Hang around a Gilroy High boys’ basketball practice for a short
time and one begins to have little doubt regarding the Mustangs’
on-the-court improvement.
Hang around the team outside of practice and one is left with
little doubt regarding the Mustangs’ off-the-court improvement.
Hang around a Gilroy High boys’ basketball practice for a short time and one begins to have little doubt regarding the Mustangs’ on-the-court improvement.
Hang around the team outside of practice and one is left with little doubt regarding the Mustangs’ off-the-court improvement.
Is there a link between the two?
Senior forward Vince Mitre has no doubt.
“Why we’re going to be better goes beyond skills and talent level,” he said. “It’s about cohesiveness and chemistry.
“We all like each other.”
Too simple of an answer? Too naive, perhaps?
Well, flashback to the 2003-04 seasoan. According to Mitre, a lack of that cohesiveness and chemistry “was a problem” from which the Mustangs never really recovered.
After losing its season opener on a buzzer-beater, Gilroy went on to post a painful 4-25 record.
“That was kind of rough,” senior guard Calvin Kretz said. “The team shot a lot more last year instead of distributing. And there were some tensions between the players … egos clashed.”
In addition to the not-so-unusual high school drama off the court, Kretz said some of the tension was created when a few of the players individually took it upon themselves to get the ‘Stangs out of their rut.
To be fair, GHS head coach Bud Ogden said many of those players weren’t actually selfish but simply felt like no other individual would take charge if they didn’t.
Nevertheless, he added, there’s no question this year’s group is more “willing to share.”* “No question they look for each other. There’s no selfishness whatsoever.”
At least early on – the team opened up the new season with a 58-41 win over North County last week – any type of tension indeed seems to be a thing of the past.
“They do enjoy being around each other and I think it’s pretty genuine,” Ogden said. “I think the amount of time they’ve spent together has a lot to do with that.”
This summer – in addition to playing in the normal summer league tournaments – the entire team was able to attend a basketball camp together in Santa Clara.
The camp experience was a new and valuable one for the Mustangs, who were purposely roomed together with teammates they didn’t know all that well. It worked to develop a bond between the team that has apparently carried over into the regular season.
“Outside basketball, nobody really hung out with each other last year,” Kretz said. “This year we all hang out.”
According to Ogden, that fact can’t be underestimated.
“It’s important,” he said. “This program has always been known for its hustle. Add unity and togetherness to the mix and it should be a big plus.”
Adding a stud transfer and a host of potential contributors from JV doesn’t hurt, either.
The transfer is former Valley Christian swingman Cameron Handy, a sophomore who is expected to contribute immediately once all his paperwork is sorted out – which appears to be imminent, Ogden said.
“What he brings is a new dimension,” the second-year coach added. “He’s really our only true slasher. He can slash, go to the basket and can finish.”
Despite losing six seniors, including starting guards Ron Colmon and Brandt Chacon, Ogden said he has plenty more options at his disposal this season.
Kretz and senior point guard Adam Supnet start in the backcourt, while Mitre, senior Adam Moon and junior center Ryan Chisolm start up front.
Among those joining Chisolm in making the transition from JV are the two Dominics (Jackson and Wilkins) and the two players many team members say look out for, Vinny DeLorenzo and Jeremy Teschera.
Add in senior returnees Mark Kennedy, Andrew Alcones, Steven Good and Frankie Valadez – along with junior big man Jeremy Strametz, who joined the team after the end of football season – and all the sudden Ogden is blessed with something he didn’t have during his initial year.
“The thing I enjoy is we’re so deep,” he said. “Last year there were times when I’d look down the bench and not know what to do. This season, anybody all down the bench I have confidence in.”
Confidence.
With improvement evident on and off the court, a quiet version of it seems to be springing up around a program trying to build itself back up to prominence.
“Losing wasn’t fun at all last season,” Mitre said. “So this year we’re hoping to change all that. Our goal is to win TCAL.
“And this team believes we can do that.”
