Hunter Hayden

Sounds like the kind of player we'd like to bring in to begin a new era of Humboldt hoops in the new arena next season.

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Grand Canyon's coach Scott Mossman on Humboldt hosting the regional: “We’ve been treated like kings the whole time we’ve been here. Everywhere we went it was like a first-class operation. I wish the tournament was here every year. This is a college basketball atmosphere.”

"Its cute how they have Pack the Gym night. Up here, we just call that Saturday." - PosseBoy

Still, Maffucci estimates there have been only about 20 Warriors who have advanced to play sports at a four-year college. The last one was Stewart Smothers, who graduated in 1994 and attended San Diego State on a baseball scholarship. He was later drafted by the Atlanta Braves.

Why so few so far between? It could be a combination of things, but one strong factor could be that Army-Navy is a Division IV-V school, where most sports programs are mired in anonymity compared to local well-known powerhouses such as Carlsbad and Vista.

With so much that needs to go right for an athlete to advance to a four-year college, how do those at a small school make sure they aren't passed by?

The options range from making yourself a yearlong athlete through club sports to getting involved with new media, selling yourself with Web sites and highlight DVDs.

Or, if you are a 6-foot, 10-inch basketball player like the Warriors' Sherif Attia, you can be sure someone will find you.

“(Colleges) want to see how well you run the court and how well you shoot,” Maffucci said. “But the height starts the interest.”

Attia, along with senior teammates David Howard (6-7) and Eddie Fernandez (6-8), are a tall force on the court and are attracting attention from the next level.

Last season as juniors, the trio helped lead the Warriors to the Division IV semifinals. Maffucci thinks there is a good chance all three will go on to play basketball in college, which would make it a banner year for the school.

The group knows how hard it is to be recruited, and that just having the height isn't enough to guarantee anything.

“I mean, if you're sized right, that's the first thing the colleges will look at,” Howard said. “But the game has to back up the height.”

To that end, the three competed in 25 games during the summer, including a tournament in Las Vegas and camps at the University of San Diego.

Maffucci said at least four colleges have called him to get schedules so they could come out and see the team this season.

The three have also placed special emphasis on academics in order to be more recruitable.

“If you're not doing what you need to do, there's someone else that is,” Attia said. “Nowadays, some kids play up to 80 games during the summer.”

Just playing for your high school team isn't good enough in an increasingly competitive college market.

After basketball season ended last winter, Maffucci enrolled some of his players in a spring league at Palomar College, followed by a fall league in Ocean-side.

“We played well with Division I teams,” Maffucci said. “We're getting positive exposure because we're a small school that can play with Division I schools. Once you put your name out there, it's out.”

Playing against tougher competition is also important in the recruiting process, not only for the challenge but also for the highlight DVDs students send to prospective colleges.

“You don't want to send them a tape against a poor team,” Maffucci said. “When they see that you can perform well against a good team, then they pick that up.”

Choosing to attend Army-Navy when they could have been starters for higher-profile programs was a gamble, but one that they were willing to take.

“It's not all about basketball,” Howard said. “But colleges are looking for the overall student. We're looking to break the barrier (for Army-Navy) and hopefully get a lot more looks for kids like us.”

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Opponents might have heard of the name Mike Meza, maybe seen him play basketball on tape once or twice, but they really don't understand, don't fully grasp, how talented the senior from Simi Valley is. Bye the end of the game, well, that's a different story. An entirely different story.

It's safe to say Meza has left a lasting impression on more than a few teams this season. Renaissance Academy had no answer for him in the championship game of the Winter Slam Jam tournament when he scored 36 points in an 81-68 victory. Then there was a 25-point outburst against Agoura and a 26-point effort against Knight.

"Let me tell you something, Mike Meza has flown underneath the radar for a while now,'' Simi Valley Coach Christian Aurand said. "This kid is the real deal though. He's a unique player, a well-rounded player that can do a little bit of everything. Teams usually figure that out by the end of the first quarter and have to make adjustments.''

Guess that explains, in part, why the Pioneers, No. 21 in The Times' preseason rankings, are still undefeated. Simi Valley heads south to San Diego County this week for Torrey Pines tournament. And considering the way he's playing, it's reasonable to expect coaches having their players better prepared for Meza this time around. If not, we know what could happen.

