Article 267: Jean ready to bust out

November 29, 2011

Northgate High had a successful season last year as the team went 23-7 and lasted into the semifinals of the North Coast Section playoffs. A big reason for the results was combo guard Connor Jean. Despite averaging a consistent 9.2 points, 3 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game, Jean has not had any significant college interest during the regular season.

At 6-foot and 160 pounds, Jean played his first summer of club basketball with the Lakeshow 17 team in hopes of busting out. Lakeshow Coach Terry Ahern has this basketball assessment of Jean, "Connor is a very fundamentally sound basketball player that does everything well on the basketball court. He is a very good outside shooter and can hit the 3 point shot with consistency. In addition, he is improving in his ability to get to the basket and finish. He is also a very sound ball handler and passer."

Despite being a Bronco, Jean is a finesse player who plays smart. He is highly critical of himself and is always working on improving his shot. Jean wants to be able to out think his opponent in addition to outworking them. As a result, he plays the point guard with the awareness of when to score to take over the game and also when to facilitate to get his teammates involved.

Coach Ahern on Jean's leadership skill: "I think that Connor is also a very good leader on the basketball court. He is vocal on the court with his teammates in a very good and positive way. He works hard on his basketball skills in the gym and also spends his time in the weight room getting stronger and more athletic."

This 2012 prospect models his game after a few players. Jean can be instant offense like former Arizona Wildcat Jason Terry in that he can hit the three point shot consistently or pull up for the open mid-range jumper on the break. Or he plays like former Oklahoma State Cowboy John Starks in that he can take the ball to the basket, he can finish strong, and he can play relentless defense.

When asked what positive basketball skills he brings to a team, Jean says, "I have a few good basketball moves ranging from a strong aggressive jab, to getting to the hole, and beating my man off the dribble to seeing the court well. However, I believe that my best basketball skill and quality is my leadership and ability to run a club. I am a very cool, calm, and collected point guard that runs a ball club very well and just finds a way to get a win. My leadership is contagious and I bring the best out in all of my teammates and I make all the players around me better."

This upcoming season will be Jean's third year on varsity. In addition to playing for Lakeshow, Jean is working on a spin move and floater. Jean is quite apt at getting in the lane, but wants a dependable floater to improve his finishing that seems so common amongst the professional point guards such as Tony Parker or Chris Paul.

Playing for Lakeshow during the summer has afforded Jean an opportunity to play in front of college coaches throughout the west coast including San Francisco, Anaheim, and Las Vegas. He has a 3.53 GPA and has academically qualified with his SAT score as he would like to major in Finance. He would like to be in a big city environment with a lively environment. He wants to play for a basketball program that features its guards and runs a lot of pick and rolls such as the Princeton style offense with the countless motion and backdoors.

Coach Ahern speaks about Jean's college potential. "I think that Connor will be a great addition to any D-II or D-III basketball program. Connor is a coach's dream to have on your basketball team and he is going to be a very good find for a college basketball program."

Jean is also an accomplished musician as he plays the piano, saxophone, and guitar. In addition, Jean also enjoys refining his culinary skills in the family kitchen. As a result, Jean is not the stereotypical one dimensional jock.

Jean fits the Lakeshow Basketball program mission statement. Lakeshow Coach Joe Fuca says, "Connor is a very good basketball player and a tremendous leader on the court. He is a leader at his school and in the classroom. Connor will play college basketball and be an asset to his program. Connor is currently being recruited by many CCAA teams in Div II like Sonoma State, Humboldt State, and Cal Poly Pomona. We believe Connor is a great ball handler, excellent 3 point shooter, and loves to play aggressive defense. Quick story, Connor's Northgate team went pretty far in the playoffs and he was not able to get into our normal tryout period. When he showed up, I warned him of the competition level and the tough odds to make either of our top 17 teams. He looked me in the eye and said, 'Coach I can make one of these teams and I will help you because I know how to win.' He was right and he has been a leader ever since in our program at practice and on the road and in games."

His team goals are to repeat as league champions and go undefeated in league again as Northgate went 12-0 in league play for the first time in the history of the league. He wants to help his Broncos win an NCS championship and put Northgate basketball back on the map. Personally, he wants to be the MVP of the league and go for 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists per game.

