ESCARCEGA ON PREPS: A FINAL LOOK BACK AT THE 2022-23 BASKETBALL SEASON
A look at a season that had its bumps along the way, but provided memories that will last forever.
La Salle Girls Basketball 2022
Dear Basketball;
I didn’t have any idea what the 2022 basketball season was going to bring. I didn’t know what you had in store for me when I decided to venture out with a new project to greatly publicize the sport more. I didn’t know what kind of support I would get from players, coaches, and fans. I knew that I was going to be stepping into the deep end of the pool, I just didn’t know if there was going to be anyone there to help along in the adjustment process.
With the season-ending last week, I gained a greater appreciation for the sport and those that are involved in the sport. I learned that if there was one word to describe the coaching fraternity in the area it is toughness.
You need to have the toughness to fit into the shoes of Covina girls basketball coach Nick Masi, who was hit hard by COVID-19 during the season and suffered a loss that only a few could understand. But he also displayed toughness and courage when he had five players and no bench players when they defeated San Dimas during Valle Vista League play. Seriously, who does that?
I saw Damien coach Mike LeDuc looking as if he had the weight of the world (well, those in the SGV and Inland area) on his shoulders before a state regional semifinal against St. Bernard. He showed that humility, toughness, and maintaining a high standard are required to win state championships.
I saw a basketball savant in La Salle girls basketball coach Scott Wiard grow up throughout the season and never wavered in his trust in his players and coaches. He can now sit next to his well-esteemed father Richard Wiard and say that he is a CIF Southern Section championship coach. He taught me trusting people is a required attribute.
Sonora girls basketball coach Melissa Barajas.
For the first time, I finally got to meet Sonora HS girls basketball coach Melissa Barajas and she taught me it was still OK for coaches to be tough on their players. Sometimes those conversations can be tough, but at the end of the day, the love she displayed for her players was infectious and inspirational to watch. One day, she’ll sit back and realize that she’s as good a coach as you will find in the area.
I saw Keppel High School girls basketball coach Jose Herrera display toughness in trying to navigate his team through some obstacles from a school district that no coach should have to deal with. If anything, the Alhambra Unified School District needs to show its support of one of the finest girls basketball coaches in the area.
I met this coach named Gary Jackson at San Dimas who loves the sport so much, he makes sure that you love it as much as he does. He also reminded me how important it is to use your social media accounts appropriately.
I met this assistant coach at St. Francis named Chris Acker, who (no matter if St. Francis wins or loses) always texts me the score of the game along with top scorers. He is the true definition of what consistency is all about.
La Mirada guard Julien Gomez.
Toughness wasn’t just limited to the coaching box. I saw a freshmen basketball player from La Mirada High School named Julien Gomez decide to take over a game in the quarterfinals on the CIF Southern Section playoffs against Calabasas. It was the type of performance that gave me goosebumps. When you see freshmen perform at the highest level when your team needs it, you’d be inspired too!
I saw this basketball player named Jazz Gardner deliver elite performances every night despite seeing teams attempt to limit his ability to influence a game. The legend of Jazz Gardner will only grow as the years fly by.
Damien guard R.J. Smith
I saw this guard named R. J. Smith who reminded me of what elite guards do consistently. I also got a bit emotional when he was the first player to leave the Damien locker room at their win over St. Bernard’s and thanked me for supporting him during his time at Damien. Great people do that.
I’m always reminded how great St. Francis players are on and off the court. It speaks to the job that Todd Wolfson is doing as a coach.
St. Paul girls basketball player Gloria Barrera
I saw a freshmen girls basketball player at St. Paul named Gloria Barrera remind me how elite girls basketball players perform in big games.
Flintridge Prep’s Ashley Chea
I saw a player that tried to will her teams to wins in Flintridge Prep’s Ashley Chea. She is well on her way to becoming one of the greatest players in the history of the west San Gabriel Valley if she continues to take to the guidance of Kevin and Jayme Kiyomura.
You also took me to places that I’ve never been to before. For instance, I heard about this guard from Workman High School named Pedro Reaza. I decided to look for myself during the playoffs and came away impressed. I also met a coach named Martin Flores, who showed me that you don’t need a ton of assistant coaches to go an inspirational playoff run.
You also took me to Baldwin Park HS to take in one of the most intense rivalry basketball games between Sierra Vista and Baldwin Park. The spirit in that gym on that night fueled me for the remainder of the season. (I also found out that it was acceptable to have tacos before a game).
I found out that while it’s OK to watch games on NFHS Network, nothing beats being a big-time game in person. While we're at it, I once again found out why the “The Classic At Damien” Tournament is the best tournament for anyone to attend or cover.
The most important thing I learned this season was the kindness that the basketball community showed to yours truly. It was inspirational, uplifting, and fulfilling.