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Meza seems like a David Jefferson, Peal type of player...strong, agile, and can do it all. He's also on the #9 team in the state.

Here's an article in the LA Times about his perrformance in one game, along w/ an interview w/ him. Click the picture of Mike to watch his interview...

Kyle Baxter, a 6' 7" post from Sacramento.

Elliot Babcock-Krenk, a 6' 3" wing from Lake Oswego, Oregon.

Babcock-Krenk played w/ Spada in high school against very high level competition and is scoring around 20 ppg this season for a team that's 18-3 and one of the best in the state of Oregon again. Baxter's averaging around 13 ppg and 6 rpg this season on a team that's 21-5.

Q: Where is home? A: Chicago. Q: How did you wind up at Army-Navy Academy? A: When I was in seventh grade, I decided I didn't want to stay in Chicago for high school. I knew I wouldn't turn out the way I wanted to. My brother (Javis) had a tough time and never graduated from high school. My mom and dad never graduated from high school. I'm the first one in my family to graduate. Q: So why go so far from home? A: I wanted to go to a place where I could use my grades and my basketball to the fullest. An outreach program got me here and I am grateful for that. Q: So you came out to San Diego County as a ninth grader. Had you ever been to California? A: Never. I was excited about coming to California and as soon as I got off the plane I loved it. Q: When you go home for vacations, do you miss San Diego? A: Yes, especially when I'm shoveling snow over Christmas. Q: Was it worth it to leave home and come to Army-Navy? A: It was all worth it. Everything I've done the last four years has been worth the sacrifice. Q: How did your friends react to the news you were leaving town? A: They beat me up. They told me I couldn't go. They thought I'd be here for a year or two and then would come home to play basketball with them again.

Q: What have you accomplished outside of being an All-Coastal League North player in basketball?

A: I'm third in command at the school -- I'm a Cadet Command Sergeant Major -- and I'm hoping that gets me to a good college, hopefully USD. Because of Army-Navy, I'm more than just good grades and more than just basketball.

Q: How did you fit in as a freshman from the Midwest?

A: I flew out here with two other guys who were going to the school too. They left five days later. Homesick. I was homesick too.

Q: But you stayed?

A: My mom wouldn't let me come home. She said to stay and work it out.

Q: And now you have just one semester left?

A: I still can't think about my time here being over because there's too much work to do yet, but senior year is going so fast.

Q: How fast?

A: At least I still have some basketball left. I wish the rest of the season would slow down and go real slow.

Q: Is this your best basketball season?

A: Without a doubt.

Q: Just because you're a year older?

A: No. I was bad last year. Junior year was tough. I didn't work enough before the season. It was like I lost everyone's trust. If I was a college coach, I wouldn't have recruited me off last season.

Q: How much has the extra work paid off for you and your teammates?

A: I had to put my ego in a box last summer and build my character back up after letting down my teammates. I thought I was the man and didn't work to be the man. Last year has made me much more unselfish as a player, and it's carried over because we're winning.

David Howard

School: Army-Navy Academy

Sport: Boys basketball

Born: July 27, 1990

Year: Senior

Height: 6-foot-7

Accomplishments: First-team All-Coastal League North in 2006-07.

Quick hits

Voice mail or text message: Text message

Watch college basketball or NBA: College

Favorite athlete: Kobe Bryant

Favorite TV show: "Family Guy"

Favorite food: Sushi

Favorite sports movie: Space Jam

Most hated chore: Shoveling snow

Frank Meza tried describing his home country to his sons, Michael and Tony, and was met with skepticism. He told them about El Salvador, where he spent his childhood until he joined his parents in the United States as a 12-year-old. Meza always talked about taking his sons there. In an unusual twist, it was Michael who led his father back to El Salvador through the game of basketball. Michael Meza, who is entering his senior year at Simi Valley High, represented El Salvador in the COCABA Championship for Senior National teams last month in San Salvador, El Salvador. "I think it's kind of one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities," said Simi Valley basketball coach Christian Aurand. Meza's usual summer would be spent playing summer league games with his high school team and Amateur Athletic Union team, BTI, based out of Pasadena.

