6th Grade Black-February 11-12

After a below average showing the tournament prior to this one, the 6th grade DAWGS Black team felt they had a message to send. In a late night contest on Saturday, they came out aggressive and blasted CalReign by 49 points.

The first contest on Sunday was against a gritty Folsom Force team. Having to work through the inconsistent referees, the team battled hard and won the war by 16 points. This by far was the most physcal game we have played, and we came out on top.

The Championship game was against the All Star Predators. Having beaten this team the week prior by only seven points, the DAWGS had another message to send. They came out aggressive on defense, and in attack mode on offense. Despite it not being their best game of the weekend, they did many things right in coasting to a 25 point win.

6th Grade Blue-February 11-12

With only 1 player on the injured list, the Dawgs Blue went 3-0.


The first game started at 9:00 and we got off to a slow start. We quickly took back the lead and went back and forth but eventually won the game.

The second game we faced Reno ballers black and Coach Lars instructed our bigs to back their dominant big and him shoot over two hands up. It worked! Our bigs defensively helped win that game.

The last game we played a smaller sub par shooting team. Coach Lars concentrated our guards to put extra pressure on and put on the trap at different times and the guards did it! Their scrappy defense helped to win that game.

Over all it was a great team effort that every player was a positive part of the total tournament win. Good job Jeremy L., Kazik L., Everett L., Brendyn I., Blake S., Nick O., Taylor I., Jalen S., and Tommy E. For supporting your team while injured.

4th Grade-February 11-12

The fourth grade DAWGS team played in the Xtreme Hoops “Hearts and Hoops” tournament (4th grade division) on Feb 12th and 13th and faced some tough competition but were oh-so ready for the challenge!


The DAWGS met up with the “916 Select” team for their first game, and our offense dominated right from the jump ball. The boys brought their energy and intensity onto the court and really used what they’ve been internalizing during the practices… Lots of steals, some super sneaky spin moves, amazing ball movement down the court, shooting it in to the open man, dynamite dribble drive, and great press defense. This all packaged up, led us to a 45/29 victory over a very good team.

Early Saturday evening, the boys rolled onto the most frustrating of the Hardwood Palace courts (dreaded #8) to face the Rocktown Ballers. Again we took off from the very beginning showing versatility on the much smaller court. Lots of good, smartly executed plays, teamwork, and denying the defense helped us maintain our lead throughout the entire game. The boys were on their toes and hustling from start to finish. Every player was ON, every player contributed, and every DAWG showed some bite during this game. Final score: YBA takes it, 55/34.

And onto the championship game Sunday afternoon to take on a team we always look forward to playing, the Predators. This well-oiled-machine-of-a-team knows their game and challenges us to up ours every time we play them. Our boys played good aggressive ball, showed great pressure on defense, really were anticipating the passes… Our DAWGS turned into predators themselves during the second and third quarters (ahead by 6 and 4 points consecutively) and were setting their sights high! Fourth quarter was neck and neck throughout, but the DAWGS had a few too many fouls which allowed the Predators to just squeak by for the win, 37/36. Although the points reflect a loss for our team, this game was really a win in the heart of every player and DAWGS fan watching. Smiles all around for these boys. They truly brought and gave everything they had to this game.

8th Grade Black-February 5-6

The 8th grade black team team played in the very competitive Hadnott tourney and showed a lot of heart and desire against the toughest competition we've seen so far. In stretches, the young men showed how they are capable of performing.


YBA 39, MVP Flight Elite 55
YBA got off to a strong start against a very strong MVP team, which comes from one of the best programs in Northern California. We led 16-15 after one period and trailed by only 7 at halftime. However, the players never adjusted to MVP's strategy of taking away the first option which led to several silly turnovers and easy baskets at the other end. Nicholas Clough had 14 points and 6 assists, while Jackson Sterling and Bryce Crouch each pulled down 4 rebounds.

