Hurricanes Dissipate in Heartbreaking Second Half Comeback, 36-30

 

Nick prepares to pass to Jordan in the post. Left: Allen, Middle: Michael, Right: Chandler.
(Photo courtesy of Dan and Vicki Gonzales)



Saturday, January 29^th – The Hurricanes a sixteen point third quarter deficit to pull within four points of Team 5 on Saturday, before falling shy of victory in a game that ended with a score of 36-30.

Sporting two 6 footers at center, Team 5 hit the floor running and proficiently executing an effective passing game, utilizing the low post position to account for 8 of their first 12 points. Initially it appeared as if the Hurricanes would not be able to stop the bleeding.  But a time out makes all the difference, and once Hurricane Center Carlos figured out the most effective positioning against the bigger opposing centers, Team 5’s task became much more challenging.



Nick works the ball inside. Far left: Chandler, Middle: Jordan,
Right: Michael.
(Photo courtesy of Dan and Vicki Gonazales)



Early on Daniel set the tone with a key rebound and steal, while Conrad and Patrick teamed up to chip away at the opposing defense.  The first squad shots did not seem to be dropping in, however, and as the first quarter ended, the scorecard marked a 12 to 8 lead in favor of Team 5.

With the exception of a sweet jump shot by Nick in the second quarter, the Hurricanes’ cold streak continued, making only 1 of 13 shots the floor. Were it not for the extreme hustle on defense, the Hurricanes would have been even further behind than the 22 to 10 halftime score indicated.

In the second half, it became anybody’s game, as the Hurricanes valiantly fought back,

With Nick pouring in four more points and Michael hitting a shot from just inside the three point line, while Allen pounded away at the opposing defense with quick dribbling drives, and Jordan frustrated the opposing offense with several interrupted passes which he tipped away out of bounds.

The Hurricanes finally found their rhythm in the fourth quarter, cranking up the defensive intensity, and pounding the paint with drives to the hoop.  The fourth quarter squad sank 6 of 11 shots from the field, and 2 of 4 free throws, to pull the game within four points with 2 minutes to go.  Unfortunately, a few too many Hurricane turnovers in the remaining minutes combined with Team 5’s total of 4 fourth quarter points, was enough to barely eek out a victory for Team 5.



Michael sets a screen for Nick to fire off two of his six points. 
(Photo courtesy of Dan and Vicki Gonzales)



Offensively for the Hurricanes, turnovers and offensive rebounds continue to be areas for improvement, as well as developing an inside game.

Defensively, positioning oneself between the opponent and the basket will be key to preventing easy inside jumpshots, layups, and rebounds by the opponents.

Overall, this was a very strong Hurricane effort, as they tallied up: 30 points, 34 rebounds, 10 steals, 8 assists and 9 blocked shots. The players are getting to know each other better on the court, which is evident in their passing game and increased communication on the floor.  Many exciting games lie ahead.

The next opponent is Team 1 on Saturday, February 5^th, at 9AM.

Short and Short Handed: Hurricanes Run Out of Gas Against Panthers, 34-22



 Saturday, January 22^nd – the day began on a groggy note, with a late week, unexpected schedule change from the much anticipated 9:00am start time VS Team 6, to an 8:00am start time VS the Team 3 Panthers.

Patrick fires off a jumper from 3 point land.  (Left) Michael, (Right) Jordan
(Photo courtesy of Dan and Vicki Gonazales)

 By the time the starting whistle blew, Coach Quentin had managed to rustle up six players, enough to start the game, but in the absence of team center (Carlos) and power forward (Michael), the team was left with 5’6” in the middle, so it would be a short and short handed effort, and difficult to maintain a strong tempo and muscle up on the Panthers’ 5’10” front line.  The team would be forced to play a perimeter, small ball game, and attempt to slow down the tempo to conserve energy.