The forward/center met Luis Turcious, a player/coach with El Salvador's national team, two years ago in a basketball camp at Westmont College in Montecito. When Turious called Meza about a spot on the national team, the Simi Valley resident already knew his answer.

"I had no hesitation," Meza said. "I was ready to go."

El Salvador's national team has a variety of sponsors, including TACA, a Salvadorian airline, to help cover the cost of the trip. Once his parents figured out the logistics, Meza and his father arrived in El Salvador on July 11. Michael's older brother, Tony, 19, joined them on July 16.

At 17 years old, Michael Meza was the youngest team member. The COCABA Championship consisted of six teams, including teams from Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Mexico.

El Salvador exceeded expectations, earning third place with a 3-2 record. Mexico and Costa Rica advanced from the preliminary-qualifying tournament for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Meza had a limited role in the first two games, but found his niche and enjoyed a large role in the latter games, including a start in El Salvador's finale, a 134-55 loss to Mexico.

In five games, Meza played 15 to 20 minutes a game and averaged six points, four rebounds, two assists and a block. He had a tournament-high eight points against Mexico.

"These guys — they are grown men already — most of them," Michael said of the competition. "A bunch of them tried out with NBA teams. A bunch of them play in Europe professionally. Tthey were real strong, so I had to find ways around it like technique other than strengths because there's no way I'm going to outmuscle those guys."

The language barrier provided another challenge with El Salvador's coach, Enrique Samour, speaking only Spanish. Meza, who has taken three years of high school Spanish, picked up what he could and relied on teammates to translate.

Meza, one of four Americanized players, says the team's lack of height made the players rely on speed and a full-court press, similar to what Simi Valley employs. Although El Salvador fell short of advancing, team officials told Meza they are counting him for the next five years.

El Salvador is the only country in Central America without a professional league and instead has club teams.

Meza's team stayed in a mansion that was converted into a hotel. The once luxurious part of downtown has since been commercialized and evolved since Frank Meza's childhood.

"That was the cream of the crop," said Meza, who also visited El Salvador 11 years ago. "Very wealthy people used to live in that area. Now going back, it looks like most of the mansions they've been turned into businesses like schools, hotels, some government agencies and things like that."

The busy basketball schedule, consisting of morning shoot-arounds and evening practices before the actual tournament, left little time for sight-seeing, but what Michael Meza did see gave him a new perspective. The city is without smog regulations, so on drives from the hotel to the gym or other places in downtown there were dark clouds of exhaust.

"It's almost like a third-world country down there," he said. "It's really poor. We weren't even allowed to drink the water because their water was bad so we had to drink bottled water the whole time. People would be living in shacks made out of sheet metal, so it really gave me an appreciation for what I have."

His father took Michael and Tony to his hometown of Santa Ana and allowed them to visit relatives they had never met before. On the day of El Salvador's game against Nicarauga, 10 relatives came by bus and cab made 112-hour trip in stormy weather and created Michael Meza's own cheering section.

For Michael Meza, New Year's Day wasn't about slouching on a couch, watching football and snacking on cholesterol-laden treats.

It was about working for a Marmonte League title.

The standout senior center joined the rest of Simi Valley High's boys' basketball team for an 8 a.m. practice on the first day of 2008.

"It's hard to wake up, but once you think about it, this is for a championship," the 17-year-old said. "You kind of brush it off and say, 'It's time to go to work.'"

It's that attitude, along with his versatility, mental toughness and pure basketball skills, that has helped Meza establish himself as one of the area's top front-court players.

At 6 feet 4 and 195 pounds, Meza makes up for what he lacks in height and weight with his speed and shot-making. He can lure bigger opponents away from the basket with his outside shot or dribble past them if they challenge him on the perimeter.

The center, who also worked on dribbling this offseason, finishes strong around the basket. He's the perfect complement on the fast break to Simi's star point guard, Lorne Jackson.

"He's one of the best guys I've ever played with," Jackson said. "He can shoot; he can rebound. He makes the game a whole lot easier for me and everyone else on the team."

Pioneers head coach Christian Aurand said the low-post player may have turned a corner after he suffered a dislocated right kneecap his sophomore season. Instead of allowing the injury to impede his progress, he said, Meza committed to an even tougher work ethic.