Offensive Player of the Game: Nicholas Clough
Defensive Player of the Game: Bryce Crouch
Best Hustle: Jackson Sterling
Best Attitude: Jared Flowers

YBA 36, D1 All Stars 47
The Dawgs rode good ball movement and shooting to a 25-22 halftime lead. D1 came back to take a 5 point lead going into the 4th quarter. We got several consecutive stops on defense but couldn't score to close the gap. The All Stars from Modesto finally broke through for a couple of buckets to take control, and they hit their free throws down the stretch for the final margin. Grady Collins led a balanced attack with 8 points and 3 assists, with Jackson and Mitchell Holt contributing 7 each and Bryce scoring 6. Mitch also grabbed 6 boards, and Jared Flowers contributed 2 assists and 3 rebounds off the bench.

Offensive Player of the Game: Grady Collins
Defensive Player of the Game: Jackson Sterling
Best Hustle: Nicholas Clough
Best Attitude: Grady Collins

YBA 38, MVP 50
On Sunday morning, our young men played their best ball of the season for 3 quarters against the tough Walnut Creek team. We again led at halftime and trailed by only 3 late in the 3rd quarter, but MVP scored an easy bucket and then a buzzer-beating 3 to lead by 8 starting the final quarter. The Dawgs kept competing in the fourth but committed far too many turnovers against pressure defense to close the gap. Mitch led another balanced team effort with 9 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists, Connor Milnes added 8 points and 4 boards, and Bret Lynch notched 7 points.

Offensive Player of the Game: Mitchell Holt
Defensive Player of the Game: Connor Milnes
Best Hustle: Mitch (for chasing down an opponent who tried to dunk on a fast break)
Best Attitude: Bret Lynch

8th Grade Blue-February 5-6

I am seeing our team grow as we go through each tournament. Our first game against Sylvan, as my team already know, put a very sour taste in my mouth that I cannot get rid of. We went into the game knowing the results would be a win for us. We played to the level of our competition and they played above and beyond. Although it was close from start to finish, they held on to give us a very tough loss. In our second game against Fairfield the Dawgs knew they had to have a strong outing. Max and Tanner controlled the tempo of the game pushing the ball up the court and getting plenty of offensive help from Amran and Vance. New to the starting lineup, Vinny added a lot of speed on both offense and defense. Josh came out of his shell and showed Fairfield how dominant a force he can be inside. While proving they had no answer for Josh we finished with a convincing win! Although we didn't win our third game, we played the East County Hoyas very tough in a fast paced uptempo game. I believe we ran out of gas in the 2nd half but it was good to see my guys continuously break the press of E.C.H. and going strong to the basket. Great Job Dawgs!

7th Grade Black-February 5-6

This weekend the 7th Grade YBA Black team participated in the Lov’in Basketball VI tournament at HWP in the 13U Division. The first game on Saturday was a 9 am game against Spirit (ELON) and our boys got off to a sluggish start and didn’t really wake up until the 3rd quarter and got down by as much as 16. Once they woke up, they started to get more in synch as a team and in spite of their efforts to fight back and cut the lead to 3, before they lost 35 to 43.

The next game was at 2:50 pm and the boys were awake and ready to play the Predators. They did a much better job running the new offensive rotations they have been working on and executing the press defense. What a difference a few hours makes with the team wining 44 to 30.

The final game was on Sunday at 10:10 am against N-Yo-Face. This was a close game until the 3rd quarter where our boys started to pull away sparked by JB off the bench. Both the defense and offense were executing well resulting in a win (63 to 51) and 5th place overall in the tournament.

7th Grade Blue-February 5-6

The YBA Blue 7th grade team ventured beyond the friendly confines of Hardwood Palace on Feb 5th for a Sac Area Sports tournament at Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School Academy of Fine Arts and Sciences
Magnet Program. Inspired by the four-color portrait of Mike Shaw hanging in the bulletproof faculty display case on the wall, and the fact that it was Kyle Turner's 13th birthday, the Dawgs took the court for some Division 1 action. Game 1 was versus the Franchise Boys, led by Hurricanes/Cooley Middle school Isiah Tennette's identical twin brother, Isiah. The Franchise Boys applied strong pressure and created numerous turnovers, running away with the game. Positive highlights included Michael Downen showing some great post moves and touch under the basket, and Dom Pericin getting some breakaway layups and foul shots.