I can’t wait to see what you have in store for me in 2023. Until then, thank you for reminding me how great high school sports are. It will be a season I will never forget.
Sincerely,
James Escarcega
2022 WAS NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL
If the 2022 basketball season taught us anything it was that it was not business as usual due to COVID-19 and the Omicron variant. When the season started, fans were allowed to attend games with or without a mask. But as the season progressed, things got worse.
Teams were forced to postpone games and rearrange schedules due to players and coaches getting infected with the virus. Suddenly, it felt like groundhog day with only players' families being allowed into games and stands being half full at best for games in January and February.
And then there was the decision by the CIF Southern Section to have its championship games at host sites instead of a neutral facility for the second straight season. And if you think this is just an abnormality, you’d be wrong.
In canvassing the opinions of athletic directors and those that are closely involved with the CIF-SS, the days of having the sectional championships at sites such as Azusa Pacific University could be a thing of the past.
Two issues are in play here.
The availability of facilities.
Financial considerations.
Let’s tackle both. One of the main reasons why APU was used by the CIFSS was because of its availability. The calendar worked well for both parties and they took advantage of it. However, with dates and events changing rapidly every year, the problem of APU being available has come to the forefront. And if that was the case, where would the section go hold sectional finals?
The first thought would be Mira Costa HS. The reviews from everyone in the South Bay have been sensational. Here was Eric Sondheimer’s story and video review of the facility from last fall.
Mira Costa New Gym - Sondheimer
The other place that could be in play is Sonora High School. The section already has an arrangement with the school to host its Masters Wrestling Tournament and it has been a boon for both parties. The gym is an absolute gem and has seating to handle big crowds.
Sonora High School Gymnasium (Escarcega)
The other issue is financial. For the past two seasons, the finals have been held at host sites and many wish that wouldn’t be the case. My thoughts on the subject, I LOVE IT!
I have attended many sectional basketball finals the past two seasons and they are two things that have jumped out, the energy in the gyms has been off the charts and the stands have been maxed out to capacity seating.
Again, put yourself in the shoes of sectional officials. If you are making a truckload of money at host sites (with very little cost overhead) and the energy of those finals has been through the roof, why would you want to go to a venue like APU? Since the section is still trying to get its legs underneath them due to COVID-19, it only makes sense to have the finals at host sites moving forward.
One thing to keep in mind, it was only a short time ago that the basketball sectional finals were held at The Honda Center in Anaheim and the wrestling Masters Meet took place at Citizens Bank Arena (now called the Toyota Center) in Ontario. However, the sticker price to host the events became a huge issue and the section decided to go in a different direction.
This line of thinking has trickled its way to the state level as well. It wasn’t that long ago, that the state regional finals were held at Cal State Long Beach’s Pyramid. Now, those same regional finals are being held at host sites.
For those that criticize the section for moving to the host sites model for the sectional finals, they need to understand the new reality of high school sports today. The state finals should always be held at venues such as the Golden 1 arena in Sacramento or Mechanics Bank arena in Bakersfield. However, for the financial stability of the CIF Southern Section, it makes complete sense for the basketball finals to be held at host sites.
FIVE BURNING QUESTIONS THIS OFFSEASON?
1. How good are these freshmen that made impacts this year?
Really good. Let’s first start with the boys and the two players that will be on the radar of online hoop scouts throughout the summer in La Mirada’s Julien Gomez and Los Altos’ Jaiyon Gardner.
Gomez was the biggest revelation for me this year. I remember going to the St. John Bosco Tournament in December to go watch Los Altos take on La Mirada. Before the game, I had a great conversation with La Mirada coach Randy Oronoz, and he told me about this freshman that loved and to keep an eye on – that player was Gomez.
Even though the Matadores got run out of the gym by Los Altos, it was the play of Gomez that stood out. Despite being behind by 20 points, Gomez was diving for loose balls, driving in the lane despite the presence of Jazz Gardner, and showing grit that many players can’t conceptualize.
Then there was the performance against Calabasas in a sectional quarterfinal that cemented my thought that he has the tools to become a great player. He took control of the fourth quarter and placed the team on his back. It was very impressive to watch. Noted basketball guru Frank Burlison says that Gomez was one of the more underrated players this season. His future is very bright.
As for Gardner, you can see the potential every time he touches the basketball. He has a silky-smooth shot and has a huge upside. With the departure of C.J. Bellamy due to graduation, look for Gardner to play a bigger role for coach Jeff Lucas next year.
As for the girls, you must start at La Salle with Kaden Cortes. The guard was fearless throughout the playoffs and played a huge part in getting the Lancers to Sacramento. With the return of upperclassmen Audrey and Ellie Chen, the Lancers are projected on making another deep run into the playoffs.