"Despite being hurt, he went to practice every single day," Aurand said. "He got to see practice from an outside perspective. At times, you can see guys working hard and see guys not working hard. This motivated him for his junior year. The injury gave him perspective: 'I have only two more years at the varsity level.' Although it might seem like a long time to some players, he had a sense of urgency, and he became extremely hungry to get better."

Meza averages 21.2 points and 5.4 rebounds a game for the Pioneers, who started the season 130 before dropping their first game in the championship round of the MaxPreps Holiday Classic in Torrey Pines on Dec. 29.

The Pioneers lost 84-83 to Compton's nationally ranked Dominguez High, historically one of Southern California's most successful programs.

In the thriller, Meza hit a 3pointer with 21.9 seconds left that gave Simi an 83-82 lead, but Dominguez avoided the upset with an offensive rebound tip-in with one second remaining.

"I remember right when it went in; I couldn't believe I swished it," Meza said of his goahead shot. "Then I thought, there's still 20 seconds left, we still need to get a stop. Dominguez tried to push the ball up, and we knocked it out of bounds. After that, they did call a timeout, and my team was rushing me. I was thinking, 'Why are we celebrating? We still got to get a stop'- although I was celebrating a little though, too."

The senior, who shoots 64 percent from the field and 88 percent at the free-throw stripe, has reached double figures in scoring in all but one game this season.

On Dec. 15 against 6-foot-11 center Stover Anthony and Renaissance Academy of La Cañada, Meza notched a seasonhigh 36 points.

Even though Meza would be undersized at center in college, many schools, including UC San Diego, the University of Denver and Cal Lutheran, have already reached out to him.

"I definitely know he's a college basketball player," Aurand said. "He's going to play somewhere."

He played varsity ball with his older brother, Tony, on the 200506 team. Their youngest brother, Joe, a sixth-grader at Chaminade, also likes playing hoops.

Meza credits Simi Valley's great start to its full-court pressure defense. The Pioneers use a press after made field goals and free throws, even missed shots.

That full-court frenzied press personifies the Pioneers' quest for a league championship. If Arkansas and former coach Nolan Richardson played "40 minutes of hell," then Simi Valley has 32 minutes of fire and brimstone.

"It's pretty much what helps us with our wins," Meza said. "We work on it all day, every day."

Even with the gaudy numbers, preseason adulation and impressive start, Meza and the Pioneers want more.

The quest to win a Marmonte League championship looms large, especially since Aurand, in his ninth year guiding Simi, hasn't won an outright league title since his first year as head coach. Last year, Simi Valley started 8-0 in league but finished third.

Simi Valley, at 2-0 in the Marmonte League, continues its league season tonight at 7:30 against Moorpark at home.

Meza, fresh off the New Year's Day practice, said he'll be ready.

February 4, 2008

As a budding young basketball player, Peter Smith took interest in watching video highlights of the 1975 NBA Finals with an eye on a rookie who helped the Golden State Warriors win their only league title.

It was his father, Phil Smith, whose pro career ended well before Peter was born.

“My dad would be playing so unselfishly the whole game – rebounding, blocking shots, outletting the ball,” said Peter, a senior at Escondido High. “He wouldn't even shoot, but then the game would come down to it, and he'd hit like seven straight.”

Peter asked his dad how he did it.

“You don't know how much time that I put into this,” Phil Smith said. “Good things happen when you put in time.”

Those thoughts have stayed with Peter since Phil Smith died in 2002 following a five-year battle with bone marrow cancer.

Peter Smith's 2007-08 season, his third on the Escondido varsity, was delayed by a San Diego Section ruling regarding his eligibility. During his family's bereavement, Smith had repeated a portion of the ninth grade. He was considered a fifth-year senior this season and not eligible for athletics.

The section was asked to reconsider and Smith was granted eligibility for the second semester, amounting to eight regular-season games plus the playoffs.

In his first game back Jan. 16, Smith opened with seven straight points and finished with 25 in a 61-38 victory over San Marcos. In his next outing, he scored 31 against Mission Hills in a 67-51 triumph that gave the Cougars the inside track for the Valley League title.