Game 2 was versus the Junior Elite Top Gun Flite Academy. These guys were also very strong, applied big pressure and jumped out to a big early lead. However, the Dawgs put together a great comeback, led by
the front row parents cheering section who never let up the energy for the whole second half. Ty Williams had some nice shots and passes in the key, and there were some disciplined attacks/jump stops in the white offense. Logan Echeveria and Jack Kearns were really quick and aggressive on defense. With a full 10-player roster, the Dawgs did some hockey-like line changes to pump up the energy. The game was closed out nicely by Cole Kelly, Nick Cherry, Kyle Turner, Alex Patton and Ty Williams.

Game 3 was versus the Ponderosa Bruins. The Dawgs jumped out to a big early lead with a great zone offense and many steals on defense. The Bruins mounted a strong comeback as guys started bombing in 3's and coach Garcia was distracted when a couple Sacramento City cops entered the gym. Alas, they were just parents watching the game and had no association or interest in any alleged outstanding parking tickets. Alex Isola was on fire in this game and ended with a Dawgs season-high 20 points. He stroked in a couple threes and then another jumper in succession to put a safe distance between the Dawgs and the Bruins.

The game was a great chance to learn about keeping cool during an opponent's rally and close out the game successfully. Kyle Turner set the tone in this regard by being patient with the ball and seeing the floor well during all three games. Immediately after the final game, the whole team gasped in awe as Kyle was whisked away in a stretch Hummer limo to an undisclosed location for a VIP-only birthday celebration with, get this - Mike Tyson and Adam Sandler!

6th Grade Black-February 5-6

The 6th Grade DAWGS Black had "one of those weekends". Despite going 2-1, the team had to play (and defeat) the same Predators Red team twice. This was due to a team not showing up, and another team being disqualified due to their team being a 7th grade team.


The team played an early 900 game against a good Spirit Got Game team. The DAWGS came out slow, and were able to take the lead by one point late in the game. But bad decisions and turnovers were their demise.

The next two games, as mentioned above were against the Predators Red team. The DAWGS came out the first game and handled them pretty easily, using better defensive pressure than the first game, and showing signs of energy.

Sundays game against the same Predators team was a little closer, but the DAWGS prevailed. Using pressure defense, they pushed the opposition into turnovers that led to easy baskets.

Overall, not the best tournament by the team, but there were many things learned. But these DAWGS are stubborn, and will learn and apply those things to come back a better team the next tournament.

5th Grade-February 5-6

We were excited to play this weekend against division 1 competition. We played D1 All Stars last year and lost by 6 and we have split with the Predators in the past.


Game 1 vs Tracy Hurricanes: Won 45-26 The first half we missed a lot of easy baskets and had a hard time scoring, but our defense was in lock down mode. We gave up only 7 first half points while scoring only 15. The 3rd quarter we broke open the lid on the basket by scoring 21 points in the period. We had a 20 point lead going into the 4th, but the boys continued to work hard defensively and we easily won the game. Blake Zieske led all scorers with 13 points and Carson March knocked down two 3 pointers. Dawson was a rebounding machine with 12 boards and the team was our defensive player of the game.

Game 2 vs D1 All Stars: Lost 41-30 This was a strong D1 team with quick guard play and several big men we had trouble matching up against inside. One of our big men Ryan Smith had 3 fouls by the middle of the 2nd and we had to sit him. It was 23-20 at half, but we did not rebound well and struggled scoring in the 2nd half. Blake Zieske again led all scores with 9 points and both Gabe Gillespie and Blake hit from 3 point land. Blake also led the team in rebounding with 6. My hustle award goes to Ryan Smith for trying to take 3 charges (the last one definitely was!!!) He was called for blocking fouls on all 3, but excellent effort!

Game 3 vs The Predators: Lost 27-26 This game stung and I think the boys will remember this one for quite a while. At the end of every quarter it was either tied or a one point game. We played outstanding team defense, but we hurt ourselves with missing too many easy baskets, missing 12 free throws, getting out rebounded, and costly turnovers converted into easy buckets for them. Overall I think we outplayed the Predators and we learned a lot about finishing games. Justin Kraft and Ryan Smith led all scorers with 6 points a piece. Ryan Smith led all players with 8 rebounds and Nick Periera was my hustle player of the game.

