Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
No excuses...Serra won the game fair and square..........and let the excuses begin. Out coached by an assistant coach. lol
Disappointing loss for the Crusaders last night. Serra came ready to play and played a full 4 quarters of well-executed basketball.
A very nice surprise to see a near full Crusader Forum considering it was still Winter break and no band which easily adds 1000+ (lol!)
The two week layoff and a very rare off night by Bryce Monroe made it all the more difficult to overcome a fired up and scrappy Padre squad. Riordan appeared a half step slow in their play and Serra was playing with a purpose. WCAL is going to be a doozy this season. Hang on!
Thanks for the kind words HSWIZARD73 and great hearing from you. Don't be a stranger!It’s been a long time since I have posted on this site. I am a east bay resident these days, last 7 years to be exact. But I am still a WCAL first type of guy, unfortunately starting a family makes it difficult to get out to some great games.
Thanks to Jordan, Renard, Larry Legend and Kiddman(you are amazing) for keeping us all updated.
First thing I was confused of is when Riordan took 2 weeks off. Could you imagine Duke taking two weeks off before the ACC season started. The WCAL is and always has been recognized as the second best league in the state. I think the number of state titles, state appearances, between all schools speaks for itself.
I can speak from experience, when you are the talk of the league, from days of watching my boy Fontana while attending SH, and the Kately Tofi days, one thing is for sure, everyone wants to knock you off period.
Therefore to win the WCAL, Riordan states title year they did not, takes a combination of great coaching, preparation, and players buying in 100 percent.
One guy above asked what happened to Coach Forslund. Great question. My alum blew it twice when they had the opportunity to hire him, anyone that lets that man slip is crazy. He is a preparation specialist, and to win in the end at the state title level, it takes tremendous preparation and on the fly adjustments to win the big one. He was pretty darn good at that and it’s too bad he is not part of the staff this season.
Lastly I look forward to continue reading all the WCAL posts, that Jordan is awesome to start. Look forward to getting back to my floor seats in Sacramento that until that starting a family thing kicked in was cut short 4-5 seasons ago. As well as my golf game, LOL. Hopefully I get to see WCAL schools represent at State. Had the pleasure to see Serra, my alum SHC, St Francis, Mitty, and Riordan on a intimate level represent since 1996. Keep it
up. It takes a combination of all things going right to win a state title. Cause trust me, Riordan was a heavy underdog against Aaron Affalo, Gabriel Pruitt, Darius Sanders and a very athletic support squad and pulled it off cause the coaching on down was superb. Yes the game is a tad different these days. But offensive sets and great defense helps tremendously to take down the giants all of nor cal face from Souther California.
Take Care, and Go WCAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And good luck to all Nor Cal teams as the season rolls on.
Chess, but your absolutely correct. One game into conference play. Long way to go. What they learn from this is crucial though.Chest match! Best strategic player wins!
I'm just calling it as I see it.That's funny ...its not his time to lead. Je'lani and Bryce are the leaders of this season's Riordan team. Players have to mature as people and team members. Stop with the animation when things do not go right, finger pointing, fighting, make it through practice together. It's going to be ups and downs. I will state this again...everything in life is about consistency. Riordan has not had a consistent lineup or consistent rotation and in defense of the Coaching staff some of it is due to player immaturity. Pick a rotation and stick with it so guys will know where one another is on the court and guys will learn their roles and hopefully accept their roles and thrive in those roles.
I took down my previous posts so not to be divisive. I will sit down and watch film with anyone if they want. I am not going to say that Serra outcoached Riordan but I personally saw the flaws in our game that Serra exploited. I saw our flaws in wins.
You can't play fast and get out on the break if you aren't rebounding. Good teams can play at any pace and adjust.
Serra scouted us well and put in a great game plan that was visible to see. Some of our players stand around after shots are taken or we leak out. Serra crashed the boards knowing this. They ran a dribble drive continuity offense last night and their staff engrained into their players mind to jump stop and pump fake everytime because on film Riordan jumps to block everything. How many charges has Riordan taken this season?