“When I found out about the eight games, I felt, 'OK, there might be a reason for this, a purpose,' ” Peter said. “It's better than nothing, so just make the most of it. It's my senior year.”

In what would be his final visit with his father, Peter recalls talking about their love of fishing. Peter said the underlying mood remained hopeful while his father battled his disease. Hours after that conversation, Phil Smith went into a coma and died three days later of multiple myeloma. He was 50.

Phil Smith began his NBA career with his hometown Warriors as a second-round draft pick after earning All-America honors at the University of San Francisco.

The 6-foot-4 guard, a two-time NBA All-Star, eventually joined the San Diego Clippers in the 1980-81 season. It was then that the Smith homestead was established in Escondido, in view of Lake Hodges, where Phil Smith would frequently fish with his three sons.

The father became known around town for volunteering to help his children's basketball teams, including stints at San Pasqual High, where his older kids played. The youngest of five siblings, Peter also attended, carrying his own basketball to shoot during halftime of their games.

“Peter would learn by watching,” said his mother, Angela Smith. “He could tell how brothers and sisters shot the ball. That shows how he was a student of the game. He could show their style and technique and mimic them.”

Also, with a hoop at home, Peter practiced with his siblings and father, when he was able.
“We haven't stopped giving our little brother advice,” said brother Martin Smith, currently the JV coach at Lincoln High. “But he has benefited most from watching us and playing against us.”

Soon after his father's death, Martin went away to college at Cal, leaving only Peter and his mother at home.

Angela decided Peter would better cope with his grief with the help of a male role model. Early that fall, Peter left The Bishop's School, which he had attended since the seventh grade, for an extended visit with his brother Philip and his family in Atlanta.

Upon his return, Peter opted to attend Escondido High, where he had friends and knew basketball coach Paul Baldwin from a local club program.

Peter began anew as a 5-foot-2 freshman. He has become a 5-foot-11, 152-pound guard, strengthened by a weight-lifting program implemented his junior year.

Baldwin remembers seeing Peter as a vocal 7-year-old fan at one of his brothers' games. He has watched him grow physically and mature emotionally.

“He appreciates things more than most kids his age from what he has gone through,” Baldwin said. “He comes from a very strong Christian family. He has great character and integrity. He cares about people. It's not about Peter, it's about our team.”

Last season, Peter averaged 18.3 points a game as the Cougars reached the section Division II final for the fourth time in six years, including titles in 2002 and 2003. This season, he attended every practice and game in anticipation of his return to the lineup.

“It's been great having him back,” said senior Coby Brown-Holmes, also a third-year varsity player. “Peter brings a lot to the team. I had missed playing with him. I've been with him for three years, so it was tough.”

Escondido (14-9, 9-0) has rebounded from a 2-7 start. With Smith averaging 31.4 points through five games, the Cougars are bidding to go unbeaten in league play for the second time in school history after doing so a year ago.

Each playoff game would add to the shortened season for Peter Smith, who has been recruited by UCSD and Cal State Dominguez Hills in Division II yet also may have Division I options. He carries a 4.4 grade-point average, augmented by honors classes.

Angela Smith, long a mainstay at her children's games, can look at Peter back on the court and be reminded of her husband.

“Peter's real competitive,” Smith said, “and that's just how his dad was.”

In his mind, Peter can still hear the man who personally narrated highlights of the 1975 NBA Finals for him.

“He always used to tell me, 'There ain't nothing wrong with hard work,' ” Peter said. “He would always reiterate that to me. That's one of the things that I live by, just trying to work hard in all I do, because I want to set myself apart.”

In other words, Peter Smith wants to be like his father.

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SMU Board Thread about Brian

North Idaho CC Profile

Top 150 Players in the Nation - Check out who recruited him out of high school

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These are just a few things I found about Brian today. He would be a HUGE pickup for the Jacks, literally and figuratively. He is friends w/ Nick Green and knew Ernie Spada, as he is from the same area in Oregon as Green and Spada.

ESCONDIDO -- The youngest of five children, Peter Smith couldn't wait for his turn in the spotlight of his famous father.

That time, however, never came.

