing them into turnover after turnover. Zach Chodes' shot was deadly from the coffin corner and Jaeden Calton had a strong scoring performance driving to the hoop and from the perimeter. Dawgs win 57-16.

In the second game the Dawgs hit the jackpot with another high pressure game against Monterey Bay. The Dawgs had their highest point total of the tournament in a 76-33 win. Jared Flowers and Colin McHale lead the way on the offensive end.

In the third game against the Norcal Heat the the Dawgs came up with nothing but aces. Vance Gregg, Max O'Rourke, and Garrett Kauppila did a great job distributing the ball to the open man for the easy shot. Dawgs win 63-38. After watching the game YBA Director Ken Gee commented " I love watching your team, they pass the ball so well and are very unselfish".

In the fourth game against the eventual champion N Your Court the Dawgs started off great. Lead by Colin Hawkins and Conner Milnes down low the Dawgs pounded the other team for a 13 point halftime lead. The Dawgs luck changed in the second half as the offense went bust and the Team Select could not miss from inside and out. Dawgs lose 40-50.

 In the semi final game against the first place Norcal Warriors from the other bracket, the Dawgs started off with a very strong hand. They handled the high pressure and dealt it back to the Warriors, the half ended with the Dawgs down by one. In the second half turnovers and a cold shooting hurt the team. The Dawgs kept up the defensive pressure and intensity but they were not able to get over the hump and ended up losing 41-50. Overall, I was very proud of the kids they played hard in every game and gave it their all. Even though we did not bring home the trophy like we wanted to, we played very well. Thanks to all of my players for a great season it was a lot of fun.

6th Grade Blue

We had a great season ending tournament in Reno. We went undefeated in pool play and finished second in our division bringing home the silver medal. We played some good ball against some competitive teams along the way. We even got a chance to play a game on one of the center stage hardwood courts. It is hard to single out individual players when everyone is playing so well but a special mention must be made about Jr's huge 3 pointers during the first game with NJB. As 4th graders this team won third place, last year they were shut out of the medals and this year we came in second. This team will be going for the gold next year!!!! Lastly on behalf of all the players and parents we would like to give a HUGE THANK YOU to Coach Gee and Coach Boyle for all their hard work, dedication and the positive leadership that has shaped this team into what it is today.

6th Grade White

3rd PLACE VICTORY FOR 6th GRADE WHITE TEAM!!


The 6th Grade White Team came together as an aggressive, smart and physical team this weekend. They played four tough games against very physical teams who have been playing together for a long time. This tournament produced tremendous tenacity from the players, and displayed their intense refusal to quit. The season’s finale showed that the players have truly come together and have become a team, as indicated by the second game of the tournament where they played an extremely physical and talented team from the bay area. At the beginning of this year, their first year as a team, they may have been intimidated by this aggressive play, but they held their own and fought back to win!!!! Parents, family and friends jumped out of their seats cheering with a frenzy. Although the team lost the third game to a very seasoned team, the players came back and won their last game. The character, fortitude, and growth shown by this team has been amazing to witness.

In this season finale, the team won its first game 58-45 against the San Francisco Olympic Club. They won their second game 36-31 against the Bulldawgs. The team lost the third game 46-64 against Team Select. The 6th Grade White Team proudly won their game in the 2nd Place Pool, 57-53 and finished third in their division.

A GIGANTIC congratulations to our talented players: Nick Cherry, Michael Downen, Logan Echeveria, Jack Kearns, Noah Novotny, Dominic Pericin, Kyle Price, Riley Rosenbrook, Ty Williams and Elijah Winters. An ENORMOUS thank you to our fantastic three coaches: Dave Garcia, Geoff Williams and Brad Kearns. A BIG shout-out to all of the incredible parents and family members who supported the team throughout the entire season. (Pictures attached) We can’t wait until next season!!!

5th Grade Blue-CHAMPIONS

Everything our players have done since last Memorial Day Weekend 2009, all of the sweat and hard work was in preparation for Memorial Weekend 2010. After a few lopsided losses in the 2009 tourney, the boys made it a goal to come back and win it in 2010.

And win it they did.

The team was "laser beam" focused from the Friday before the games. Even with a tough schedule ahead of them - early games, and no knowledge of the opponents - they did not let that phase them.

Game 1
YBA 67 Next Play (Farifax, CA) 46
The 9:15AM start time, (and only game of the day) was not in our favor, as the adrenaline from the weekend was rushing through everyone the night before. A combination of a very well coached, "scrappy" opponent that passed the ball great, and our lack of help defense saw YBA leading at half by a mere four points.

YBA turned up the offense in the second half, and never looked back. Joshua Ohara led all scorers with 14 points (5-10 shooting), while Jashon Lewis (12 points), and Alex Martinez (12 points, 6-8 shooting) also made huge contributions. Bryson Zorich handed out 10 assists, and Joshua led the team with four steals.

Coach said "It was a good effort by all of our players, not our best effort, and our defense needed help, but they did what they had to do to win the game."