4th Grade-February 5-6

Our fourth grade YBA DAWGS played in the “Lov’in Basketball VI Tournament” last weekend and had some great competition. Although down a few players the first game against the D1 All Stars, our boys put a lot of pressure on defense and really showed some skill and spunk! They seemed to feed off of the momentum of the game which carried them to a winning score of 43 to 24.


In our second game against the MVP Flight, our boys played well but just couldn’t match the moves and rebounds of the other team. At the half we were down 17 to 11 and just couldn’t quite climb back for a win.

On Sunday, we played against the Predators and started the game off with a BANG! The boys were sporting some spin moves, shot fakes and were following through with their shots which brought us ahead after the first quarter, 1 to 8. But the second quarter we lost some momentum, scoring only 3 points to their 16. We did out score them overall for the third quarter and our defense held them well, but we couldn’t dig deep enough to come back and lost 37 to 30 after putting up quite a fight.

But the icing on the cake this weekend was a team dinner/gathering at Chase’s house after the games Sat. What a wonderful time we all had eating a great meal, recapping the games, playing a little knock-out out on the sports court, and just making connections and getting to know one another better. What a terrific group of players and wonderful families supporting them all!

8th Grade Blue-January 29-30

This was a very productive weekend for our 8th grade Dawgs-Blue team. I saw a lot of improvement throughout the tournament. Although our record was 1-2, I believe we did alot of winning in team achievements. During our first game, against the eventual tournament champion Predators, we started out great giving the Predators all they could handle. Max and Tanner lead the team with their offense. While showing great team defense, Amran, Vance and Josh gave us that extra spark. The 50-39 final score does an injustice to how hard boys played from start to finish. The coaches agreed this was clearly our our best game thus far in this young season. In the second game against E.D.H. Gunner showed dominance in the paint. We showed our offensive firepower with Daniel leading the way. The team showed lots of hustle on both,offense and defense which proved to be too much for E.D.H. as we tallied our first victory. Bryce gave us a moral boost with his all around energy. Our third game was against the Hurricanes. It was a tough fight from start to finish. We played them hard but a few turnovers and miscues held us from recording our second victory. I am pleased with what I saw this weekend. There is a tremendous upside for things to come with this team through hard work. GREAT JOB!

6th Grade Black-January 29-30

The 6th Grade DAWGS Black faced off against a very scrappy 916 Select team for their first game. They cam out a little slow, but were able to hold them off for a 12 point win. Defense was the key, as the DAWGS switched defenses during play to keep the opposition on their toes.


The second game was against a very familiar Cal Reign team. Again, the DAWGS came out slow and were ahead by nine points at half. A full court press and an increase in energy in the second half was the difference and led to a 20 point victory.

THe championship game was against a very talented Predators team. Being tied at half, it was anybody's game. In the end, the Predators prevailed and the DAWGS lost. Many positives came from the game that the team will build on in preparation for the next meeting with the Predators.

6th Grade Blue-January 29-30

This weekend the Dawgs 6th grade Blue went 2-1. At the beginning of the week we had three players out due to injury and illness. Even with a couple players out, we played hard and won 2. The first game we started out slow with the other team attacking the basket very hard. We had players playing different positions that they were not use too and that made the difference. It goes to show that if we had the whole team healthy we have no doubts that we would have won that game. We lost our only game by 5 and the reason was our change in positions. We the coaches take responsibility for that loss.


The Second game we won with better effort from the whole team. It was not as efficient as we would have liked but it was still a W.

The last game was our best! We played against our old arch nemesis EDH. With great ball movement and finding our different options, the whole team was in the win. It is a dream to watch the team win by applying what they are taught in practice.

All the players, ( Everett Libolt, Jeremy Lillis, Blake Stelzer, Tommy Edwards, Taylor Ittner, Nick Oehler, and Kazik Lewandowski) had something to contribute to the wins. We only win as a team. We wish Brendyn and Jalen quick recoveries.

5th Grade-January 29-30

The 5th grade Dawgs played up to the 2nd highest division of 6th grade this weekend and we had our hands full. I am very proud of the effort and intensity put forth by the boys. We were so "out sized" in all 3 games but our heart was big. We finished with a 1-2 record, but we learned so much about were we need to get better.