Phil Smith, who starred in college for the University of San Francisco and later as a two-time NBA All-Star while playing for the Golden State Warriors, San Diego Clippers and Seattle SuperSonics, died on July 29, 2002 after a five-year battle with multiple myeloma cancer.

The elder Smith, who twice scored 51 points in an NBA game and averaged 15.1 points in a nine-year professional career, was 50 when he died.

Peter Smith is the youngest member of a family that includes Phil's wife, Angela, and children Alicia, Philip, Amber and Martin. Peter was only 12 years old, about to begin the eighth grade at The Bishop's School in La Jolla, when his father died.

"My dad always had time for my brothers and sisters," said Peter, who's now a senior guard at Escondido High. "He was always involved in their activities, whether it was basketball or something else. And I understood and appreciated that.

"But when everyone was grown up and out of the house, it was my turn. I was going to have my father to myself. He was going to come to my games. He was going to give me the one-on-one instruction he gave to my bothers."

Smith had a hard time dealing with his father's death, and a hard time fitting in socially and academically at Bishop's.

"I was dealing with a lot of things at the time," he said. "My (grandmothers) had both recently died, then my father passed.

"It was just my mom and I at home, and it was tough."

So Angela Smith, who was struggling to deal with the death of her husband, encouraged her youngest son to get away. And Peter went far away, moving to Atlanta two months into his freshman year at Bishop's to live with his brother, Philip, and his wife.

"I needed to grieve, to get some closure," Peter said. "I needed to be around family, and my brother and his wife were great. I took four or five months off. Didn't go to school.

"I had seen my dad work with my brothers at practice. I was so much looking forward to that relationship. I just missed talking with him.

"I saw my dad battle the cancer for five or six years, and since I was young, it was hard to understand why he was sick and tired.

"But he never whined or complained. And I always knew he cared."

The healing process complete, Peter was ready to return to his Escondido home in time for the start of the 2004-05 school year.

"But I didn't really know what to do or where to go," Peter said. "Bishop's wasn't a good fit for me. It was just too long a drive for my mother to make every day."

So Peter and Angela researched Escondido's high schools: Escondido, San Pasqual and Orange Glen. Philip Smith had played at San Pasqual, and Phil helped as a volunteer assistant coach.

But Peter, after talking to friends Lorenzo Keeler and Theo Overstreet, chose Escondido based on coach Paul Baldwin's reputation of treating all players fairly.

Since Peter was young and had missed so much school, Angela Smith decided to enroll her son as a freshman. It wasn't a problem then, as Peter blossomed athletically and academically.

He worked his way up to the varsity and averaged 18.3 points as a junior last season on a team that went 26-6. The 5-foot-11, 155-pound guard had a career-high 38 points against Mission Hills and 33 against San Marcos, part of a five-game stretch in which he sank 24 3-pointers.

He was equally successful in the classroom, posting a 4.4 grade-point average with an SAT score of 1,890.

Colleges like Stanford, Penn, Columbia, Fordham and UC San Diego have contacted him because he epitomizes the phrase "student-athlete." But his senior high school season will include only the final eight regular-season games and the ensuing playoffs, if the Cougars qualify.

In the eyes of the CIF, Peter had repeated his freshman year, was considered a fifth-year senior, and wasn't eligible for athletics.

Angela Smith, along with Escondido High athletic director Steve Bridges and Baldwin, took her son's case to the CIF San Diego Section, citing special circumstances. After much posturing, section commissioner Dennis Ackerman granted Peter Smith an extra semester.

That seemed fair until all informed came to the realization that only eight regular-season games remained on the Cougars' schedule once the second semester begins.

"In college, you're eligible the day the semester before ends," Bridges said. "That would have given Peter some more games. Even if we couldn't get that, we argued that there are seven teams in the Valley League, and we play 12 league games. So we should have Peter for 12 games."

Bridges believes that Ackerman settled on eight games because most leagues in San Diego play in five-team leagues that play eight league games.

Ackerman declined to speak specifically to Peter Smith's case, but said: "We review a lot of eligibility questions. We take them all very seriously. We know it's important to the athlete, the family and the school. We made what we felt was the correct decision."

Angela Smith had retained an attorney and was informed she had a case if she chose to appeal Ackerman's decision at the state level.