Despite the lopsided odds against them, the Hurricanes put forth a valiant effort which competitively carried them through three exhausting quarters play, characterized by a faster than desirable pace, a lot of hustle on both ends of the court, and unfortunately, a cold shooting streak (only 18% from the floor).


 With the arrival of Carlos, Daniel, and Chris in time for fourth quarter play, the team aspired to come from 5 points down to overtake the Panthers and pull off an upset victory.  But a combination of exhausted players from the first three quarters, and players who had no time to warm up for the fourth quarter, fatigue set in and the Hurricanes ran out of gas, eventually falling to a deceptive score of 34-22.



Michael hits for two points.  (Right) Chandler
(Photo courtesy of Dan and Vicki Gonzales)



Even in the face of a heart-breaking defeat, however, the Hurricanes slugged it out admirably, and never gave up.  Coach Quentin saw many improvements from game one to game two, and found many take-aways to be pleased about from a coaching perspective:

1) Jordan and Nick both proved they possess enough confidence to score points under pressure.

2) The 5’6” height of Nick, Conrad, and Patrick was barely a deterrent, as the three showed no fear in attacking the paint and defending the bigger opponents.

3) There were bright glimmers of hope: During their perimeter play, Allen, Patrick, Conrad and Chandler seemed to have no problem find a passing lane to open teammates in the paint.

4) The players played with more heart in game two than in game one. They stepped up their game.

5) There were fewer turnovers in game two, signaling an improvement in the passing game and in protecting the ball.

6) It may have been chalked up in the loss column, but what the team gained was the experience to play under adversity and pressure.

7) Hurricane players continue to display outstanding effort, sportsmanship and attitudes.

  

There is no doubt in the mind of the coaches that with the presence of a full line-up, the game would have gone into the win column for the Hurricanes.  But give the Panthers credit where it’s due for a well played game and a hard earned win. 



Conrad pulls up for a 15'ft jump shot.  (Left) Nick, (Center) Patrick, (Right) Chandler
(Photo courtesy of Dan and Vicki Gonzales)



The Hurricanes will have another shot at the Panthers in week six. Meanwhile...

Bring on Team 5 on Saturday, Januar 29th at 9:00AM!!

Hurricanes Nearly Knock Off Panthers, Fall 32-28

(Saturday, January 15th)  In a fast-paced slugfest between two very evenly matched teams, which saw several lead changes over the course of four scrappy quarters of play,  the Team 3 Panthers ultimately rode the clock to a 32-28 over the Hurricanes.  
 

Returning Hurricanes veteran Chris responds to set a screen
for Conrad in the first quarter. Chris contributed 3 steals, and showed
tremendous improvement over his summer league play.

 The final score does not tell the whole story or paint a complete picture, however, and with two more meetings scheduled between these two teams in near future, by no means can the Panthers afford to take their victory for granted.

The Hurricanes got off to a quick start in the first quarter, behind the lightning quick speed of Chris and Jordan in the backcourt, Conrad and Allen in the front court, and the wirey, long-armed defense of newly acquired center, Carlos. 




Three Panthers chase Conrad following a steal, which resulted in a
successful layup.
Conrad went on to finish the game with 6 steals.

 Although it took a few minutes for their shots to warm up and drop through the hoop, the Hurricanes eventually found the net, and it appeared as if the Panthers would have no answer for the high intensity and hustle of the Hurricanes's lineup, which flew across the floor in all directions like five squirrels on sterroids, storing up an 8-to-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.

  

Michael, shown here driving the perimeter,
finished with a 3-pointer and 6 rebounds.

 But team sports is all about adjustments, and in the second quarter, the Panthers inserted their secret weapon: Number 9, a burly 5'10 center with a knack for finding rebounds and hitting close-in shots.

With Michael replacing Carlos at center, and Patrick, Daniel and Chandler in to spell the first quarter squad, the Hurricanes continued to work the ball around the perimeter, as the Panthers dominated inside the key.