Game 2
YBA 66 N Your Court (Foster City, CA) 57
Playing their earliest game EVER (8:00AM), coach didn't know what to expect from the boys. But, their focus was the key. They all went to bed early, with the goal to win in mind, and put their basketball game and the team in front of the arcade. Also, a surprise visit by the teams assistant coach from a year ago, "Coach Jim" provided a little "spark".

The team from Foster City was a "hard nosed" team, playing YBA tough the whole way, Joshua Ohara again lead the team with 17 points, hitting three 3-pointers, Jashon Lewis and Bryson Zorich each had six assists, and Alex Martinez put forth a great effort with five steals and eight rebounds and 12 points (5-7 shooting). Ethan Wainwright was also a key player with nine boards and seven rebounds.

Coach said "it was another gritty effort by the team, but we're capable of playing better. Our on ball defense and help side defense must've been left at home, because we were lucky to win this game!"

Game 3
YBA 71 Humbolt Bengals (Humbolt, CA) 44
With a HUGE break in between games, the players had some down time. But when it was game time, it was all business. During the break between the games, the team found their defense (much to the coach's appreciation) and YBA jumped out to a quick 13-0 lead, with a smothering, trapping defense that caused quick turnovers that led to easy baskets. The team had a balanced offensive attack, with Bryson Zorich (15 points, 6-13 shooting) and Joshua Ohara (15 points (6-9 shooting) leading the effort. Blake Pifer also had an outstanding game with 10 points (4-8 shooting), and made great "in game" decisions. Rounding out the scoring effort was Jashon Lewis with 13 (6-10 shooting) and Ethan Wainwright with 12 (two 3-pointers).

Alex Schneider got busy on the boards with six, and made many "hustle plays" that kept the possession and led to easy baskets. Bryson lead all players with six assists, and Jashon Lewis led the team with nine steals.

Coach said "I am glad we found our defense, because our offense goes as our defense goes. I hope it stays with us for a few more games. Winning our pool is HUGE, and it doesn't get easier from here. This is the first game this tournament we ALL played as ONE UNIT, our team play was outstanding, and if we can keep together and focused, good things can happen."

Game 4
YBA Hoop Dreams (Meridian, ID)
YBA 75 Hoop Dreams 45
Playing against a VERY fundamentally sound and well coached team, YBA had to have their game faces on, and bring their "A" game, as this was now bracket play, and a "Win or Go Home" situation. The 915AM start time seemed normal after the last few days. The biggest concern was going to be the "energy level".

With the opposing team being from Idaho, you can imagine they had a couple of BIG boys.

Using a little strategy, the YBA DAWGS put the pressure on the guards to make the plays, and with our defense still with us, we were able to jump on them and force them into taking quick shots.

The offense was also clicking, as the team shot a scorching 54% from the field. Leading the scoring effort was Bryson Zorich with 22 points (four 3-pointers, 8-11 shooting). Alex Schneider found his "O", and contributed 11 points on (6-7 shooting, and his first 3-pointer of the year). Blake Pifer also chipped in 11 points off the bench (5-8 shooting).

A parent from the opposing team came up to us after the game and said "we have never played a team that can shoot so well! It was a fun game, and you guys are fun to watch!" Also, one of the refs made a comment "He is nice coming off the bench!", referencing Blake Pifer's energetic play.

The boys were now one game away from their initial goal: THE CHAMPIONSHIP

Championship
YBA 56 Roadruners (Palo Alta, Ca) 46
Facing a team they had lost to a year ago (at the same tournament) by 40+ points, the YBA DAWGS were confident that their hard work, and preparation for this game would give them a good chance to win. Playing in front of a very hostile crowd, and against a very talented, and athletic team, the boys were up to the challenge.

Down by as many as six in the first half, the game was neck and neck the whole way. With a three pointer by Joshua Ohara sparking the team and inspired play by Alex Martinez, they scraped and clawed their way back to within one point at half time.

Alex Martinez came up HUGE in this game with an "all out 100%" effort on both ends of the court and diving for any ball within the Reno area. Alex finished the game with 18 points (7-12 shooting) and 14 rebounds.

Jashon Lewis was the emotional leader on the court, encouraging the team to "go as he goes". He finished with 11 points, and a number of tipped passes, changed shots, and smothering defense. Ethan Wainwright (11 points, six rebounds) and Joshua Ohara (10 points, two 3-pointers, two steals) also gave great efforts to help the team win.

Blake Pifer and Alex Schneider both provided solid minutes, and played great all around games, with hustle at every minute. Bryson Zorich finished the game with nine assists, and played a solid point guard game in directing the team to victory.

Coach said "The boys worked hard and deserved this win! They played a great team, but we were focused the whole weekend! Nicknames are earned, and the boys definitely earned theirs this weekend, so here are some fun ones from RENO:

"The Playmaker" - Bryson Zorich
"Laser Beam" (for his laser beam focus all weekend)- Jashon Lewis
"The Junkyard DAWG" (Does the dirty work) - Alex Martinez
"The Glue" (without him, the team falls apart) - Alex Schneider
"The Microwave" (Can get hot in an instant) - Blake Pifer
"The Silent Giant"(Doesn't say much, but has a big impact) - Ethan Wainwright
"FedEx" (Delivers the BIG SHOT right on time) - Joshua Ohara"

Closing thoughts: This was a great end to a great season! As a team we shot 51% (122/240)and averaged 10 steals a game. The boys all worked hard on their individual games in the past year in preparation for this tournament, and it paid off. I am proud to be a part of a team with players that not only are very skilled players, but are also good kids. I am proud of their effort this past weekend (and past year), and happy for them that they were able to set a goal, and obtain it. Hard work makes the dream work!!!