If Jean can attain those individual goals, then his Broncos should have a good shot at league and a deep playoff run. And if that were to happen, watch for this Bronco's college recruiting to bust out in 2012 in Walnut Creek, California.

Article 266: Tratter finally healthy

November 28, 2011

St. Francis finished the 2010-2011 season with a mediocre 15-14 record and first round loss to Woodcreek in the NorCal regional playoffs. A key piece for the team was expected to be wing Abu Tratter but a nagging left ankle sprain rendered him ineffective. Finally, this Lancer is physically fit and ready to contribute in the West Coast Athletic League for his senior year.

At 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds, Tratter is surprisingly agile and quick for his build. He is powerful and athletic and can post up against smaller perimeter players. In addition, he is not afraid to crash the boards and can dunk with authority.

Trtter models his game after former Syracuse Orangeman Carmelo Anthony because of his versatility. Tratter's favorite move is the euro step because it allows him to fake and separate from the defender to create space to finish at the basket hard. He has been playing basketball for over six years and will be going into his second year as a varsity starter.

Kristopher Weems is Tratter's club coach with the KWA Pride. "Abu Tratter is one of the most competitive players I've coached," said Weems. "He loves to attack on both ends; he aggressively goes to the basket and has proven to be a tough cover for guards and forwards. Defensively, he can be a lock down one on one defender or get deflections and blocks coming from the weak side to help. Abu has improved his range to 18-20 ft and can effectively shoot the 3, especially stepping into his shot in transition. With improved ball handling, he'll be able to create his own shot as well as find others for open looks once the defense collapses."

Chico State and UC Davis have been in contact with Tratter. He has no particular preference for a basketball program or geography though he would like a college that offers good academic programs such as business or engineering.

Weems, who played at Stanford himself, assesses Tratter's college potential. "I think Abu can play at the Division I level especially if a program can use him at the 3 and 4 positions. As his body matures, he could play the forward position but he would be undersized guarding bigger forwards. At the same time, his quickness and athleticism is a problem for bigger guys trying to guard him from 15-17 feet. If he can refine his ball handling and passing skills, I have no doubt he can play the wing yet still rebound at a high level."

In his senior year, Tratter wants to become a better guard while improving his ball-handling and shooting and hopes to help his team make a deep run in the playoffs. Tratter was on the track and field and football teams in his early high school years but only expects to play basketball in college.

Weems also speaks highly of Tratter's non-basketball traits. "Off the court, Abu is a great kid. He loves his teammates and respects the wishes of his coaches. Over this spring and summer season, he's proven to be a leader vocally as well as playing hard on both offense and defense," said Weems. "Abu's best basketball is obviously in front of him. Every discussion I have had with him over the last 3-4 months about leadership, sharing the ball, defending, rebounding, he's found a way to add those things to his game and then improve on those things. On top of that, he's made a stronger commitment to his academics and being a solid student. I think Abu can be one of the best players in the WCAL. That will go a long way in him realizing his goal of being a Division I student-athlete."

St. Francis also returns 2012 post player Drew Dickey. With Dickey and Tratter healthy, the Lancers should be able to challenge for the WCAL title and make a deep playoff run in 2012. Afterwards, watch for Tratter to compete on the next level.

Article 265: Tip-off is Classic

November 27, 2011

The Fifth Annual NorCal Tip-Off Classic at Newark Memorial High School tipped off the high school basketball season in Northern California. Here are the game results plus the players of the game as determined by the media:

Game 1: Freedom, 73, Rodriguez 56
Player of the Game: Jelani Hardaway, Freedom
Freedom cruised in the opening game. The Falcons were up 22-11 at the end of one, 40-19 at the half, 54-40 at the end of the third, and prevailed 73-56 for the final.

Rodriguez
Rae Jackson is athletic and plays at a different gear. If he can harness his energy, then the junior could bring his game to a whole new level. Jackson had 11 points for the Mustangs.

As a team, the Mustangs need to slow down their pace as they played out of control. They can probably outrun less talented teams but will have trouble playing against teams who play defense and play with discipline. Jackson will be the focal point on offense but will be most effective as a distributor than a scorer.