The Panthers overtook the Hurricanes and sailed into half-time with a 17-to-11 lead.
   

Veteran workhorse
Chandler
returns to the Hurricanes -
and brings his tough transition
defense with him.

 

Daniel, a Hurricanes rookie, scored
two points in his YMCA
league debut. 

 

Jordan's quick hands resulted
in a key steal early in the game.





Carrying the momentum from the second to the third quarter, the Panthers set about to bury the Hurricanes...but sorely undestimated the hustle, fire, focus, and inner fortitude of their opponent.

Despite an uphill game characterized by countless turnovers, the Hurricanes fought back with vigor behind two key steals from Jordan and Chandler, a 3-pointer by Michael, and a surprise 2-point teardrop bucket by Daniel.



Carlos, the newly acquired Hurricanes Center, takes a baseline shot.

Starting the fourth quarter with an eight point deficit, the Hurricanes went on a rampage, as Patrick exploded for 6 points, and unexpectedly sprung out of nowhere to swat a shot by Panther's star point guard (#3).

Allen continued to drive and drill away at the Panther wall, accumulating three more points, while Carlos grabbed three key rebounds, and Conrad dumped in a final 2 pointer to finish the game with 8 points, 6 steals, and 8 rebounds.

Unfortunately for the Hurricanes, their explosive 11 point fourth quarter effort was silenced by the referee's whistle, signaling the end of a hard fought game which ended in a 32-28 Panther victory. Given another two or three minutes, the results quite probably would have favored the Hurricanes.  

The Hurricanes went into the post game huddle with their heads held high, realizing that the season is young, and with a few minor adjustments - they'll be back to compete another day.   The coaches' feedback pointed to turnovers and defense as two areas to tweek and tune up next practice.


Allen drives past the Panthers' start center (#9) en route to a
5 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals effort.

Coach Quentin and Coach Chris expressed their satisfaction and optimism with what they saw on the court.  Although the team struggled on offense at times (30% field goal shooting, 42% from the line), there were many, many positive take-aways.


The hustle was outstanding, especially for a first game with only 2 practices under their belt. Set aside the final score and turnovers, and the remaining statistics paint a much clearer, more positive picture:  31 rebounds, 15 steals, 10 assists, 9 blocked shots and only 12 fouls.  

Following a steal, Patrick prepares to pass the
ball as he's forced out of bounds. Patrick racked up
8 points, 3 rebounds and 3 steals.

This is clearly a team with a great attitude, an unselfish style of play - and seven exciting, entertaining games to come.



WITH TWO PRACTICES DOWN, THE HURRICANES AWAIT FIRST OPPONENT

Opening huddle

Chandler

On Saturday, January 8th, 2011, seven young men stepped onto the court at Garcia Middle School for their orientation practice. Most of them had never seen each other before, and only three players (Conrad, Chandler and Chris) returned from the undefeated summer team and possessed a familiarity with the coaching styles of Coach Christ and Coach Quentin.

Freethrow drills - Patrick at the line

            Coach Chris and Coach Quentin provided the parents with a brief introduction and summary of their coaching philosophies and expectations...then it was straight to work.

Michael and Chris - shooting drills

Drills, drills, and more drills. Much to the credit of the players,  none of them passed out from exhaustion...which is a good sign given the one week preparation time for their season opener against Team 1.

Despite its overall small size (which didn't seem to hinder the team in the summer league), the new additions to the team (Allen, Jordan, Nick, and Patrick) all displayed potential the coaches could worth with.

Daniel releases a jumpshot

With the Wednesday practice additions of Michael (5'8" power forward), Carlos (5'10" Center), and Daniel (guard), Team 2 had acquired the height it needed in the low post, and successfully reached its 10 player limit.  Ladies and gentlemen - we have a team!

Conrad

The Wednesday practice was even more drill-filled than the Saturday practice, as the two UTSA seniors whipped their crew into game-shape at warp speed. 