5th Grade White

This weekend the 5th grade White team had a blast in Reno. Although we only won one game, the rest of the games were all with in a few baskets if not just one. We all stayed at the Grand Sierra Resort and enjoyed the fun, frolic and food. The boys bonded as did the parents and we finished the year wanting more.


1st game we lost by 8, but it was a back in forth for most of the game and we faded in the last 3 min. With only 3 returning veterans, the team of 8 was under the awe and shock of the whole experience. All of the boys played a bit tentatively but at the end realized that it was like any other tournament but with a bit more enthusiasm. Highlights Jeremy Lillis high scorer with 12 points and 8 rebounds, followed by Everett Libolt with 11 points and 4 rebounds, and Brendyn Ikeda with 8 points.

2nd game the team came out stronger. Point leaders were Jeremy with 11, Nick with 10, and Everett with 8 the rest of the boys adding a few buckets each. Blake and Brendyn adding with 4 steals each. We lost by 2 points

3rd game point leaders were Everett Libolt with 8 points and 7 rebounds, Brendyn Ikeda with 7 points and 3 steals, Blake Stelzer with 7 points and Grant Harrison with 6 points. We lost by 5 points.

4th and final game point leaders were Brendyn Ikeda with 14 points, Blake Stelzer had 10 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 steals, Nick Ohler had 7 points, Jeremy Lillis had 6 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 steals, Lance Huber had 6 points and 10 rebounds. We won by 18.

All in all we left wanting more. Brendyn said he is ready to start practicing for Reno 2011.

4th Grade

4th Grade Dawgs Take 3rd Place in Division 1


Game 1: Oakland Rebels (lost 43-40)

When we took the floor against the bigger and slightly faster Rebels it was clear some of our boys were overwhelmed and intimidated. But they soon realized it was the Rebels who were in trouble. Both teams came out with a full court press and it was a very fast paced up and down game. Our boys stayed composed and did a great job of breaking their press. So good that Oakland had to take it off! We had a hard time getting into a rythm early against their man defense, but none the less we were in the game. I don't keep stats but I can tell you there were several lead changes and it was a battle. Down the stretch of this game we were up by 5 with about 1 minute to go. The Rebels went back to full court press and the boys lost focus 2 or 3 times and turned the ball over. To compound our problem we let them get 3 or 4 offensive rebounds in a row on their last 2 possessions and they ended up winning by 3.

We learned a lot about intensity and focus this game. We were in the driver's seat and we lost focus at the end. Overall it was a great game and we learned a lot about playing against a very good team. Boxing out and staying focused! Our boys played very hard and played great defense. We moved and shared the ball very well, but you can't let down for one second or it slips away.

Game 2: Olympic Club (Won 56-38)

Our second game was just a few hours later on Saturday night against a very fundamental and very intense Olympic Club team. We were a little flat as we were trying to shake our prior game's loss. We realized early on that we were the better team, but we were in for a fight. They played just like us, hard nosed man-to-man defense and they were not going to lay down. The Dawgs would take the lead and start to run away with the game and they would fight back to stay in the game. The Olympic Club just wanted the game more and did everything they could to stay in the game. We had a 15 point lead with about 8 minutes left and they fought back to make it an 8 point game. Again, we are learning what it takes against top notch teams, INTENSITY. Great teams don't surrender when they are down, they fight back. So the boys got tired of listening to me talk about intensity and finally turned it up and won by 18.

Again, lesson learned was INTENSITY. We watched a team fight very hard to get back in the game against us and we had to match their effort level to put it away. Great job boys!

We learned later that we won our pool because Olympic Club beat the Oakland Rebels in a dog fight. So we earned a bye and did not play again until Monday afternoon.

Game 3: The Predators (45-42)

We needed to win this game to play for the Division 1 championship! We played this team a few weeks ago and beat them by 2, so we knew we were in for a long game. We were not very sharp in the beginning and we found ourselves in a hole. The Predators were physical and wanted this game. They pressed us and we were making mental errors. We were down by 9 or 10 midway through the first half and we had to fight to get back in it. The boys tuned it on and we made it a game down the stretch. With 1 minute left it was a tied game 39-39 and we had the momentum. On two consecutive possessions we were pressuring the inbounds pass and 2 times the ref called foul when they were clearly jump balls. The Predators made their free throws and won the game.

I gathered the boys after the game and told them despite what they may hear, the refs did not decide the outcome of this game. We don't blame refs for losses, there were things we could have done differently throughout the game. We put ourselves in a bad position and we need to accept responsibility and learn from it. The refs are outside our control, we have to play with what we were given. I was so proud of their heart and effort!