Last Season Riordan pretty much had the same amount of time off but this season is different than last with younger players as oppose to a senior heavy team last season .
Everyone on this board knows I am Forslund guy but this is Coach Curtin and his staffs team. Riordan is 9-2 with many opportunities in front of them. I pray that pride and panic doesn't deter them from their team goals. I look forward to the game to game adjustments.
Chess, but your absolutely correct. One game into conference play. Long way to go. What they learn from this is crucial though.
Great question. All I can say is they play hard and understand their roles as a team. Refreshing to see teams like that. I had the pleasure of coaching Big Muti and Julian. If they can execute their game plans as they did last night they will be a tough out.The unspoken question with the unrelenting focus on Riordan and its galaxy of touted individuals: Without a star player with even a sniff of a hoops scholarship in the offing, how good is Serra?
You got me smiling and shaking my head. Your right on but ...honestly no but's!I'm just calling it as I see it.
So what did the team work on the past 2 weeks? Big men not blocking out, jumping in the air trying to swat shots on the opponent's first move, rather than staying on the ground with hands straight up in the air and moving their feet. Still saw lots of defensive lapses leaving shooters wide open. In general, I just don't see a toughness/nastiness in the bigs, much less the entire team. They should be DOMINATING. Coach Tofi was a beast in his playing days and was hoping that quality would be instilled...And when they do go strong and get fouled - it's brick city at the line. All the bigs should be practicing free throws. No excuse for Mor as he lives on campus! Ayalar asked about Riiny - was hoping for a breakout senior season, but he rarely gets playing time.
Lastly, the Crusader Forum has a state of the art scoreboard. Why aren't the players, scoring fouls info listed?!? USE IT!
This team has all the talent and upside, and yes, they do have target on their backs. The players and coaches need to take this as a challenge and answer back! Losing to an assistant coach is not acceptable.
I'm hoping it's taken as tough love. haha. this team can be special.You got me smiling and shaking my head. Your right on but ...honestly no but's!
Exactly...how do you improve?I'm hoping it's taken as tough love. haha. this team can be special.
I did a quick google search on the “assistant coach”. According to the San Mateo Daily Journal, Carson has been Rapp’s assistant for 13 years, been an assistant at Chico State, College of the Siskyous and assistant to his brother on those loaded McAteer teams. I also think he played college basketball. If he was on the riordan staff three years ago, Joey might not be the head coachI'm just calling it as I see it.
So what did the team work on the past 2 weeks? Big men not blocking out, jumping in the air trying to swat shots on the opponent's first move, rather than staying on the ground with hands straight up in the air and moving their feet. Still saw lots of defensive lapses leaving shooters wide open. In general, I just don't see a toughness/nastiness in the bigs, much less the entire team. They should be DOMINATING. Coach Tofi was a beast in his playing days and was hoping that quality would be instilled...And when they do go strong and get fouled - it's brick city at the line. All the bigs should be practicing free throws. No excuse for Mor as he lives on campus! Ayalar asked about Riiny - was hoping for a breakout senior season, but he rarely gets playing time.
Lastly, the Crusader Forum has a state of the art scoreboard. Why aren't the players, scoring fouls info listed?!? USE IT!
This team has all the talent and upside, and yes, they do have target on their backs. The players and coaches need to take this as a challenge and answer back! Losing to an assistant coach is not acceptable.
No disrespect. There is a lot of coaching going on in some AAU programs. Your only going off what you see in some these local start ups...a lot of good Coaching in the Area...SF Rebels, Oakland Rebels, Soldiers , Team Lillard, Bay Warriors just to name a few but I agree with you on the JURY.In the end, to win consistently in the WCAL, you have to be efficient in the half court, on both ends of the floor. It's the opposite of what we are forced to swallow during the chaotic, no-preparation, no-attention-to-detail AAU season. Players have to buy in. They do so at Mitty, Serra, Bellarmine and a few others. Not sure about Riordan. The jury is still out.