While there are few experience and skill-level adjustments that need to be made along the way, the team overall looked very good for a first full practice, and showed signs of strong potential, most notably in the area of heart, effort and defensive footwork. 

The team is composed of good natured players with a wide variety of personalities, which means they'll be an exciting, entertaining team to watch this season.


Allen and Chris - layup drills

 

Coach Chris and Coach Quentin in action

MEET TEAM 2

TEAM ROSTER

PLAYER	POSITION	INTRODUCTION
CHANDLER	F	Height: 5' 4"  Weight: 115 Experience:  YMCA Raptors (2010) Chandler is a hard-charging workhorse and a returning member from the summer league Raptors team. During the summer season he successfully responded to the call to defend much bigger opposing players, some of whom will probably return to once again meet and fear him this season.
CONRAD	F/G	Height: 5' 6"  Weight: 115 Experience: YMCA Raptors (2010), YMCA Bulls (2010), CYO (2005-2009), Upward (2003-2005) One of the most improved and explosive players last season, Conrad returns to Team 2 with a 2" inch increase in height over the summer season, and an infinite supply of stamina, acquired through his recent rigorous varsity cross country season. Minus Aaron from the summer team, Conrad will be expected to step up and take on a key leadership role on the team this season.
PATRICK	F/G	Height: 5'6"  Weight: 120 Experience:  YMCA Bulls (2010), CYO (2005-2009) Patrick comes into this season with a 3" increase in height, and well rounded athleticism maintained through his participation in baseball, junior varsity cross country and junior varsity soccer.  Patrick held the YMCA Bulls team record last year for most steals in a single game: 6.
CHRIS	G	Height: 4'8"       Weight: Experience: YMCA Raptors (2010) Chris is a returning member of the summer league team. Opposing teams that initially underestimated Chris' abilities quickly learned to respect his tenatious defense and movement away from the ball, which combined to pose a stealthy threat on both sides of the court.
ALLEN	G/F	Height: 5'3"  Weight: Experience: YMCA (2 seasons) Allen joins Team 2 as a free agent from previous YMCA teams, where he played the point guard position. He brings mental toughness, physical fitness and acertiveness to the team, carried over from his middle school football season.
NICK	F/C	Height: 5'6"  Weight: 110 Experience:  YMCA Basketball, Soccer, Baseball. Given his recent growth spurt, Nick can probably look forward to playing at the Forward position and possibly even Center position this season.  He brings energy and enthusiasm to the mix. If we combine his trumpet talents with the trombone talents of Conrad and Carlos, we just might have our own team band.
JORDAN	G	Height: 4'10" Weight: 95 Experience:  YMCA Basketball (3 seasons) Like Allen and Nick, Jordan joins Team 2 as a freelance agent with experience gained from three seasons in the YMCA league. It's the quiet ones like Jordan that opponents need to be wary of, because they tend to deliver when opponents least expect it.
DANIEL	G	Height: 4'10" Weight: 110 Experience: First Year, YMCA Basketball Team 2 welcomes Daniel as a newcomer to the team and to the YMCA basketball league. In his first practice with the team, Daniel displayed a strong focus, fast learning ability, good defensive footwork and surprising jumping ability.
MICHAEL	PF/C	Height: 5'8" Weight: 125 Experience: 2 Years Team 2 welcomes Michael as a newcomer to the team and league. Michael was a last minute addition to the team and a welcomed surprise at the power forward and center positions - where he will be relied on for countless rebounds and blocked shots.
CARLOS	C/PF	Height: 5'10" Weight: 125 Experience:  CYO (3 seasons) Carlos comes to Team 2 from the CYO league, where he spent last season with a team in Helotes, and the two previous seasons with the St Anthony Saints. He brings a finesse style of game that includes a soft baseline jumpshot with respectable range. As the tallest member of the team, he'll be likely taking on the challenge of deterring opponents 3"-to-6" inches taller - but that's what he lives for.