Game 4: Palo Alto Midnight 4 (won by 3)

This game was for 3 place. We had about 30 minutes between games and our boys were mentally and physically exhausted. They were disappointed and feeling sorry as any of us would to. But we had a game to play and we couldn't let down now. Palo Alto was a very good fundamental team with very good shooters and a very tall and talented big man. And they were ready for battle. It was clear from the onset we were a better team, but they came all the way from Palo Alto and they were not going to lay down. They had 4 or 5 fast break basket on us in the first 10-12 minutes of the game and that was not acceptable. The boys were gased, but we hung in there and only won by 3 points. This game should not have been this close, but we let them hang around.

Final Thoughts:

Coming into this weekend we did not know if we were a division 1 team, now we know we are. We did not know what to expect or how the boys would do, but I can tell you this is one heck of a group of boys (and parents). The boys had a great time bonding (movies, swimming, ect..) and so did the parents. This is a special group and I saw a glimpse into the future. Ryan Smith and Dawson Fugate played like the big guys they are. They are developing and getting tough, strong and skilled. Both of these guys can handle the ball and shoot. Gabe Gillespie plays the toughest position, coaches kid. He played very well and I see a kid who is a very good spot up shooter, can handle the ball and drive to the basket. Carson March and Ryan Haug ran the point and both of these guys run the offense and get us moving. Carson hits big baskets and Ryan plays lock down defense. Josh Farr and Blake Zieske are all around very good perimeter players who can handle the point, shoot and drive. Both are scrappy defenders and play the passing lanes very well. Justin Kraft is lightning in a bottle. He is the fastest kid on the team and knifes through traffic with speed, agility and power. He is our best defender and forces his opponents into several turnovers each game. Nick Periera couldn't be with us in Reno, but is also a critical piece to the team. He is an effort guy. He is one guy who is giving 100% every moment he is on the floor and a very good defender and spot up shooter.

Most of all this is a TEAM. They are unselfish and share the ball better than most teams I have seen. It is hard to guard a team like this and the chemistry is what makes it go. They trust each other and love each other like brothers. They pride them selves on their identity as a team, DEFENSE!

Go DAWGS!

3rd Grade

If I had to provide a name for this newsletter.....I'd call it "TEN!!". Why?......because our team, on a scale from 1-10, had a "10" when it came to having fun and learning from our experiences! In Division 1, our 3rd grade Dawgs played very well and I cannot express in words well enough about how proud I am of our team. We placed third in this huge tournament and we played well enough that we could have been in a championship game. 3rd place is a huge success for our team and was a challenge to accomplish. We played in the highest division and played some very elite teams providing great competition to every team. As you can imagine, with such a young team, it was also our first out of state tournament....or, even out of Rocklin area: )

We played our first game at 8 am on Saturday. Our first game was a huge win against a well coached team from the state of Idaho, Hoop Dreams. Our Dawgs started and ended with a strong effort on both offense and defense winning the game 53-7. That is not a typo....our Dawgs were awesome!! Our full court press was intense and on fire with a great team effort from EVERY Dawg on the court. If I had to call the local fire department, they would have trouble putting out the Dawgs' intense fire. Our boys were just too fast for Hoop Dreams on the full court press. Later, we dropped back into a half court defense and, once again, our Dawgs kept intense pressure on defense, blocked out very well, and used great anticipation to get steals. Offensively, I couldn't ask for a better game from the Dawgs. Every player contributed by aggressively driving to the basket often using a head fake or jab step. It was delightful to see the boys using their skills in their first game! I was ready to melt from seeing ALL of our Dawgs running the offense well and fighting for good shots. Again, we hit the boards hard and out rebounded if we missed a shot. Our Dawgs were relentless in all areas of the game. We were off to a strong start and really looked forward to our next game later that afternoon......so much that I learned a good lesson.

Our second game was against Spirit Got Game from good ol' Sacramento. I learned a lesson, but only after we played this game against Spirit. Since we had such huge amount of time between our first game (8 am) and our second game (4:45 pm) on Saturday, some of our Dawgs went swimming.........for several hours. I will take responsibility for not realizing that we should have rested a little more instead, but our Dawgs did have fun. We were told that we were playing the "B" Spirit team. We had already successfully defeated the "A" team in a HW Palace tournament earlier in the season. Our Dawgs played well, but our fire was not intense like our previous game and eventually Spirit took advantage of that. We lost to a well coached team with very fast players that were not showing that they were tired on offense or defense. Our coaches are very confident that we should have defeated Spirit Got Game and we really do think the opportunity is coming soon. No excuses....we lost fair and square to a really good team. Our Dawgs gave it their best shot.