Freedom
Elliott Smith came out strong in his first varsity game. Smith plays taller than his size as he led his team with 6 rebounds and was not afraid of contact as he scored 14 points. The sophomore projects to be a post player who has good face to the basket ability.

Jelani Hardaway is a quick guard with shiftiness. He led all scores with 21 points. He will provide the senior leadership for a young Falcon team.

As a team, the Falcons have good perimeter players. With Smith as an effective post presence, Freedom has a potent team. The Falcons look to be clicking after the first game of the season

Game 2: Jesuit 83, Dublin 74
Player of the Game: Bryce Pressley, Jesuit
As with game 1, game 2 followed the same script as Jesuit was ahead at the end of each quarter. The Maruaders were up 22-17 at the end of one, 43-27 at the half, 63-47 after three, and 83-74 at the end.

Dublin
Joe Mcglaston can play above the rim with ease. He projects as an explosive wing as he had 17 points in the loss. The junior has another gear as he can run faster and jump higher than his primary defender.

Devin Koeplin is a craft left handed point guard. The junior hit some contested three point shots and was able to break down his defender as he totaled 12 points. At 5-foot-8, his height will be his primary factor in terms of his recruiting.

The Gaels have talented pieces but did not seem to have a team effort in their first game. They have multiple offensive pieces and have 6-foot-8 Eric Nielson to man the post. Dublin will present matchup problems for their opponents.

Jesuit
Parker Uu showed his versatility by guarding the opposing team's defender who had a significant height advanatage. The senior could score inside or outside as he had 20 points that included 2 three-point shots. He is listed as a forward but will likely be a guard in college.

Kurt Parker is a 5-foot-11 guard who scored 22 points in an efficient manner by only taking 9 total field goal attempts. He was relentless in going to the basket as he had 10 free throw attempts.

The Marauders are a senior laden team that is already showing strong cohesion and teamwork. Aside from the interior size and a true post presence, Jesuit has few obvious deficiencies. They will be a favorite in the Delta River League.

Game 3: Pleasant Grove 62, St. Patrick-St. Vincent 49
Player of the Game: Matt Hayes, Pleasant Grove
The theme continued in game 3 as Pleasant Grove coasted to a victory a they were up 19-2 after one, 38-11 at the half, 51-34 after three, and pulled off the pedal with a 62-49 final.

St. Patrick St. Vincent
Jalen Canty will be a physical force as he had 8 points and 15 rebounds. The sophomore is still raw as he needs to improve on finishing in the paint but has the size to be mistaken as a linebacker. At 6-foot-6, Canty will have no trouble over-powering opposing defenders in the paint.

The Bruins looked sluggish as they were settling for individual perimeter shots and did not score until the 1:00 minute mark in the first quarter for their lone basket. The team looked much better when they went inside to Canty or took the ball to the basket.

Pleasant Grove
Malik Thames has a really smooth and polished game as junior. He was fluid in the way that he took the ball to the basket or how he elevated for his jump shot. The younger brother of San Diego State Aztec, Xavier, Thames projects to be a shooting guard in college. He has a respectable perimeter game but his ability to contort his way into the paint for shots was impressive as he had 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists.

Matt Hayes is a good spot up perimeter shooter as he had 20 points that included 3 three-point shots. He will be able to spread the court for his teammates. The junior also played solid perimeter defense.

Colfax Nordquist played a solid game as a forward at 6-foot-3. With an undersized team, the junior will have to continue with his physical play and rebounding. He had 8 points and 7 rebounds in the victory.

With football season still in session, this team was not expected to be so crisp and coordinated. When they do get their football players, such as Cody Demps, this team may be the dark horse in the Delta River League.

Game 4: Vallejo 65, El Cerrito 63
Player of the Game: Tajai Johnson, Vallejo
Game 4 was on pace to continue the trends of the first three games as El Cerrito lead 21-14 after one, 36-28 at the half, and 52-44 at the end of three. With over five minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Gauchos had a 13-point lead but ended up losing 65-63 to Vallejo.