"There were so many steps, so many appeals that after a while it was just too much," Angela Smith said. "It was stressful on Peter, and I didn't want this to affect his schoolwork. We prayed a lot, trusted in the Lord, and finally decided to accept the decision.

"The past few years have been an emotional roller coaster for Peter. When Phil passed, all the other kids were out of the house, and all Peter and I had was each other.

"Peter had so much respect for his dad. Phil was such a big part of his children's lives. He was always with them. All Peter ever wanted was for it to be like it was for his brothers and sisters. It has been hard for Peter not having his dad with him, watching him play.

"But I have to hand it to Peter. He hasn't given me one minute's trouble. He's a tough little cookie."

Baldwin rates Smith with the best players he has coached in his 10 seasons at Escondido. And the Cougars have had some great guards, including Justin Bell (who played at UC Riverside), Keeler (who is playing at Cal Poly) and Overstreet (who is playing at Palomar College).

"Peter Smith is a fine player, but he's a better kid," Baldwin said. "Phil Smith was a great player, but a better person. And Peter certainly takes after his father.

"Peter can't play yet, but he's at every practice and sits on the bench every game.

For those unfamiliar with some of my blogging tendencies, let me explain one thing before we go any further. I’m a stats junkie. Crunching numbers is interesting. It comes with the territory most times, which leads me to the point of this entry: Donald Johnson can fill up a basketball box score with the best of them.

The senior from Antelope Valley is averaging 16.6 points, 15.8 rebounds and 5.4 blocks a game heading into Tuesday’s Golden League contest against Littlerock. Wait, it gets better. Much better. Johnson ranks among MaxPreps.com’s top 10 in the state in boards and top 15 in swatting shots.

His name, however, isn’t the first mentioned when the subject of hoops is talked about in the 661. That distinction is reserved for Paul George, Kyisean Reed or Justin Haynes. Perhaps Johnson should be included in the conversation. He’s done something the others haven’t, finishing with a double-double in 17 of 19 games so far.

Still not impressed? Perhaps his triple-double -- 11 points, 15 rebounds and 10 blocks -- in the season opener against Palisades will change your mind. And Johnson duplicated the feat with a 24-18-10 effort two weeks ago in a victory over Quartz Hill. Not too shabby, if you’re into playing the numbers game.

-- Sean Ceglinsky

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Jacks Rock!

ok, here's the link to the Tsagarakis incident. A little dark and fuzzy, but..well, you'll see.

Sean Qunicy of the Times Standard had a very good view of what happened and wrote a good article on Wednesday:

No fairy-tale ending for HSU, but a fitting one
Sean Quincey/The Times-Standard
Article Launched: 03/05/2008 01:27:23 AM PST

What a fairy tale it could have been.

In the East Gym's final hurrah, Humboldt State fought -- literally -- to get back into Tuesday night's game in the first round of the inaugural CCAA Tournament. The Jacks, who hit a game-winning 3-pointer less than a week ago on that very court, were looking for another round of heroics.

As the final seconds ticked off, HSU heaved a desperation shot from a spot closer to half court than the 3-point line. It found a Pomona player instead of the bottom of the net and the Broncos bounced off the court with a 73-70 upset win.

What an ending it could have been.

Then again, has anything about HSU ever been a fairy tale?

Is it more fitting for a school that has had to battle tooth and nail for everything -- from enrollment to recruits, from balancing university budgets to fund-raising scholarship dollars -- to again find itself in an underdog role?

It could be the best thing for the Jacks as they prepare for the West Regional Tournament, which tips off next week.

”We'll definitely be focused,” said senior Devin Peal, whose shove of Pomona guard Angelo Tsagarakis set the hot-tempered tone for the night. “This loss will sting, but it's best to get the taste out of our mouth now.”

The Jacks have played some of their best ball this year when there was something at stake, when the team had something to prove.

When HSU dropped three in a row at the end of January and beginning of February, including losses to Pomona and San Bernardino, it beat third-placed Cal State L.A. 83-77 in a game that was not as close as the score made it seem.
Peal, in his first game back from tearing a ligament in his thumb, scored 22 points in a rout of UC San Diego. Ditto for Cy Vandermeer, who had five points, four rebounds in his bounce-back game after tearing a ligament in his knee, then went for 10 and 13 a week later in a last-second win over arch nemesis San Bernardino.