The 3rd game of our tournament was on Sunday. It was our only game for that day and our boys rested well this time. We played a very elite and strong team, the Yellow Jackets from Elk Grove. Going into this game, we had known that the Yellow Jackets had already blown out Spirit Got Game the previous day. We knew that we would have our hands full and we would have to take our best "A" game to them........and that's exactly what we did!!!! If I had to lose a game, I would want to lose it the way that we played this team. Our Dawgs played a great game and proved that we deserved to be placed in division 1 with the elite teams. Head Coach Tran from the Yellow Jackets had previously taken one of his 4th grade teams to win the National Championship in Florida and were ranked #1 in the country as a 4th grade team. We played his awesome 3rd grade team, however. Coach Tran mentioned great things about our team and was surprised that we had lost to Spirit Got Game. Coach Tran mentioned that we were the best team that he had played in the tournament at that point. Although we lost by 16, don't let that fool you. We almost evenly matched the Yellow Jackets with layups, outside shots, rebounds, steals, hustle, ball handling, stamina, desire, fire, and team effort.........but we lacked in our free throws in comparison to the Yellow Jackets. Our team missed 19 of the 24 free throws. Guess what?..........free throws really are important! No, we probably would not have hit 100%, but anything close to that would have allowed us to defeat an elite team. Regardless of the final outcome of this game, there is no doubt that our BIG Dawgs, coaches, and parents felt great after the game. A win would have been nice, but the experience was definitely a great one.

Our last and final game was Monday morning at the wonderful, bright and early........8 am again (arrival time at 7:30). We played a team from the bay area, the Oakland Rebels. Our Dawgs were still pumped up after their previous game. Their confidence was enormous and it showed in this game. Every Dawg gave a great effort once again keeping their fire to help gain another big "W" in this game. The Oakland Rebels were no match for our stronger and faster Dawg team. We scored, then scored, then scored, then never looked back. After our win and after the other teams in our division 1 completed their games, we were placed 3rd in the tournament......... but I really think that our BIG Little Dawgs ARE the champions of this Reno tournament!

Coach Martinez

May 21, 2010 "YBA is Dawg-Gone Proud" by Kevin McCarthy

(This article is also accessible to NorCalPreps subscribers at NorCalPreps.com.)


Program Director Ken Gee’s Youth Basketball Academy (YBA) Dawgs began in 2004 when players in the Rocklin area and the surrounding territory needed a club team situation to further their basketball dreams. Has it been successful? Try 17 teams of various ages and around 160 youngsters ‘Dawg-in’ it today. For some easily-recognizable YBA-ers, try James Moore, Josh Ritchart, Brad Waldow, Derek Knutty, Jackson Cummings, Zach Nelson and others.

Jamal Ford, Sacred Heart Cathedral

How did Gee get into the field? "I started coaching basketball out of high school," Gee explained. "But then I had to get a job and went to work for UPS. Once my son got old enough, I returned with YBA."

But Gee gladly shares his success. Among those he credits is the coach of his YBA Black team, Millard "Doc" Haynes, a longtime coach and trainer in the Sacramento area. A much-lauded four-year starter at Dunbar High (Fort Worth, TX) and a five-time most valuable player with the NAC Hellcats in the U.S. Navy, Haynes brings personal experience to the table. "Doc is very motivational and inspirational and I wanted him working with our kids," Gee explained’

Here’s the top YBA squad for this spring and summer, with descriptions supplied by Gee:

■Remi Barry, 6-foot-7, Del Oro High, 2010 -- He is being recruited by DI schools, is exceptionally athletic and very good at attacking the basket plus has a great outside shot.

■Aaron Hendricks, 6-foot-1, Del Oro High, 2011 -- Aaron is athletically gifted and an excellent shooter.

■Spencer Butterfield, 6-foot-3, Del Oro High, 2010 -- he is currently sidelined with a concussion but he provides great leadership and attacks the basket well.

■Colin Lee, 6-foot-4, Nevada Union High, 2011 -- Colin is a good up-and-comer with a solid all around game.

■Jamal Ford, 6-foot-3, Sacred Heart, 2010 -- Jamal is a versatile and athletic player.

■Jose Rodriguez, 6-foot-2, Pleasant Grove High, 2011 -- He is a hard-nosed athletic player.

■Eric Gee, 6-foot-1, Whitney High 2010 -- Is smart and possesses a great feel for the game.

■Cody Borst, 6-foot-2, Whitney High, 2010 -- Cody is a good finisher around the basket.

■Jonathan Davis, 6-foot-4, Granite Bay, 2011-- Jonathan displays outstanding fundamentals and plays bigger than he is.

■Marc Burns, 6-foot, Cordova High, 2011-- Marc is a solid point guard.

■Marcus Hendricks, 6-foot-4, Folsom High, 2011-- An aggressive banger who is very coachable

Go to http://www.ybadawgs.com/  for more information on the YBA Dawgs.

1st Annual YBA Coaches Game Blue Team May 23, 2010

A sold out crowd assembled Sunday night at Hardwood Palace for the 1st annual YBA Coach's Game. As the fans found their seats the coach's prepared to turn back the clock(some had to turn it back a lot farther then others) to years past. You could cut the intensity with a knife as the blue team lead by coach Doc squared off against the white team lead by coach Parker.

The first quarter saw the blue team take a 13 point lead. Nate Stevens was raining three's like Nate Archibald and John Ward was doing his best John Stockton impression with his mid range jumper The blue team's legs were feeling good and their lungs were still at full capacity.