Game 1 vs Reno Ballers Silver 6th- 33-22 Win We started out in a full court press and moved into a 2-2-1 1/2 court defense as our defense was awesome in this game. Ryan Smith had one of his best games ever as he scored the majority of our points and pulled down 10 rebounds. Dawson Fugate had 8 rebounds as well in a very strong effort.

Game 2 vs Nevada Nets 6th- 42-26 Loss We just didn't have the size and strength to keep the Nets from pulling ahead by 25 points. It doesn't help that we had 9 turnovers in the first quarter. But we challenged the boys to get it under 20 and work hard until the final buzzer. We outscored them 12-3 in the final period and really showed we can play with the bigger guys. Ryan Smith led the charge by playing huge against their big men. Dawson Fugate was also a big factor rebounding and defending their bigs.

Game 3 vs Reno Ballers Blue 6th- 50-29 Loss We lost this game by 21 points, but we walked off the floor a better team. We faced the best big man we have ever seen. Unfortunately Ryan Smith picked up 3 quick fouls n the first period and he sat until the 3rd quarter. Dawson again filled in really well, but we just could not stop their interior attack. The boys played so well this weekend and we are so proud of them!

4th Grade-January 29-30

Our weekend of playing up in another 5th grade tournament as a 4th grade team proved to be another success for our 4th grade Dawgs....


On Saturday, our Dawgs played a strong 5th/6th grade Hurricanes team for our first game. The Hurricanes were comprised of mostly 6th graders and a few younger players, but our 4th grade Dawgs proved that they could play with even the 6th graders. Our Dawgs started this game using a new offense that we recently began practicing. Our Dawgs did a great job remembering how to run the offense with successful drives into the middle of the key. It was not an easy task to out rebound the much taller 6th grade Hurricanes, but our Dawgs gave it their best effort. On defense, our Dawgs kept their fire and utilized their speed to prevent the Hurricanes from out scoring our Dawgs by very much. We did not win this game, however, when our 4th grade Dawgs lose by only 9 points to a mostly 6th grade team, it is a win in my book. Great job boys!

Our second game on Saturday, we played the 5th grade Folsom Force team on a very small court in Roseville Sports Complex. Folsom Force had played earlier that morning against the same Hurricanes team that we had lost to in the same day. Folsom Force made the Hurricanes look like a 2nd grade team. I knew that we were going to have our hands full with Folsom Force on a small court. Our Dawgs started out with a strong showing by keeping on top of Folsom by just a few points. Unfortunately, in the second half Folsom began a strong press against our much smaller Dawgs that turned the game around. Our Dawgs gave it their best effort, but came up with a higher percentage of errors causing our 2nd loss for this tournament..........but we did do well for a 4th grade team, with lots of room for improvement.

Sunday, we started out bright and early at HWP for an 8 am game. To my surprise, our Dawgs looked like they were all wide awake during our warm-ups, so it provided me some hope for a strong effort against a much taller 5th grade Reno Ballers team. During this game, our Dawgs started out with a strong man to man defense that proved to be much stronger than what the Ballers could handle from our much faster Dawgs team. Each player on our Dawgs team became a rolling ball of fire while on the court playing defense. There was a show of awesome team work by every Dawg every minute of the game. I don't think our team parents would want to do this, but I told the Dawgs players, "you boys are going to play every game at 8 am now!" and, although I was only playing, the Dawgs reacted with a big, "yes!". I was happy to hear that they are going to play early in the morning just as well as later in the day. On offense, I couldn't have been happier seeing the boys run their offense as well as they did. They forced the Ballers to move for one side of the court to the other creating drives up the middle and around the baseline. Our boys out rebounded the much taller Ballers because of the determination our Dawgs had to fight for the ball. Awesome! Our Dawgs Defeated the Ballers by approximately 40 plus points.