El Cerrito
Jaise Griffey is an intriguing sophomore as a 6-foot-4 forward. He plays comfortably in the post and can be a high producer of rebounds and post points if he gets taller by the time he is a senior. In this game, he had 12 points and 9 rebounds.

The Gauchos are a high-energy team with a plethora of quick guards. With no seasoned post experience, they will have to out run and out hustle opponents. In this game, the lack of size seemed to prevent them from grabbing key rebounds in the end.

Vallejo
Larry Wickett will help with the backcourt. The senior provides versatile scoring and solid perimeter defense. He had 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists to provide some balance.

Jabbar Brown is a freshman guard at 6-foot-2. He had 5 points and 5 rebounds but projects to be a really solid perimeter player.

The Apaches are scrappy and did not despair when they were down by 13 points in the fourth quarter. The team is not going to win with size but with hustle as everyone crashed the boards and hustle to the floor for loose possessions.

Game 5: Berkeley 64, Weston Ranch 62
Player of the Game: Langston Morris-Walker, Berkeley
The fifth game broke the trend, as it was a back and forth battle between Berkeley and Weston Ranch. Berkeley was up 15-13 after one, Weston Ranch was ahead 28-27 at the half, Berkeley took the lead 43-42 at the end of three, and Berkeley prevailed 64-62 in the end.
Berkeley
Henry Cornelious will provide much needed size for Berkeley. The 6-foot-5 junior had 8 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks. He showed good energy in rebounding and defense while still hustling up and down the court.

Justyce Key is another junior who will have to contribute at the guard position. He had 5 points and 8 rebounds despite not being a big guard. The shifty junior can create his own shot or break down opposing defenders on the dribble.

Berkeley is again without a true center or even a true power forward by historical standards. But the team is similar to last year's in that it showed hustle and relentlessness. Coach Damion McNeil concurs that this team probably has more depth than last year's version.

Weston Ranch
Zerrion Payton is a good floor general for his Cougars. The lefty point guard is agile and breaks down presses well as he resembles former Georgia Tech star Kenny Anderson.

The Cougars will be an entertaining bunch to watch as everyone can run up and down and are athletic. The team let this game get away as they had multiple chances at the end to extend the lead or to tie the game.


Game 6: Newark Memorial 74, Deer Valley 58
Player of the Game: Paramvir Singh, Newark Memorial
Newark cruised in their victory in the sixth game. The Cougars lead 21-13 after one, 41-25 at the half, 56-37 at the end of three, and ended the game with a 74-58 victory.

Deer Valley
Olajuwon Garner, Kendall Smith, and Marcus Lee will be the core for this Wolverine pack. Garner and Smith had 16 points each but were quite inefficient in attaining those numbers. Lee had foul trouble and could never get into any rhythm.

The Wolverines will be much better and create matchup problems for opposing teams. In this loss, they could never dictate the tempo or pace of the game and yielded to Newark's pressing defense.

Newark Memorial
Casey Norris and Joey Frenchwood will make up one of the better performing backcourts in the region. The two had 19 and 7 points respectively but pressed timely in creating 6 and 1 steals respectively as well.

Newark has a true and tried system that flusters opponents. The team has a rotation that probably goes nine deep as they come at opposing teams in waves on the full court press.


Game 7: Sheldon 45, McClymonds 43
Player of the Game: Armani Hampton, Sheldon
In the literal nightcap game, the seventh game was either a defensive struggle or two teams that could never find any rhythm in their play. Sheldon was up 8-3 after one, 19-18 at the half, 32-22 at the end of three, and squeezing out a 45-43 final.

Sheldon
Hampton led the Huskies with 13 points as he was not hesitant with his perimeter shot. The junior will be called upon for more scoring in the season.

Ryan Manning will be the main post presence for Sheldon as he had 9 points and 6 rebounds. The son of former Washington Huskie, Rich, Manning is a junior who will be critical in the Huskies run to repeat in league.

Jalen Hicks had 8 points but will be running the point position. The junior was instrumental in breaking the press and taking the ball to the paint.

Sheldon did not look anywhere near their preseason expectations. Dakarai Allen and D'Erryl Williams had off games as they totaled 6 points and were battling foul trouble for the entire game. However, the Huskies will take the win and try to build on this.