In the second quarter someone from the white team bench yelled "Encina" and woke up the sleeping giant. When coach Doc heard that he ducked his head and yelled "Oh no here it comes!" Coach Shaw was bumping the cutter and Coach Lance was all over the court playing intense defense, but the blue team saw their lead evaporate to a tie at half time.

During halftime Coach Doc called to see why Coach Remi was not at the game yet.

The third quarter brought on some very tight hamstrings which slowed down the blue teams offensive push. The blue team went into the 2/3 zone defense lead by coach Driggs, Dubose, Shively, and Williams which stifled the white teams offense. Either that or their legs were as tired as ours. The 3rd quarter ended in a tie.

The fourth quarter was a battle of wills as the coach's went "old school" and turned up the intensity to go for the win. The game went back and forth during the 4th quarter but the blue team did not have enough gas left in the tank to finish the game. The white team walked away with the much coveted YBA Coach's Trophy.

Blue Team Roster:
Coach Doc

Randy Gregg
Nate Stevens
John Ward
Lance Ohara
Mike Shaw
Dustin Driggs
Anthony Dubose
Deloe Shively
Geoff Williams

1st Annual YBA Coaches Game-White Team May 23, 2010

In a clash of two championship teams the battle of who is the best and who gets bragging rights for a year!  YBA white wins a tough hard fought game over a very competitive and balanced team Blue. Final score: 47-42.

1st half we started slow and got down 13 early...Dave Garcia and Pat Boyle put the white team on the back to go on a 21-6 run to close out the half up 3 with a buzzer beater 3 point shot by Dave Garcia.

The second half seemed to be a defensive battle with some clamp down defense and a late steal by David Garcia sealed the victory. Dave Garcia walked away with the MVP and continues to haunt coach Doc as he put up 47 on coach Doc when he coached at Encina High School about 7 years ago.

White team roster:

Coach Kevin Parker

Ken Gee

Keith Moss

Dave Garcia

Adam Almujdidi

Robert Martenez

Tom Tran

Kevin Collins

Pat Boyle

Clay Evans

We will not have our weekly questionnaire until after Reno.  Good luck to all the YBA Teams this weekend.  See you there!!  Go Dawgs!

Winner and Answers for Questionnaire #4

Congratulations to last week's winner, Sandy Bell representing the JV Black Team! See Ken for your $20 Starbucks card...

1) Name the 3 teams that the 4th grade team played.
EDH, Spirit Got Game, Predators
2) Name the leading scorer in the game against the Phenoms from Garcia's 9th grade team.
Taylor Cherry
3) Who did the JV Blue team play in their 1st game and who was named MVP in that game?
Tracy Hurricanes.  MVP-James
4) Name the players who the 5th grade blue coach named, "Mr. Intangible", "Mr. Clutch", and "Mr. Hustle".
Mr. Intangible:  Alex Schneider
Mr. Clutch:  Joshua Ohara
Mr. Hustle:  Jashon Lewis
5) Name the player who was the "top scorer" in the 3rd grade division
Dante Pericin

Varsity White-May 22-23

The YBA varsity white team was in a tournament this past weekend at hardwood and took third. In their one and only game Saturday, the team coasted to victory in a 69-15 win over the SVBA Knights. Everyone shared the ball extremely well and they all had solid games both on offense and defense. On Sunday they played Team sage and in an intense overtime situation, they came up short 66-60. There was tremendous effort by all the players. Quincy Shelby had a great game making the game continue to overtime. Bryson Bryant hit shots that were needed while Colton nelson and Derek Ainsworth had good defense. For their final game, they beat the South Sac Raiderz 47-42 to take third. With only 6 players for this game, everyone stepped it up tremendously. Jordan Broyles hand a great game on both ends of the court. Austin Hightower was solid in the post while Derek Ainsworth, Colton Nelson, and Quincy Shelby controlled the tempo of the game after a rough start at the beginning of the game. All in all this was good weekend and everyone played outstanding.

JV Blue

This weekend we played in Rocklin in the Hardwood palace tournament in the 16U A division. It was a hard fought weekend for us that saw us lose one and win two to bring our record for the year to 22-3. We played hard throughout and earned both wins. We struggled with turnovers throughout the weekend and it was our inability to keep the ball that cost us the game we lost. However that was our first game Saturday at 9 AM and we have struggled in the past with 9 AM games, having earned both of our losses in 9 AM games coming in.
DEFENSIVE MVP: Darrell

YBA 55 RED RAIDERS 63
SUMMARY: In a rematch of a 2point buzzer beating thriller we came out strong with a 24-15 lead that was paced by a Reggie Miller like 6 points in the last 6 seconds of the quarter on a 3pt fg by Ceron (welcome back!) and a steal and another 3 @ the buzzer by David. Unfortunately, it seemed like we decided we had it won after that and never put forth the intensity to actually win. They bounced back strong in the second quarter outscoring us 17-4 in the quarter to take a 32-28 lead into the half. After halftime we played better but never regained the momentum we had. We struggled with silly turnovers and unfinished fast breaks and also struggled shooting. We played a strong team game with everyone except one player scoring and James and David both had 4 steals, while Darrell again paced us in assists with 5, with James and Nolan each having 3 assists. It was a lesson learned.