Our second game on Sunday, our Dawgs had to quickly leave court 5 after defeating the Ballers and run to court 7 for a 9 am game. Our boys had not even had a minute to rest before playing a strong, fast, and very tall 5th grade YBA Xtreme team coached by Coach Garcia, a great coach. Our Dawgs started out strong and held the Xtreme team to very few points, but began losing a little strength toward the end of the game. Needless to say, our 4th graders had the confidence, but couldn't push out the strength and stamina to win back to back against a well coached older team. Our Dawgs were defeated, but gave 110% against their YBA brothers until the last second of the game. This was a great challenge and learning experience for our Dawgs. Thanks for your hard work boys!! Thank you parents for your dedication to our team and arriving early to this game!!



Coach Robert Martinez

7th Grade Black-January 22-23

It was another exciting weekend of basketball for the YBA 7th Grade Black team playing in the 8th Grade Boy’s Black Division. The boys played great hustle basketball in their first game against Napa doing a good job of passing the ball and finding the open man. It was a neck and neck game to the finish with our boys coming out on top 47 to 45.

 The next game was a back to back game against a much larger, taller, quicker and seasoned team from Mission City. The boys held their own in the 1st quarter but lost ground in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. Even though the boys had a 30 pt deficit going into the 4th qtr, they kept fighting back and outplayed Mission City 15 to 4 in the 4th qtr losing 35 to 54. The quickness and execution of the Mission City team helped our boys identify key areas to keep working on as they move forward through the season.

The last game on Sunday against the Rocktown Ballers White team was a “nail biter” to the end. The boys ended the 3rd qtr behind by 5 pts but by keeping their composure and executing both the offense and defense well, owned the 4th qtr winning 38 to 40. The coaches and parents were proud of how the team played this weekend and got a glimpse into the potential this group of young men have and the future looks very, very bright. Go DAWGS!

7th Grade Blue-January 22-23

The guys kicked off a great weekend of play with an intense battle against the Hurricanes. A game where we were physically out played on both the offensive and defense boards, the guys learned both the importance of shot faking, and creating contact when a shot goes up (boxing out). Game two vs the Davis Wild Cats started the same for two quarters going into halftime with an 18 point deficit. At half time, the importance of ignoring the score and coming out more physical was stressed. The guys bought in and finished the third quarter holding the Wildcats scoreless for the entire quarter! We went on to win with physical play from all of our guys, especially Mike Dowen (bloody lip), Cole Kelley (shiner in the eye) and Jack Kearns (boxing out the bigs). Alex Patton had a stand out game with 12 points and a great up and under move down low. The third game was a great game from the start putting pressure on EDH and gaining a 15 point lead early on. We won by 20 points. All in all a great weekend 2-1 in D1 bracket!

6th Black-January 22-23

After a layoff of four weeks from tournaments, the Black Team was back in action. Despite the coach's concern about being "rusty", the team quickly picked up where they left off. With a convincing 71-32 win over the Hurricanes in the first game, they never looked back.
The second game was on the "Big Stage" (Court 1), and again - the team was excited! So excited, they smothered rival Rocktown Ballers and won 66-23.

The championship game was a convincing 66-31 win over the Folsom Force.

Using an array different defensive sets, and executing their offense cleanly, the team averaged 67 points a game, and had an average margin of victory of 39 points.

5th-January 22-23

Game #1 vs Hurricanes 46-17 win

We started slow offensively missing a lot of easy buckets, but our defensive pressure was too much and we started pulling away in the middle of the 1st quarter. The boys executed very well on both ends of the court as everyone contributed to the win. The offensive player of the game was Justin Kraft with 12 points. Our entire team played lock down "D" all weekend, but Justin led the way with intense "on ball" pressure and a team leading 8 rebounds and Ryan Smith recorded 6 blocked shots. Mr. Hustle was Blake Zieske. In the final seconds the Hurricanes had a fast break opportunity and Blake caught him from behind and blocked the shot without fouling! This kind of hustle exemplifies this teams attitude and I couldn't be happier with our effort. The Dawg with the best attitude was Josh Farr. I don't think I have ever seen him rattled or upset.