Then there is Gloria Barrera at St. Paul. When you watch her play, she doesn’t play like a freshman. She exhibits the traits you would see in a three-year varsity player. She has amazing court awareness and is one of the more prolific shooters you will see in Southern California. It’ll be interesting to see what club team plays for this summer.
San Dimas has their own freshmen impact player in guard/forward Jaelyn Ramos, who started several games for coaching legend Gary Jackson. She’ll be special when she becomes a senior.
And remember the name of Jada Ly of Keppel. She has those inside the program speaking of her in high regard after her play in 2022. When you couple her potential with returning players such as Kylie Ng, no one in the Almont League should pose a threat to Keppel’s current 120 game winning streak.
2. Will Damien be back in the state finals in 2023?
It’s tough to see it happening. The loss of R.J. Smith, Kaleb Smith, Spivey Word, and Bradley Xie are tough to quantify. However, the return of Jimmy Oladokun is huge, and don’t be surprised if players such as Aston Edwards, Elijah Brown step into the forefront and become impact players. One thing is for sure, coach Mike LeDuc will load his schedule up so these questions will be answered very quickly.
3. Will Los Altos boys basketball win a sectional final?
It all depends on which division they land in 2023. If they are in D-1, they are in matchups against the likes of Long Beach Poly, Rolling Hills Prep, St. Francis, and whoever the committee doesn’t select for the Open Division championship.
If they are in Div. 2AA, I love their chances. One thing to keep in mind is that Jazz Gardner’s impact is felt more heavily in games against teams in Div. 2AA rather than D-1. Not only can he play in the low post, but he can also deliver the big shot from behind the three-point arc and is a rim protector on defense. Fans, you only get more one chance to watch “Pops” next year for an admission price under $10. After that, you’ll have to dish out pretty good money to watch the best big man the area has seen in decades.
4. Who are your dark horses to watch next year?
That’s a tough call due to not knowing where many of these teams will be placed in 2023, but on the boys side, don’t sleep on San Marino. Mikail Papadopoulos is one of the top coaches in the area and has a nice group of underclassmen returning. On the girl's side, Keppel will be the team that will be under the radar for many “experts” but they’ll find their best stride late in the year and will not shock me if they make it a to sectional final.
5. Will “The Classic at Damien” tournament live up to its reputation as the best tournament in Southern California?
You can be assured that Frank Burlison and Mike LeDuc pretty much have most of their teams lined up and ready to go and you better believe that they are teams in the “bullpen” just hoping to get a call that they are being invited to the tournament.
It is the best week of basketball in Southern California. So many great teams and great players playing at the same time. It is the best Christmas gift for basketball fans throughout Southern California.
AWARD WINNERS
I leave it up to others to pick an all-area team, those days are done for me. These are one man’s opinions of who are the players and coaches of the year in the three areas.
BOYS BASKETBALL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
East SGV: R.J. Smith, Damien
West SGV: Sage Wayans, South Pasadena
Whittier: Allen Moser, St. Paul
BOYS BASKETBALL COACHES OF THE YEAR
East SGV: Mike LeDuc, Damien
West SGV: Mikail Papadopulous, San Marino
Whittier: Randy Oronoz, La Mirada
GIRLS BASKETBALL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
East SGV: Vhenus Gaoa, Los Altos
West SGV: Audrey Chen, La Salle
Whittier: Larissa Robles, Sonora
GIRLS BASKETBALL COACHES OF THE YEAR
East SGV: Nick Masi, Covina
West SGV: Scott Wiard, La Salle
Whittier: Melissa Barajas, Sonora
While I made coach LeDuc the East SGV coach of the year, you can’t dismiss the job Chris Confair has done at Northview. He took a program that was the laughingstock in the area and is now getting the final laugh. He did it the old fashion way, rolling up sleeves and doing the work needed to turn the program around. In a normal year, he’s the coach of the year.
As for Nick Masi being girls basketball coach of the year, keep in mind what he had to overcome from a personal perspective, and he beat San Dimas with five players and no bench players. Enough said.
LAST NOTE
I want to thank every fan, coach, and player for your kind words and support of this project. I didn’t know what to expect when I branched out on my own, but everyone was extremely supportive and supported me in ways you can’t understand. The late-night text messages saying “You are awesome and we appreciate all your work,” to other messages that read, “We know you are working hard and the community sees it,” gave me the drive I needed on those late Thursday and Friday nights.
For the first time this summer, I will be at several basketball showcase events so I can see the “business side” of the sport. Basketball gives me a much-needed change of pace from the intensity that football brings. We have great coaches and great players which makes covering the sports very easy. I can’t wait for the start of the 2022-23 season and renewing old friendships. Thank you again basketball fans, your support is greatly appreciated.