YBA 56 E-TIME 50
SUMMARY: In a much better effort we led with defense and won a game that we felt we had to win. After a sluggish 9-1 start that looked like the end of the first game the bench came in and provided a spark led by David & Ceron whose intensity and effort on the defensive end payed off as we battled back to trail 13-12 after one quarter. After that we settled into our game and executed well enough to control throughout. The main reason it was as close as the final score is a rash of missed free throws at the end of the game. It was another complete team effort as all players contributed with at least 1 point. We were led in scoring by James who had 14, David had 7 rebounds to go with his 8 points. Darrell had a strong game with 8 points, 5 assists and 2 blocks. Kyle hit 2 3ptrs, while Luis & Evan had a 3ptr each. Again we struggled with turnovers commiting 18 for the game.
Defensive MVP: Ceron for playing 100% effort defense every second he played
Mr. All-Around: James 14 pts, 3 rebs, 2 assts, 2 steals.

YBA 43 BELIEVERS 36
SUMMARY: In a well played strong Defensive game we hung in and finished against a Believers squad that was well coached and fought for every point with only 5 players all game. With an intelligent slow the pace gameplan we were forced to play halfcourt Defense against a motion offense for up to 30 seconds a possesion before they got a shot attempt they liked. We played aggressively throughout and still forced them to make mistakes despite the fact that we played in their comfort zone (halfcourt offense) most of the game. We won with timely rebounds and by only turning over the ball 12 times. Compared to an average of 18.5 turnovers the first two games. David finished with 10 points to lead a balanced attack (DP3 4 pts, Ceron 6, James 8, Nolan 8, Evan 5, Luis 5). However it was the rebounding that showed the tight Defense as we had 5 players with at least 3 rebounds. Leading the way was Evan who had a season high 9 boards. David chipped in with 8 boards. Darrell (DP3) had 5 more assists to lower his season average but stay well above the level that is the average for 16s.
Defensive MVP: Evan for his strong rebounding and help Defense & David for shutting down their big man.
MVP: Entire team for coming together during adversity and finishing

Coaches Finshing Thoughts
We suffered a let down for a 3 1/2 quarter stretch but perservered and won our last two games and that shows strength of character, which is invaluable in life... We should know that we are talented but we absolutely MUST put forth twice the effort to be the team we aspire to be... With the big Reno tournament this weekend you should be expecting to put in 4 hours of HARD WORK because without the work we are only an average team... When we play 9 strong and all play with team spirit and no ego we are a force to be reckoned with... Arrive at practice with an enthusiasim unknown to man and push yourselves through the wall... then do it again this weekend, if we do these things we will have had a successful season no matter what our record is...

8th Grade White

In the final tourney before Reno, the YBA 8th White squad won one and lost two games. They started the weekend against the Union City Raptors. The Dawgs fell behind 12-5 in the first quarter and worked hard through the game to slowly pull to even late in the game. However, the Raptors managed a wild basket as time ran out to win 41-39. Justin Holmes had 8 points and 9 rebounds and Shayne Baynes had 9 points, 7 rebounds and 5 steals to lead the team.


The Dawgs ran into a solid CRR Black team in their next game. The Dawgs turned the ball over too much and lost 53-28. Scoring was balanced with Luke Jordan leading the team with 6 points on two 3 pointers. Grant McElvaine and Joe Henry each grabbed 6 rebounds for Dawgs.

The weekend ended on a positive note as the Dawgs brushed off a slow start to easily beat the EDH Blue team 43-33. The Dawgs scored just 2 points in the first quarter, but turned up the pace to score 10, 14, and 17 over the remaining quarters. Joe Henry had a strong game, scoring 12 points and gathering 6 rebounds. Luke Jordan had 8 points and Austin Marcus contributed 6 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals.

"The team played some great competition this weekend" said Coach Ken Gee. “The team continues to build chemistry and gain valuable experience.”


Mark Greenwood

7th Grade Blue

The 7th grade white team took a well-deserved break, while the blue team competed in the 7th grade D1 bracket at SAS. Blue took 1st place with a 3-0 record.


YBA 48, Hurricanes 32
The Dawgs couldn't hit the broad side of a barn in this one, shooting a season-low 30% from the field. They worked hard on the defensive end, generally limiting the Hurricanes to one contested shot per possession while blocking 5 shots. Garrett Kauppila played with his usual high energy level. The team also took good care of the ball with only 8 turnovers against 11 steals. Gavin Smith led the way with 11 points with Nicholas Clough and Jackson Sterling not far behind with 9 and 7, respectively. Mitchell Holt had a solid game down low with 5 points, 8 boards, and 3 blocks.