Game #2 vs Rocktown Ballers 49-13 win
Not much to say about this game because it was all Dawgs, all day. The boys were unbelievable defensively and able to fast break at will. It is hard to coach games like this because I don't like holding the boys back. I let them know we don't hold back with intensity or effort, we just don't fast break or put too much pressure on the ball. We worked on our half court offense and I feel we got better at executing. Gabe Gillespie and Blake Zieske each hit 3 pointers and Justin Kraft led all scorers with 10 points. Defensively Ryan Smith anchored the paint with tough interior defense and 7 rebounds. Josh Farr, Justin Kraft and Blake Zieske all had 3 steals. Best Attitude and Mr. Hustle was Ryan Haug. There isn't a thing he would not do for his team as he is all over the court diving for loose balls and playing awesome defense. Nice job boys!

Game #3 vs Eldorado Hills 47-9
Sorry to be so boring, but it was the same story all weekend. The boys have so much team spirit and cohesiveness that they will not let up defensively. Our defensive player of the game was the whole team, with Ryan Haug and Carson March leading the way. Again I had to pull back the reigns and not allow fast breaks because it would have been too ugly. We slowed the tempo and worked on our half court game. Josh Farr led the way with 10 points and Ryan Smith pulled down 8 boards and recorded 3 steals. Nick Periera was the Dawg with the best attitude.

Coach Gillespie

4th Grade-January 22-23

It was another great weekend of basketball for our 4th grade boys DAWG team playing in the 5th Grade Boys “White Division”. The first matchup was against the much taller EDH Trojans White team, which challenged our boys to fight for rebounds and hold their composure when being pressed. Even though the boys lost this game 27 to 46, it provided them with a great opportunity to identify areas to keep working on, as well as areas they have improved in, as a team. The next match up was against the Del Oro Eagles in which our boys did a great job executing both their defense and offense winning 34 to 28. The DAWGS won their Sunday game against the YBA 5th grade Xtreme White team 33 to 25 . This was a fun game to watch because we were able to see how both YBA teams have improved over the last several weeks. Overall the YBA 4th grade team played very well and continue to improve.

8th Grade Black-January 15-16

The team got through the always-interesting first tournament of the season with a reasonable 2-1 record. Overall, the coaches were pleased with the results. The team played very good defense in 10 of the 12 quarters. We held Natomas to 0 points in the 3rd quarter, the Wildcats to 2 points in the 3rd, and the Yellow Jackets to 4 in the 1st. No team scored more than 14 points by halftime. That shows impressive hustle and hard work! In almost all cases, the players worked hard while they were on the court. Please congratulate your sons on that.

The execution and results on offense were good in spots, but not as good as on defense. That isn't surprising this early in the season. Many of the mistakes came from a young man trying to do too much. Those mistakes are much easier for the coaches to accept than those that result from lack of effort. As the players become more comfortable with the offenses and with each other, we believe they will make better reads on their cuts, passes, and shots.

YBA 26, Yellow Jackets 7th 49
The Dawgs started strong in this game and forced several hurried shots and a few airballs. Unfortunately, we were also thrown off by the Jackets' aggressive defense and missed several chances to extend our early lead. Despite many turnovers, YBA trailed by only 4 at halftime, 14-10. Early in the 2nd half, more Dawg turnovers and missed shots led to some easy baskets for the opposition. Once the team fell behind, there was a noticeable drop-off in our energy and intensity. This was really the only disappointing part of the weekend. It allowed the Jackets to get into a groove on offense and extend their lead. The coaches hope the team learned something about patience and staying together. Connor Milnes led the way with 8 points. Jackson Sterling and Grady Collins had 4 each. The two newcomers also contributed, with Bret Lynch handing out 2 assists and Bryce Crouch garnering 4 rebounds and 2 steals to lead the team in those categories.

YBA 38, Natomas Spartans 9th 20
After a long break to consider our mistakes, the team came out hungry to battle against the older Natomas team. The Dawgs played great perimeter defense, helped in the lane, and pursued rebounds which limited the Spartans to only 11 points after 3 quarters. Our execution and shot selection also improved, which resulted in 34 points by the end of the 3rd quarter. Jackson had 10 points, followed by Bret with 7 and Mitchell Holt with 5. Mitch also blocked 3 shots to help close down the lane. Nicholas Clough and Grady notched 2 assists apiece.