Both performances took place in the East Gym, another pair of memories for HSU faithful to take with them across the street to that sparkling, $48 million Kinesiology and Athletics Building, which has a sexy name to match its appearance.

And it wasn't just the outcome of Tuesday's game that somehow relates to HSU, the entire game showed bits of the program's makeup.

Pomona, which unexpectedly was forced to stay on the North Coast through the past weekend, came out like the caged animal it was. But HSU was having none of it.

Tsagarakis, while laying on the ground after Peal fouled him, kicked the HSU senior and grabbed his leg, nearly taking him to the ground. Peal, who regretted the decision later, shoved him back to the ground and was nearly ejected.

”It just showed the intensity of the game and what we're playing for,” HSU guard Grayson Moyer said. “(The loss) is disappointing. We had some good times here. But it's not going to ruin the gym's legacy just becaues we didn't come out with a win.”

Peal sat down for much of the rest of the first half, but that allowed Jacks fans to perhaps see the birth of a new star: Nick Green.

Green had a layup and dunk just before the half and a put-back late in the game that tied it up at 63. He turned in a 12-point, five-rebound night on 56 percent shooting, which was up from his normal line of 5.6 points and 3.1 rebounds.

With each big rebound or momentum-changing bucket, his L.A. Laker-legend uncle A.C. Green rose to his feet -- showing a little bit of Hollywood in Humboldt.

And finally, the fans.

The Jacks battled to the bitter end, but so did those in the stands. As if we expected anything different.

Fans booed Tsagarakis every time he touched the ball and cheered Peal when he re-entered the game. With the game in the balance, they created the deafening noise that has become a thing of Lumberjack lore.

And when it was over, they embraced their players in their time of need. On the floor of the East Gym.

Lorne Jackson and Mike Meza, both from Simi Valley, were honored as Co-Most Valuable Players in the County. According to the Star, Jackson averaged almost 23 point per game, 6.7 rebounds per game, 6.8 assists per game, and accounted for 120 steals during the season. Meza contributed 20 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game, while playing as an undersized forward.

Peter Smith finally received some good news in a season fraught with disappointment.

The senior guard for the Escondido High boys basketball team will be allowed to play in the annual Senior All-Star game later this month after the CIF San Diego Section originally bumped him from the roster for reasons CIF commissioner Dennis Ackerman has yet to reveal.

Escondido athletic director Steve Bridges said Monday night that Smith is back on the North team after he and principal Sue Emerson appealed on Smith's behalf.

Earlier this season, the 5-foot-11 Smith had to file an appeal just to be eligible to play this year, his fifth in high school counting an aborted freshman year following his father's death in 2002.

Smith was permitted to play in only the final eight games of the regular season plus the postseason. That turned out to be 10 games counting two playoff appearances.

"Now I have something to look forward to,'' Smith said Monday afternoon. "The 10 games were good. I can't complain about that, but this is great. It's sure been a stressful season.

"I have to hope things like this happen for a reason.''

Ackerman declined comment Monday about Smith's situation.

The all-star game is slated for March 21 at a site still to be determined. Smith was originally named to the squad by a committee comprised mostly of county coaches, but was later removed from the team by Ackerman.

Smith's play was good enough to get him on the team. He averaged 30.6 points per game and converted 40 3-pointers in the 10 contests that he played for the Cougars.

"We're very happy Dennis changed his mind about this,'' Bridges said. "I was coaching my golf match when I got the call and when I called Peter he was ecstatic.

"As good as he felt about his own situation, he was very appreciative of all our efforts on his behalf. That shows what a quality person he is.

"We would have gone to bat for another Cougar even if he wasn't as good a player as Peter was for us.''

Smith was not the only player deleted from the all-star game after being named to the squad by the committee. San Diego High's Patrick McCollum in the boys game and Bonita Vista girls standout Jamesha Townsend also suffered the same fate.

"I was hoping the appeal would work out,'' said Smith, who is ranked No. 3 in his class with a 4.4 grade-point average, according to Baldwin. "I knew it was going on, but I wasn't sure it would work out.