YBA 62, ABC Warriors 49
The team was pushed harder in the second game by the Warriors and their cat-quick point guard. After falling behind early, YBA fought back to trail by only 1 at the break despite another frigid shooting performance. The boys finally started to hit some shots in the 3rd quarter and took control of the game. They also did a better job containing penetration and forcing their opponents into difficult shots and passes, totaling 12 blocks for the game! Scott Zabrowski and Colin McHale did a good job running the team against an aggressive defense. Michael Beachley got hot to the tune of 22 points and swatted 7 shots for good measure. Nick contributed 12 points and 7 rebounds.

YBA 55, Blue Collar Preps 23
YBA took it to a skilled but overmatched Blue Collar Preps 6th grade team. The team shared the ball, with no player taking more than 6 shots. Grady Collins led the balanced attack with 10 points, followed by Mitch with 9 and Jared Flowers rebounding from a tough start to record 8. Scott & Jackson had 4 steals each out of the team's total of 17.

Coach Shaw said, "We're getting better". He told the boys they need to increase their effort in Reno, though!

Player of the Tourney: Mitchell Holt (18 points, 23 boards, 7 blocks, 3 steals)

6th Grade Blue

6th grade blue had a break in basketball this weekend to rest up for Reno! We did manage to get in our year end team party. SPECIAL THANK YOU to RIAR FARM for hosting a wonderful event. Thank you to our wonderful coaches, players, families and friends that have supported us this year! We will see you in RENO!

5th Grade Blue

Playing in our last tournament before Reno, the team wanted to come out strong.

First game: YBA 45 - Chico 23
The team came out flat this game, though managed to win the game. A strong effort on defense was the key. The team racked up 24 steals (5 by Alex Martinez, 4 a piece by Jashon Lewis and Bryson Zorich) and shut down the opposing team to come away with the win. Alex Martinez cleard the glass with 14 rebounds. Scoring was very balanced with Blake Pifer leading the way with 10 points (with 3 3pointers).

Second game: YBA 54 EDH 28
The team got to play at their "home court" (Hardwood) for the first time in a couple of weeks, and took full advantage of the place they call "home". With all around team play, the DAWGS were led by Joshua Ohara's hot shooting hand (17 points, 6-10 shooting, 3 3pointers), and Bryson Zorich's 8 assists. The "Thief of the Game" was Alex Martinez, who came up huge with 9 steals.

Championship Game: YBA 63 NorCal Thunder 47
Playing for the first time on the "Big Stage" (Court 1), the team played slightly timid in the first half. Turning up the defense in the second half, the DAWGS pulled away to take home the hardwood going into the Reno tournament. Jashon Lewis played a balanced game with 17 points, 7 assists and 7 steals. Ethan Wainwright played outstanding with 8 points, pulling down some key rebounds (7 boards), and Joshua Ohara led all scorers with 19 points on 7-11 shooting, with 3 3pointers. Dishing out the assists was Bryson Zorich with 7, with Alex Schneider and Blake Pifer also contributing big time to the win.

The "sharp shooter" award goes to Joshua Ohara who shot 50% for the tournament, hitting a total of 6 three pointers. The "Game Changer" award goes to Jashon Lewis who always comes up big for our team. And the "Most Outstanding" award goes to the entire team, as they demonstrated great teamwork and hustled the whole tournament.

Next up...Reno!

5th Grade White

The Team had a good weekend.  We went 2 and 1 with us losing the Championship game by 2.



Coach Glen

3rd Grade

Our 3rd grade Dawgs began this weekend's tournament strong with an aggressive win against the 4th grade Rocktown Ballers on Saturday. Our boys gave another great effort on the full court and half court press. Our boys aggressively hit the boards and outrebounded their opponents and never looked back. Once we gained the lead every Dawg kept good composure while dribbling, passing, and running their offense....a huge team effort! All of our boys did very well.

Sunday, our boys played strong in our second game against a very tall, aggressive, and fast 4th grade Red Raider team. Even though our Dawgs were outrebounded in this game, our team held strong for the first three periods. Although we had defeated the Red Raiders once before 50-33, our boys fell just a few points short in this game in a small court 8. During the fourth period, our team gave it their best shot, but were outscored by the Red Raider's in the last period. I could see it in our Dawgs' faces that our Dawgs were moving fast, working hard, and giving their best shot to try to defeat the 4th grade Red Raiders again....but to no avail this time. Our team and coaches have no regrets.

Our second game on Sunday, we played the 4th grade EDH team. I watched EDH play the Red Raiders on the same day and knew that we would have our hands full when the EDH lost to Red Raiders in the last few seconds of that game. Once again, our Dawgs played three strong periods, but fell just a little short again in the last period due to just one too many turnovers to a fast and hard pressing EDH team on the small court 8. Our 3rd grade Dawgs had already defeated the 4th grade EDH once before so our coaches know that our Dawgs are very strong competitors.

Although our record was 1-2 this weekend, we are still very proud of our BIG little Dawgs. If you have not seen our 3rd grade Dawgs play before, you would be surprised how hard they work for such a young team and how well they all play. I would encourage you to take the time to watch them. I'm impressed by their perseverance over the weekend against all three teams. We had some periods where our Dawgs struggled in some areas, but the challenge was worth the time to help our Dawgs improve.


Coach Martinez