Mcclymonds
Seniors Dulani Robinson and Lawrence Otis had 13 and 9 points respectively. The team made 13 out of 43 field goal attempts but free throw shooting helped keep them in it.

Willie Williams and Dalvin Guy make up an imposing interior as they combined for 15 rebounds. With the impending return of senior Jamaree Strickland for the New Year, the Warriors should have the depth to win the Oakland Athletic League. But to make a deeper run in the postseason, the team will have to play more as a unit.


All Tournament Team

Jamir Andrews, Dublin - Has good size for a guard. The junior can create his own shot and can post up against smaller guards. Andrews also has a solid perimeter game as he made 3 three-point shots to lead his team with 21 points in addition to 9 rebounds and 3 assists. Andrews rally resembles former Detroit Piston Vinnie Johnson in body stature and basketball ability.

Bryce Pressley, Jesuit - Is fundamentally sound as he had 24 points and 11 rebounds to lead his team. The senior played with good composure and displayed a consistent fade away jumper. Pressley, his father played in the NBA, is listed as a forward but will have to be a guard at the college level. He played with control and always seems to let the game come to him.

Justin Johnson, El Cerrito - Had 22 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists. But the senior will be the glue guy for his team. He does a little of everything. With the team up by 13 points in the fourth quarter, Johnson was taken out of the game. When he returned, the Gauchos were only up by 2 points and had lost the momentum and ended up losing the game. Expect Johnson to be on the court till the end to help finish games.

Tajai Johnson, Vallejo - Will be a good barometer for his team's success. If he plays an efficient game, then expect his team to win and vice versa. He had 26 points and 6 rebounds in the win. But he came up big in closing the double digit deficit and was central in taking key shots, picking up crucial rebounds, or making the right pass.

Langston Morris-Walker, Berkeley - Will be the focus of opposing teams and for good reason. In the victory, he had 18 points and 19 rebounds. Once again, Morris-Walker will be expected to play a big role in the paint for his team.

Daiveon Leverett, Weston Ranch - Plays above the rim with ease at 6-foot-7. The left hander is a back to the basket forward but is absolutely agile and nimble. The junior needs to improve on finishing as he missed a few dunk attempts. Despite those misses, he still scored 17 points on 10 field goal attempts and also had 10 rebounds.

Dylan Alexander, Weston Ranch - Is one of the more thorough offensive players in the region. The junior could pull up with ease at the perimeter or break down defenders on the dribble. He also has a nifty turnaround, fade away jumper. He has that Florida Gator Mike Miller feel in the way that he plays but is deceptively quick.

Paramvir Singh, Newark Memorial - A senior forward at 6-foot-3 who is projected to be a DII or JUCO prospect. He had a monster game with 17 points and 18 rebounds but flustered the opposing Deer Valley interior. Singh plays in a Newark system where he knows what his strengths are and plays to them. In the right college system, his hustle and determination could be of some value.


Observations and Musings

Free throw shooting was overall really bad. Dublin though had an impressive 21 out of 23 in their attempts but still lost their game. Contrary to expectations of what usually happens with bad free throw shooting, Sheldon on the flip side was 8 out of 23 in their attempts but they somehow pulled out their game.

Jesuit and Newark Memorial are really complete teams. If they play consistently like their first game, they will be difficult to beat. For Jesuit's opponents, it will be pick your poison in terms of whom you want to defend. For Newark Memorial, opposing teams would be wise to break the full court press by staying in the middle of the court and to have someone flash to the top of the key to help break the press.

Sheldon, Mcclymonds, and Deer Valley probably did not have their best day. Each was a preseason favorite for their respective league. Mcclymonds and Deer Valley will probably still be the league favorites.

Pleasant Grove is ahead of schedule. This team was missing their football teammate size, but that did not seem to matter. Jesuit looks to be the top of their league while Sheldon will need a more convincing performance. But league play is months away and much can change till then.

Freedom has some good pieces. They probably do not have the size nor experience to challenge Deer Valley in their league yet.

Weston Ranch is in Stockton and is somewhat remote from San Francisco. But it would be a shocker if this team did not make a deeper run in the postseason this year. The Cougars create multiple matchup problems for opposing teams.