IRVINE – The fifth-grade Gilroy and Morgan Hill Ballers placed
third in the National Junior Basketball All-Net National Tournament
in Irvine. The Silicon Valley Champions entered the March 27-28
tournament with a 15-0 record and ended up playing six games.
IRVINE – The fifth-grade Gilroy and Morgan Hill Ballers placed third in the National Junior Basketball All-Net National Tournament in Irvine. The Silicon Valley Champions entered the March 27-28 tournament with a 15-0 record and ended up playing six games.
The Ballers opened double-elimination pool play with a 55-24 victory over the Newport Mesa Sea Kings, getting solid play from big man Lucas Schmidt and star point guard Miles Kendrick. In Game 2, Gilroy/Morgan Hill suffered its first loss — 43-38 to the Rancho Santa Margarita Eagles — despite a great outside-shooting effort from power forward Luke Walton.
The Ballers ended Day 1 with one of their most inspiring wins of the year.
Against the Victorville Jack Rabbits, they found themselves in unfamiliar territory, trailing 31-19 at halftime and facing elimination from the championship round. Coach Joe Lampkin opted for a box and 1, playing zone with four players and leaving defensive stopper Eric Payne to go man-to-man against Victorville’s point guard who scored 16 points in the first half.
Through tenacious hustle and grit, Payne held him to six points the rest of the way, while Kendrick and Schmidt took over on offense. Kendrick created scoring opportunities with nine assists in the second half, and Schmidt finished with 19 points and a dozen rebounds. Jason Rhoads’ stellar outside shooting accounted for eight second-half points with Payne and Walton chipping in seven and four, respectively.
Together, they helped the Ballers emerge victorious 61-47.
The local team began the championship round with a steady 47-36 triumph over the Niguel Aliso Wolverines. The Ballers relied primarily on Kenny Williams’ sharp outside shooting of 12 points.
They went into their next game against the undefeated San Clemente Tritons with a shot at playing for a national title.
The main gym at Cypress College was packed with other teams that were eager to see which club would earn the final championship berth, and the Gilroy/Morgan Hill team was the clear favorite of the crowd.
With outstanding performances by Garret Miller, Schmidt, Kendrick, Payne and Rhoads, the Ballers stayed even, 40-40, with the Tritons in regulation, forcing the tournament’s only overtime game. Kendrick, Rhoads and Paybe added buckets that pushed the Ballers ahead by one with 10 seconds left in the extra period. Their defense forced San Clemente to take a tough shot. It deflected off the rim — and right to a Tritons guard who was able to sink the winning shot over the outstretched fingertips of his defenders as time expired.
The Ballers’ memorable season wasn’t over yet. Although disheartened by the loss, they collectively revived their spirits for a final game against Rancho Santa Margarita. The Ballers won 42-32, avenging their first loss of the season to the Eagles in pool play.
The Gilroy/Morgan Hill team finished 19-2 and will reform next season to play in the sixth-grade All-Net League.
“This is one of those rare seasons where a team enjoys the perfect storm,” coach John Kendrick said. “The right players, coach Lampkin, the parents and team all worked together so well and wonderfully.”
Schmidt added that he wished the season “would never end.”