YBA 40, Franklin Wildcats 9th 15
The Dawgs played another strong game in the 3rd place matchup on Sunday. Our defensive pressure was too much for the Franklin freshmen, and the team ran out to a 19-4 lead after one quarter. Jackson was a force on the ball with 8 steals, several of which resulted in easy buckets. Nicholas, still getting into the swing of things after missing 2 months with a knee injury, played a strong game to total 7 points and 5 boards. Jared Flowers also had 7. Connor and Mitch each hustled for 4 offensive rebounds. Colin Hawkins and Connor had some strong moves inside but couldn't quite finish. We're sure they will score more often than not off such moves as the season progresses. Bryce impressed throughout with his energy and intensity, especially since he also played in all 3 games for the blue team! Colin was very consistent throughout the weekend.

Best Offensive Player: Jackson Sterling

Best Defensive Player: The entire team
Best Hustle: Bryce Crouch
Best Attitude: Grady Collins

8th Grade Blue-January 15-16

The 8th Grade DAWGS started the season off against the Rocktown Ballers. It was very competitive game with the lead exchanging hands many times. Rocktown had a big size advantage on the boards but we battled with them the whole game. We fell behind in the fourth quarter and staged a late comeback but ran out of time. We lost 50-46. Max O’Rourke carried the offense against the Ballers and Bryce Crouch cleaned up the boards for us all game. The 2nd game against the Reno Ballers was very competitive also. The game went back and forth with the DAWGS taking a lead at the end of the fourth quarter, but the Baller were able to tie the score to send the game into overtime. Overtime went back and forth but the Ballers came out on top with a 46-44 win. Vance Gregg did a great job on the defensive side of the court, Amran Bisla had good game in the paint, and Tanner Dodson provided an offensive punch for the DAWGS. Sunday morning it took awhile for the DAWGS to warm up which put us in a hole to start the game. We battled back and forth but we could not get the “mojo” going and lost to the Redbirds 46-37. Vinny Frizzi and Josh Finkelstein provided a strong offensive punch for us through out the game to keep the score close. Overall it was a good first weekend and the coaches are looking to build on it for the next tournament.

7th Grade Blue-January 15-16

The 7th grade kicked off the second straight weekend of tournament play with games against the Reno Ballers, J-Ballers, and EDH. The guys were short handed with only six players, but still managed to make it to the championship game. Both Mike Dowen and Cole Kelley suffered injuries, but played their hearts out. Despite a bloody lip Cole Kelley managed to enter back into the game and finish strong. Overall, it was a great weekend despite being short handed and losing to EDH in the championship game.

6th Grade Blue

This weekend was the season opener for the YBA blue 6th graders. They had a close call in every game. Game 1 we faced the Reno ballers and they had a dominant big, but we played to 100 percent on both defense and offense to win by 3. Since we played back to back we were a bit tired for second game. We were down by 11 in the start of the fourth climbed back to tie but lost by a bucket to the rocktown ballers in OT. The boys played their guts out. We took our frustrations out on folsom fury to win by 25 and also to win the tournament. We were proud of the boy's effort.


Game 1: Offensive player: Brendyn Ikeda, Defensive player: Taylor Itner, Best Hustle: Kazik Lewendowski, Best Attitude: Taylor Ittner.

Game 2: Offensive Player: Blake Stelzer, Def. Player: Tommy Edwards, Best Hustle: Kazik Lewandowski, Best Attitude: Taylor Ittner

Game 3: Offensive Player: Jalen Stringer, Def-Taylor Ittner, Best Hustle Everett Libolt, Best Attitude Taylor Ittner.



Coach Lars and Coach Glen

4th Grade-January 15-16

It was an exciting weekend of basketball for the 4th grade DAWGS team playing in the 5th grade boy’s white division. They did a great job controlling the ball under pressure and running the offense as a team. They won their first game against Del Oro (35 to 24) and met steeper competition in the next two games losing to the Reno Ballers (35 to 30) and CJBA (31 to 21). The kids did a great job maintaining their composure under pressure against the much larger players. Especially #55 on CJBA who looked like a young man next to our kids! Special recognition for this week’s tournaments was Chase for best offense, Nathan for best attitude, Julian for best defense and Zach for best hustle. Go DAWGS!

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.